The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1883-08-29
Repairing the Roads.

One of the plainest signs OF civil
~l,zatjon is the high-road. Barbarous
and Lalt-civilized nations. who are
shittless. lazy. and improvident.-
have no roads consequently nave
no An Indian gong
through a forest Viii always walk
around a fallen tree. or stone. instead
Of stepping over it. OF pushing II aside
because he loe, not value TIME. and
he is too thritt.e>> to think Of clearing
the path. no matter how often he may
have to travel IL.
CigEzed nations. on the contrary. re-
gard their Time a. equal IN value TO
money: consequently the better the
road. the greater saving IL Time-money.
in addition to the cain by increase OF
business. The Roman nation in the
zenith Of IL power d thishwaye which
have existed for a thousand years a
marvels Of thorough work. Eighty
years ago Napoieou Bonaparte Lui tine
ouniation for the prosperity Wtdrh
France la, enjoyed III 70 his day. ~
building Il series at "\atloual turn
pixies. "-radiating from the gates OF tie
capital city.-North. South. East, and
West.-so evenly graded that a steam
engine can follow the smooth. hard
road from Paris to the summit OF the
S~wi>s<passeS.
North Carolina. being an agricultural
state. depending upon her crops, and
mines. and tinbers. for the bulk OF her
prosperity.-has need of good roads be-
yond almost any State of the Union.
Thousands of our farmers would grow
rich if they could sell their crops with
out breaking an $50 wagon. or running
an 800 horse. aud wasting 4 weeks
time for two or three hired man.-gct-
ting a load of stuff to the nearest town.
We rejoice to see this subject attract
inc attention. Capt. sgd Alexander has
hammered at it for five years. Mai.
W. A. Graham has agood article in last
Lincoln Press. Senator NJ. {. Butler.
Of :. c.. has had a series of articles in
the Courier.
We recently suggested that The Cot
ton Exchange of Raleigh hold a meet
iag. and set a bic committee at work to
better the roads leading into Raleigh.
The enterprising men Of Durham
have already begun to act. a meeting
wa> he'd and the money raised for the
T hacc" Fair vas voted to improve the
road. Good! and good sense. A
committee to eXpend the funds in such
was as-'may result in the greatest
good to Durham'-was appointed as
f ,llows:-
j. :. Lockhart, j. r. Hutchins. s. F
Tomlinson. j.. c. Angler. f.. }. Parrish.
:. f. TomlinsOn moved a committee
of three be appointed to call on parties
and see how much they will subscribe
to the road. Committee NJ. A. Wal
ker. j H.. Markham. Sheriff j. II. Black
nall.
G.. i. Webb moved that r. f. Lyon
be added to the first committee and that
three constitute a quorum. Carried.
On motion, A. II. Stokes was added
to the same committee.
On motion Of j. Il. Blacknall. the
following gentlemen were appointed on
the various roads to solicit funds for the
roads
). w. Holman. w. X. Parrish. p. A.
F%linton. Hiram Nickers. W. ID. Vickers.
Duncan Cameron. Phillip Souther and.
\. NJ. feathers, +. NJ. Terry. w. c..
Gates. f. NJ. Barbee. T. J. Holloway.
Ed. Cole. kinch Holloway, w. 7. Red
mond. f. ID. Markham. j. e.. Latta, :.
II. Johnson.
The PiaHt comments: Durham pro-
poses to contribute $1,000 III the present
for road purposes, and we ask IN all
candor. ought not the farmers along the
different roads to contribute a similar
amount? We think they ought. If the
roads are good. whereas now they bring
a half cord OF wood at one load. then
they could bring a cord at a load. And
the same argument holds good in re-
gard to hauling everything else. We
want to SEQ the farmers take an interest
III this question. With $4,000 all our
leading roads could be put lii splendid
condition.
We suggest that the farmers call a
meeting aud appoint a committee to
Every oyerSeer. every road hand and
every supervisor in the county may be
Indicted and then our roads cannot be
kept in order under the system we now
have.