Brenham weekly banner. [volume] (Brenham, Tex.) 1877-1907, 1882-02-02

GREENvINE, Jan. 2S 'S2.

| lSHSCu up liS lIdfSA uiuoi "
necessity be confined to certain
channels, hence the cause o
many of our public roads being
almost impossible. 1t seems t.
me that it is about time tina
our citizens should wake up t.
a sense of their duty, and de.
wise plans by which they car
reach their county seat, at any
season OF the year. Perhaps the
most efficient, most durable ane
that which gives the most gen.
eraI satisfaction to the travel.
ing community and cheapest ir
the long run, of any system o.
public roads ever inaugurated
IN any country, is the Macadam,
lied road. Be that as it may
l am sure l hazard nothing in
pronouncrng them the bes,
roads ever invented. About
the method of construction.
The road is laid off, bitches
cut on either side where it is
necessary to do so and the dirt
thrown on the road and the
road bed then covered with rock
broken with stone hammers to
the size OF a goose egg and
smaller, and spread over the
road so thick that loaded wag-
wagons will not cut through;
when finished the more they
are travelled the better they get;
the dust off the rock by
wagons passing over settles
among the rock and cements
them together, and the road
eventually becomes smooth and
solid. The writer has seen in
north Alabama six mules draw
ing twenty bales OF cotton load
ed on two wagons one behind
the other, on a Macadamizcd
road, and travelled with more
ease than they would with four
bales on one wagon on our
roads; but that is not all, when
the road is once completed,
there is no end to its duration.
The great desideratum, is how
can those roads be built1 In ref
Ference to the building of said
roads, l would remark that it is
not expected. that a Macadamiz-
ed road can be built to every
mans door, nor is it expected
that the public road in the
county can be made a Mac
adamized road. Now l would
suggest, to the county COM
missioners the propriety of
their taking this scheme under
advisement; at the February
term Of said commissioners
court, let them lay off and
designate four roads to be
Northumberland roads to
commence at the corporate
limits of BRENNAN and lead out
as far as practicable, north,
east, south and west. The
question naturally arises where
is the money to pay for the
building of said roadsa l be-
lieve our state constitution
makes no provision for levying
a tax on the people for road
but Article XVI.
Sec. "a. makes it the duty Of
the Legislature to make pro-
vision for utilizing, fines forfeit
ures, and convict labor, for
road purposes. BY using the
convict labor, fines and for
FIXTURES incidental and belong
ing to our county in a judicious
and economical manner, to-
gether with the voluntary con-
of private individuals
two mile or more of each road
might be put down every year,
so that in eight years O. miles
Of said road might be put down
in the county, which would run
each road to the county line;
in the process OF time other
roads may be made to inter-
sect the four main lines of road.
Another advantage in said roads
IS the saving of lands over
which the road passes to the
and owners; our road law re-
luires frst-class roads to be
made 40 feet wide, and in some
instances may be kept open 90
,eet, now 20 feet is all that is
necessary for a Macadamized |
-oad, saving ten feet on either
side TO the land owner, so that
n a distance Of 81 miles about |
50 acres of land, that is now |
lsed for road purposes alone, |
night be saved; that amount of |
and rented at FIVE dollas per |
Icre would make $3.50 annually; |
,ut l am not a practical sur
,eyor, and the above estimate
nay be incorrect. Lastly |
hough not least OF all, is the
nestimable satisfaction and
pleasure, the travelling COM
nunity would realize, as we'll
he farmers in transporting
heir iaIn productions to mar
let, and in obtaining their sup
'lies, lumber, ETC., over such a
Dad in place Of dragging
trough mud up to the axle.
mention that five years would
more than pay them for the
ost of building, and not only
'ur children's children, would
cap the benefit, but with a hit
lie reapiug) the advantages of
aid roa6s would rebound to
he one -hundredth generation.
RESURGAM.