Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1883-08-23
gMistellaneuns &eadiug.
OUR PUBLIC HIGHWAYS.
SENATOR b BUTLER'S FIFTH LETTER ON THIS
IMPORTANT SUBJECT.

IMPORTANT SUBJECT.
EDGEFIELD, S. c., July 26.-EXperienct
has shown that the volauteer system of roat
working, such as we have for it is little
more) has not been satisfactory or adequate
to the establishment Of such highways a:
every civilized community ought to have
and that the only successful methods have
been by raising money and adopting wei
regulated systematized plans to which cal
be impaired more of vigor and practical
judgment.
have corresponded with quite number
of persons in other States, 1 have examined
the statutes Of many of the leading States
and have held personal conferences, with
many intelligent men.
Among others / had an extended inter
view with Judge Lawrence, first comptrol
Ter of the treasury at Washington, and find
ing he had given the suject much reflection
I requested him to communicate TO me ii
writing the substance of what he had said
and he kindly put himself to the trouble tc
write me the following letter touching the
Road law in Ohio:
FIRST CoMPTRoLLER's OFFICE,
WASHINGTON, d. c., May %, 1883.
HON. M. c.. BUTLER, Edgefeld, S. c.
Dear Sir: I have the honor to acknowl
edge the receipt of your letter of the 18th
instant asking me to give you the working
of the Ohio system Of public roads, and
what effect good roads have on the value O.
real estate near them as compared with the
value when the roads were not good, and
also whether the law in Ohio works salts
factorily.
1t affords me pleasure to answer your in
auiries. I have resided for forty years at
Bellefontaine, Ohio, and have for many
years owend large tracts of land In Hardin
county, so that have taken personal In
terest in the construction of roads and the
The principal roads of the State are di:
vided into two general classes, which will
describe separately.
The first class, which are popularity called
"mud roads," are of three kinds, as follows
l. State roads; 2. County roads; 3. Town
ship roads.
I will allude to each of these classes sepa,
rately.
l. State Roads.-These are roads extend
ing into at least two counties, and as many
more as may be desired.
The county commissioners Of each county
interested, on petition of freeholders, ap'
point one commissioner, and the commits
sioners thus appointed cause the road to be
surveyed, after which the necessary pro-
ceedings are taken to secure right of way
and finally establish a road. This whole
subject is regulated by the Revised Statutes
of Ohio in force January 1, 1880, vol. l, Sec
tions, 4,615 to 1895, inclusive.
9. County Roaos.-A county road is one
located in county. They are established
under the authority of the county commits
sioners, on petition Of freeholders Interested
The proceedings are authorized by Sections
4, ,637 and 4,670 of the Revised Statutes.
3. T0Wnship Roads.-These are local roads
for local conveniences, and are generally
but not always, located within one town
shin. They are established under the au-
thority of the township trustees, as author
lied by Section 4,671 to 1885, inclusive, OF
the Revised Statutes.
AS to these three classes of roads prOvlS-
ion is made for appeals from the action OF
county commissioners and township trustees
to the courts by Sections 1857 to ,7l4 inclu-
sive, of the Revised Statutes.
These three classes of roads are made and
kept in repair by requiring every able-bod-
led male person to perform two days labor
annually on the roads within local districts,
and by road taxes levied on property and
expended under the direction of road SUI.
pervisors. This whole subject is regulated
by Sections 4,715 to 4,757, inclusive, OF the
Revised Statutes.
The roads Of these three classes consti'
tute by far the larger part of the, roads IN
the State, and they are generally merely
earth roads improved with bridges over
,.ctn VI, mood
ed, and filled with stone or timber III marshy
places. They are generally made by plOW-
ing along each side of the roads, and then
by throwing the earth thus plowed into the
centre of the road. The extent of this form
of Improvement depends necessarily on
the time the road has been established,
and the labor applied to it. On many of
the roads the Improvements in the modes
is only to limited extent. During a con-
siderable proportion of each year these
roads are quite good, and answer every pur-
pose very we'll. In the spring of the year,
and sometimes at other periods in unusually
rainy seasons, the roads become muddy,
unpleasant for travel with buggieS or carri-
ages, and teams can only haul comparative
" small loads. Where the land is some
what sandy, the roads readily dry out, and
soon become good in the black loam lands
the mud occasionally becomes deep; on the
clay lands they do not become so readily
muddy, but after long rains, and especially
with winter and spring freezing and thaW-
ing, they occasionally become bad Tor traV-
ell or for hauling loads. But every heavy
rain is liable to make such roads muddy
for day or two and unpleasant for use.
This hope will give you fair idea of our
"mud roads," The second general class OF
roads includes three different kinds: |,
Toll pixies 9, plankroads; 8, free turnpikes'
|. The Toll Pixies commenced many years
ago. Among the first was the National or
Cumberland Road. This was made under
the authority of Congress, commencing at
Cumberland, Md, via Wheeling, and was
completed to Springfield, Ohio. 1t was a
magnificent work for the early period when
it was made. 1t was made mostly with
broken limestone -macademiZed-and was
toll road. Congress subsequently surren-
dered the road to the States in which it was
located, and that part of it in Ohio was
afterwards maintained by the State as a toll
road, and was subsequently given by the
State to the control Of the counties in which
it was located, and in most Of them is now
made free.
The Legislature long ago authorized many
corporations to make macadamlZeQ turn
pike roads, especially in the counties having
cities, and in the older parts of the State
These companies made many roads, and
they are supported by tolls collected at gate:
usually five miles apart. There is genera
law now authorizing such corporations where
roads are needed, but few roads have beer
made under it of late years. These are good
roads, and the only objection is that they
tax all who use them except footmcn. they
are not popular, and they are in some of the
counties being bought out under the author
ity of laws which permit the county authorl
ties to purchase and make them free:
9. Pdo1k Roads.-Many plank road corpo
ro tions rern created. commencing probably