The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-02-15
Nona llullaInE Oyer the nIyer.

time and a good many words in local agi-
tations on the subject Of improved roads.
The outcome is that they build in the
course Of years good many good roads.
They first agitatG, then vote, then reject,
then ngitatc afrcsh, then vote or petition
again, and finally get more or less pixies
in the different counties This seems
to be the natural and necessary routine.
Rome was not built in q day, neither were
tho Roman roads, many Of which still re.
main Us the wonder of the ages. Such
progress rs is made is made slowly, but the
passage Of the years sees constant aug.
inentation OF the number Of good roads
all through Ohio, and among
our near nGighbors on the border
as well rs in the rest Of the State.
Just now Beiiairc is ngitating for better
means Of communicating with the country
tributary to her. GAINESVILLE is doing the
same thing, and steubenyile has been at
it u long time. Martins Ferry also joins
in the cry. AS before remarked, the pro-
gress made is very slow, but nevertheless
some degree Of progress is certainly made.
The town population arc naturally the first
aad most Jealous 10 move in these agita-
tons. Business men arc quick to note the
effects OF mud embargo on business nj
this season OF the year. When trade falls
of the reason assigned is that the country
people cannot getto market. The roads are
such that they cannot haul anything like
a full load, or indeed travel on horseback
with any degree OF comfort, 1t is the mis-.
fortune Of the good limestone soil Of our
neighbors to make very bad roads in the
winter time. Tho mud is deep and tough
so much so that even M empty wagon is
u load for an ordinary team Of horses.
The only remedy for this winter embargo
Is Of course good solid macadamized roads
But then such roads are expensive, and ttI
farmers, while they are as fond Of good
roads as anybody, lonot Ike to put theil
hands in their pockets and pay five mill.
on the dollar in the way OF local road tax
for say five years, us the means OF securing
u good road. They come to it in many
localities only after frequent agitations, and
some Of them only yield Mt last to the i'm,
portunities Of their mere Jealous and en-,
tarprisins neighbor.
We observe that the people Of Harrison
county are now discussinga local bill in.
toodueed into the Ohio legislature by thcit
Senator, Mr.. Hollingsworth, which is en-.
titled, "a bill to authorize the trustees OIL
any township in Harrison county to con.
struct free turnpikes." The bill itself read.
as follows:
SECTION l. Belt enacted by Tie General Al,
'nlJiy Of The STATE Of Ohio, That the trustees
OF any township in the county OF Harrison
arc hereby authorized, upon the petition
OF not less than twenty-five resident free.
holders oil such township, to levy tax
not to exceed in any one year ave mills on
the dollar, OH all the taxable property Of
the township, for the purpose Of grading,
matchmaking, gravellng, and otherwise
improving the public roads Of such town
ship, and said tux, when collected, shall be
applied to improving said ro0ds us aiore.
satd, under the direction Of said trustees;
provided, that no such tax shall be levied
until after the question Of evying the same
shall be submitted TO u vote OF qualified
electors OF such township, at n regular
spring election, Of which submission not
less than twenty days notice shall be given
by posting up notices ut not less than five
OF the most public places in said township;
farther provided, that u majority u saiI
electors, voting at such elections on said
question, shall decide in favor Of said levy
The trustees shall declare the result OF said
election by resolution.
SIC. .. Whenever the electors OF any
such township shall vote in favor OF max.
ing the levy provided for in this act, for
the improvement Of the public roads, in
any year, it shall be the duty Of such trus.
tees thereafter, ut each succeeding spring
election, to submit the question OF c0ntin.
uing said levy for such succeeding year,
aud such levy shall only be made 50 long
us Il majority shall vote, in favor Of the
same But after majority shall refuse TO
80 vote, the question shall not be again
submitted, except us provided in the first
section, upon the petition Of not less than
twenty-five frGeholders Of such township.
SEC. 3. This act shall take effect and be
in force from and after its passage.
The C0diz Republican objects to the irc.
quent voting features Of this bill, and the
objection seems to be well founded. The
voters OF township ought to DO able to
decide III advance about what u desired road
will cost when fully completed, and they
ought to know whether the building Of it
will be worth to them five mills on the
dollar for say each OF tho three or five years
through which the building Of the road is
to run. Having settled these points in
advance they can easily compute the
tax on the township property necessary
to be raised. To take fresh yote every
year on the question Of the further con.
struction oil given road is to subject the
enterprise to series OF uncertainties that
is liable to jeopardizc its economical con.
struction, Most contractors would much
prefer to know in advance what to expect
as the fnal outcome Of their undertaking
Still, even with this objection, it is 10 be
hoped that the bill will pass, and TINT our
well to do ncighbors Of Harrison county
will so to work and set an example to ali
surrounding localities in tLe matter Of
these township pixies. Good local road.
are so much matter OF necessity that they
arc spoken Of in the old school goographi,s
as tho avenues without which civilization
would bo impossible.
Additional Figures In Regard 10. wsst
TlFginiR'a Formulation