Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1883-10-26
Importance Of Roads.

We are not aware that any estimate
has ever been made Of the actual cost
of tho public roads Of the United States.
or that the expense Of providing them
has ever been attempted by any bu-
reau Of statistics, but we make the
rough estimate that they have cost at
least seven hundred million dollars
probably much more--while unknown
millions are annually expended in at
tempting to keep them in repair. II
the money were only we'll applied, it
would be an expenditure Of great profit
and economy, AS everything the farmer
does off his own land is greatly af-
fected by their condition All his
many loads of surplus farm products
are drawn over them, and it makes
some difference to him aud TO his horses
whether those loads are conveyed easily
over hard, smooth surfaces, or dragged
through the mud and against stones
with severe labor TO the team. fatigue
to the driver, and wear and breakage
to the wagon. Every week he has his
family, moro or less, 60 to the village
for numberless errands, or to church
on the Sabbath IN the good or bad
condition of the roads seem 10 affect
every fiber, pleasantly or unpleasantly, Of
their feeling or nervous sensations. On
an average, there is at least twenty
miles of travelling each week for the
members of single family. II would
make difference of five dollars week,
everything counted, whether this team
ing and travelling is done over nice
comfortable road, or through mud holes.
slougbs, ruts and unbridgod streams, or
against stones. Five dollars week
amounts to $3.50 year, u snug little
sum to tax the farmer with and when
this sum is multiplied by at least five
million owners or drivers Of horses.
carriages, heavy teams, ETC.. the aggre-
gate cost would be something over
billion dollars Does any one say this
is too large un estimate Then pro-
coed in detail and show in what par
ticulars; but do not bindly and igns-
rantly say it is wrong without careful
examination. Suppose, however, we ad-
nit that it is double the reality, is not
the six hundred millions every year, ex-
pended directly or indirectly by our peo.
pie, worthy of more attention on the part
of. patriots, statesmen, politicians, Office
seekers, public-spiritcd men, writer's for
newspapers, agricultural journalists, and
in fact of every one who passes over u
road +?
SO long as our public highways in
most parts Of the country are made and
repaired with 80 little interest and so
little thought, we must suffer an enor-
nous loss. We would like to ask how
many Of our readers, who drive or ride
over the common roads, never see loose
stone, or fixed stone to strike, jolt aud
batter every passing wheel, or who do
not see hundreds of them which might
be removed with the expenditure Of Q
small portion Of the road taxi How
many never saw sods and muck scrsped
into the road bed, to form highway or
turnpike" which would be excellent
for corn aud potatoes. but which when
worked into mass OF mud, or cut into
ruts foot deep, constitute strange
object to be called ''road 7" How
many never saw along the roadsides,
thrifty patches of thistles, burdocks null
leins, Johns wort, ncttles, etc, ready
to seed all the ncighbors' fields? Until
We can find such happy persons in the
majority, we hope more attention may
be given to correcting these evils, al
though we would not lessen the praise
worthy attention which is now freely
accorded to enterprises and interests Of
almost infinitely less importance, but
good in their small way. Country Cen
Heman.