Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-05-03
MEMPHIS Appeal
TEE EVIL OF BAD ROADS.


Among the lhings TO which We are "wak-
ing up" is the subjeo. OF our country roads.
In sleepy times that are past the state Of the
roads excited little attention. When con
tinuous bad weather made it as impossible
10 get load hauled dozen miles away as
to Africa, there vac much grumbliug and
some blasphemy. Bat the misery waa cub
mitted TO az storm, and droulh, and food
are submitted 10. No intelligent effort was
made to change the state Of things, aud loss
and inconvenience were snarlingly endured.
But new spirit has been Infused into the
land, progress is becoming az necessary to us
zs clean apparel, and we all feel the neces-
sity OF improving our country roads, among
other things we want. We feel that the coua-
try road has not kept pace with other i'm
proyements that are going 90. Railroads
are constructed and telegraph poles raised,
but the old dirt road remains the came I'M
mitigated, hsrrsssing nuisance as ever. AZ
the railroads advance the glazing contrast
makes the mud road seem still more hateful
than before, at the same time it is found that
much Of the benefit of the railroad is lost
when the miserable roads keep the people for
days and even weeks unable 10 obtain access
10 them. Four years ago the spring in the
West was an unusually wet one, and the farm
ers Of several Of the Northwestern States
were blockadsd by the bad roads; there came
a sharp demand for their grain end prices
were high; then was the time TO sell. But
III L.. tof hay "a ha
railways, and the demand was supplied
from other quarterq, and the price
fell before the farmers, blocked By their
own roads, could get their grain
to market. Bad roads are endured because
they are supposed to be cheaper than good
roads. These farmers found that bad roads
cost money, and good deal Of it. Besides
such occurrences as these, and there are few
farmers who have not felt the modification
such occurrences bring at times, there is the
steady wear and tear of vehicles and the IN
necessary waste of horse power, eutaiiirg ex-
pense which has to be met every year Drain
the roads, grade them, let them be solidifsd
by the addition OF some kind OF material, put
them in such condition that teams can carry
OOuDIc the teat1 tscsaAl,
through judcious outlay an immense sav-
ing is made. The value Of every acre and
every horse is increased as soon as this ia
done. Good road, kept in good repair. give
the district that has them n good repu-
tstion. It's ready facilities for reaching
market insure opportunity to get the best
prices. When neighborboods cursed with
had roads cannot get ssck Of corn or wheat
or bale Of cotton or barrel Of potatoes TO
market, then comes the lime TO make profits
to those who can, and .bey are the people
that have good roads. A country with good
roads is an attractive couolry. Every body
sdmires it and speaks we'll Of j., and it be.
comes prosperous county, because it pos
aesses vast advantage 50 many other dis
tricts are without. Railroads. improve and
make quicker time, rivers are improved and
bayous are cleared out, lands drained and
leveed, the breed Of stock is improved, and
the implements of the farm are improved.
Is the country road to rem ain alone a speci
Inen of slovenliness and want of enterprise,
curse, a clnker, an INSTRUCTOR Of prosperity
and an obstacis to advance and progress?