The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1883-07-21
BALTIMORE COUNTY ROADS.


The Baltimore .SaH Of recent date gave 10 is
readers a highly useful and instructive article
upon the above subject. The San seems to be
wsllinfOrmsd regarding the condition Of our roads,
There is no reason why Baltimore county, the
richest, most prosperous and-Ought 10 bo-most
progressive and enterprising In Maryland, should
lag behind in so important \ matter Of her roads
and highways.
Aftor making reference TO the complete public
highway system In Massaehuseits and some parts
Of Virginia, the SHa Justly thinks there IL no real
necessity for our county being behind them in
this respect, alleging there 10 no scarcity Of ma
terial to make such repairs and improvements, 80
important and necessary 10 citizens generally. and
says:
"Ysl, year after year, instead Of using any Of
these, even when convenient 20 their hand, the
county road members have contcnted themselves
with filing holes In the roadway with round
powders that have no binding quality, (if any
such chance TO DO near BY and covering them
with loose dirt taken from the eide bitches The
consequence Il that with the next heavy rain the
dirt disappears, the powders scattered loosely
about. and everything Is rs bad or worse than Il
was before. by special Act Of the Legislature
the baltimore County Commissioners have author
ity TO levy yearly road and bridge tax 10 the
tent OF uteen cents on the huudrcd dollars OF the
assessed value Of property in the county. They
exercise this authority up to the line Of It's limit
The levy for roads and bridges this year calls for
eighty thousand two hundred dollars. II IL
the largest levy declared for any one purpose,
eept that for the public schools, which l. only
four thousand dollars more. As the census Of
1850 gives Baltimore county s3.3a6 inhabitants.
IL IL evident that the road and bridge tax calls for
q sum that 10 within n fraction Of one dollar per
capita for every man, woman and child Of the
population. Il would not be just to say that nll
this money Il Intentionally wasted. IL IL simply
misused through neglect of the first principles Of
road making. The result Is that year by year
dirt Il put on the county roads, and year by year
dirt Il washed OF again. IL will probably be
urged that the county Is q large one, the roads
many, and that even eighty -ono thousand dollars
year gives bat comparatively small sum In the
distribution to each district But the objection Is
not much 90 the SUN used az 20 the manner In
which II IL used. more skiliful use of Il would
give better roads, less liable 20 wash. and leading
the way 10 4 gradual but certain permaneney Of
road bed. A. 1t IL there has been no real progress
in making better roads in Baltimore county for
years past, notwithstanding the large SUN in the
aggregate annually spent upon them. There has
been little more summer smo0thness; that IL all.
In winter, and Ia spring. and after heavy summer
rain storms, they are a. bad or nearly as bal n
ever. Such county roads. broken up by rains nj
one season and in which teams stalled NJ
other season. not only a u serious trou.
bio % farmers and those who travel them. but
they also detraet greatly from the value Of the
lands through which they pass
The SHa refers to the washing and damage done
the county roads by recent heavy rains. not only
in the present. bn. during previous years. and
most " this injury. too, resulting from the Vsiy
imperfect manner in which repairs have been done,
often aimsiy. cArelessly and insecurity that
each heavy rain unioes all that was done, leaving
the road. as bad il not worse than they were be-
fore being repaired. Excepting some few roads
kept in repair by private enterprise. our county
road system. as a whole. |. u failure. From the
amount Of tax levied andmoney collected for the
building. repairing 3c Of our roads aad bridges.
IL would sseH that citizens Of Baltimore county
should have no cause of finding fault. but ON the
other hand be able TO boast Of superior cxeelency
in their roads. II there be one thing more than
another which country peOple-farmer. especially
desire and need 1, il good road. a; all seasons
I Of the year. We should therefore suppose tha, BY
paying out Of their pockets over eighty Ons thous.
and dollars-as taxed upon them-ior highways,
they should enjoy = complete and perfec, system
in this respect.