Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1883-05-24
YNistellaneuns &eading,
DEMAND FOR BETTER DIRT ROADS.

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DEMAND FOR BETTER DIRT ROADS.
Southern Cultirator for May.
1t is doubtful if there has been for years
past, probably not since the late war, such
demand for better dirt roads. The increase
of new railroads instead of throwing the
old dirt road into the back ground, seems
to have brought it more prominently into
notice. Long lines Of dirt road have been
superseded by railroads, but the establish
mept of new railroad stations and the build
ing up of new towns have created innumer-
able shorter lines of dirt roads.
The General Assembly of Georgia has
appointed special committee to revise her
road laws and establish some system by
which good dirt roads can be secured.
Other States are also agitating the subject,
and all over the South, as with one voice,
the press is demanding some reform in the
road laws and the adoption of some plan
to secure thorough and permanent system
Of good dirt roads.
The press is powerful reformer when
guided by judicious hands, and we propose
to gather into the columns of the Cultirdtor
some of the best ideas snd suggestion OF
Southern editors on the subject Of amended
road laws and improved dirt roads. We
commend these views and suggestions to
our Southern readers, who are scattered
from Texas to Virginia, al worthy of COM
parison and careful study. The South, with
her growing industries, her increasing agri-
cultural interest and her net work of rail
roads, demands thorough system of good
dirt roads to all her depds, her factories,
her farms, and her towns snd cities.
A VOICE FROM FLORIDA.
The Tallahassee Flordia1a says: "a
Joint committee to revise the road laws hav-
ing been appointed by the Legislature OF
the progressive State of Georgia to report
at the next session, the subject of the best
way of making and maintaining highways
is being earnestly discussed. Some of the
counties have local boards Of road commits
sioners and it is properly urged that the
structure and condition of roads depend
very much upon capacity and industry OF
superintendents of roads appointed by the
boards, who should be well-informed men,
capable of running levels, giving proper
grades calculating the cost of excavation
filling, etc. Such superintendent should
be properly paid for his services, and the
board may at any time remove him fol
incompetency, neglect OF duty or other
cause deemed sufficient by the board. Il
is advised that the labor at command should
not be too much scattered, and only partla
repair of many roads effected but Wha1
work is taken in hand should be thoroughly
done-taking one or two main roads at
time, and putting them in positively gooo
and enduring condition, instead OF running
over many with mere partial repairs. mus
in due course of time, all the princlpIa
thoroughfares of travel would be we'll built
requiring comparatively little labor anc
expense to keep them up"
KENTUCKY OFFERS ADVICE.
1t is impossible, according to the Courier
Journal, to say much in favor of the improve
ment of our public highways. "Rallroads,
SAYS the Louisville Commercial, "lose hal
their usefulness in counties where they. are
onlv approachable by roads that are bad ev
ery time it rains and impossible during
most Of the winter. There are good slzet
towns in this State, railroad towns at that
where wagons mire in the streets in winter
and which country freight cannot enter o.
leave for weeks at a time in bad weather
This is tremendous burden to business
and heavy tax on the farming interests.
"a system of good turnpike roads or good
well-drained dirt roads, will double the val
ue of the lands in any county that will pro
vide them. Through a great part OF tht
State material for making good macada
mized or gravel roads, is>abundant ant
cheap. If stone or gravel is not accessible
good tile drainage will keep a dirt road IRON
becoming miry. The worst rains Will ONLY
affect road so drained a little while. L
will be in good travelling order a few hour
after the rain is over.
WThere is no other Improvement so mucl
needed as good country roads. They vii
double the utility of the railroads in thos'
counties that have railroads, and they vii
double the value of the lands of any count.
that will make them."
ALABAMA TO THE FRONT.
It is the opinion of the Evergreen Star
that the subject of public roads is exciting
no little interest at present in all parts o
the State. The system which has been long
in vogue, that of compelling every one be
tween given ages along certain road to en-
cage at the summons of the overseer, in it
repair, is rapidly falling into disrepute
And it is not without abundant reason
Many of our roads are scarcely ever beyont
miserable condition. Especially is thi
true with respect toroads broken by hills, o.
penetrating sWamps. Ofteni in winter many
of them are almost impossible. This is du'
to several causes. l. Overseers are elthe
incompetent or different with respect to thu
roads. 9. Many of them consequently d'
patchwork that is swept away by the frs
heavy rain. 3. Others are controlled by tn
seasons in which the roads are ordinarily
worked, which are usually the busiest of TIT
wear, and hence they feel constrained tx
have regard for the interest OF the workers
How IS the whole matter to be remedled
The complaint is made by farmers that they
keep in proper condition the roadS leadlnt
tn the towns and the towns derive the bene
fits threfrom without the labor costing tht
town merchants a cent. How far this il
true, or how far it can be answered, vii
have to be settled by our readers themselves
But to resume the question, How may tht
matter of woodworking be adjusted? TWt
plans are suggested: 1. TO levy tax which
Shall be sufficient to keep the roads in prop
er repair under the auspices of responsible
contractors. 3. To engage the cOnvicts 0
each county upon the public roads thereof
Of course, either plan would have to bt
submitted to practice to test its competency
We have only submitted these remarks fO
the consideration of our readers.
SOUTH GEORGIA HAS a PLAN.
Discussing the seeming popularity of /
proposed change inthe road laws, the Thom
asville Enterprise says: "1nstead OF the lay
remaining as it is, and permitting any citi
zen of the county to be called away from hi
farm or work at any period, no matter how
critical, to work the roads, regular r0a(
tax could be levied annually for the pur
pose of raising a fund for letting out th'
roads to contractors.
"The advantages of this system are appa
rent. BY it the constant good repair of tn
roads of this county would be guaranteed