Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1882-12-14
ROAD WORK.
The System all Wrong by Which our
Dirt Roads and Most sf our Stone
Roads are Built.

Dirt Roads and Most sf our Stone
Roads are Built.
Once more we have all reached the
time of year when all realize how ridcu-
lously absurd the system is by which a
amount of hard earned tax-money is
thrown away, and the bad roads, IL any
thing worse. And, too, it is also the time
of year when each farmer declares most
emphatic-some times more emphatic
than sublime-that il he lives another
year, he at least will see 10 It that differ
ent work is done; that man shall be Sc
lelected who will see to it that scraper OF
dirt is not thrown here and there-Helter.
skelter as it were-anf never leveled
down, but left like the hump on cam
els back. He also declares most positive
that this work of Improvement shall be
done earlier in the year, so as to give the
new earth chance to settle and become
well hardened before the fall rains set in
and make the newly filled rut-hole worse
than before. 49,.
This, we say. is avowed again and
again, with much more, each succeeding
fall and winter; but alas, for the frailty
of our human natures, as soon as the
spring rains cease, and the sun shines
forth, there is always too much of some
thing else to tussel with. The result is,
as all know, the same class OF men with
practical ideas as to what are the necessi-
ties and requisites of good road,) are
elected as supervisors, and the dose of a
long line of years is again perpetrated.
The ''poll.tax" is worked ont, and when
fall sets in, the same poor roads put in
their appearance, and when those who
travel over them stop and think that in
our county alone there has been again
foollishly wasted from $12, 900 to SIS, ,000
they feel like falling out of the wagon
and letting the hind wheel run oveI
. the m.
And, while this is all SO, 1T is question
of serious doubt, in our minds. at least
if any thing can be said or written on the
the subject that will be likely TO change
this long-continued system of useless
waste of time hard work and lots OF
money, annually 30 long as the present
Township road laws are continued in
force. Probably the law is more tc
blame than the men who do the work
Be that as it may, all will admit that
some change ought to be inaugurated fol
the better. Apropos to this subject we
herewith submit the following, taken
from the Ohio Farmer on how road
work ought to be done. II our friends
will read it and receive any profit there
from, then q mission has been accom-
plished, and seed sown that will bring
forth good results: u.s.
A ride through the country in this vi
cinity, the past week, is enough to con
vince any sane man that better system
of road making is imperatively de-
manded. The annual slough has com.
menced, and except during freezing
weather it will be impossible to haul hall
a load to market over the common dirt
roads until frost permanently disappears
next spring. 1t requires but little acu'
men to discover that the great enemy OF
good roads in winter and spring is water
--and why more effective means have
not been employed by supervisors to gel
rid of this destructive element, is won
der. We are safe in saying that if not a
furrow was plowed or scraper used up
on our roads for the next five years, and
all the labor and money applied to defec-
tive drainage, our public highways would
be in better condition by 100 per cent.
And if aside from this, mudholes and de-
pressions generally were filled with stone
or gravel, the improvement would again
be doubled. In the absence of better
road law in Ohio, The Farmer has advo-
Gated thorough work as far as it goes.
Wherever gravel is attainable, or better
material than the road itself will supply,
let the road work Of the year be used up
in applying such material and in secur-
ing perfect drainage, even though, but a
mile of a road can be attended to in a sea-
son. The next year another mile can be
finish, hnd the first mile repaired-and
so on till the roads of the district have
been gone over. Then repeat the pro-
cess. Had this been inaugurated ten or
fifeen years ago. even with our defective
laws, we might have had system of
very good roads in the State now, at no
greater expense than has been entailed
by the present slip shod methods. What
is needed, however. is new road law
that will stake the bull by the horn. "
In other words law that will inaugu-
rate gradual and uniform improve
ment system that will put all the leading
thoroughfares Of the State in good con-
dition, say in five or more years. Such
a system would not be burdensome to
any one, while it's benefits would be felt
acknowledged by all.