The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1884-11-27
COUNTY ROADS AND BRIDGES,

/ II Is Nul,lttl w IltbN"hN i'i'''''o'
! that the late county board of commits
| sioners has devoted so much of its time
/ to the improvement of our avenues oI
| travel and accomplished so much in that
direction. In the past year more than
1 double the amount of work and eNpendi
lures has been appropriated to this pur'
pose as compared with any other yeai
| (unless it be the year when the bridge
at the foot of Commerce street, across
| the Trinity, was purchased) and il can
be truly sad that the roads and bridges
! in Dallas county are in better condition
than at any previous period OF her his
tory. II has been discovered that the
blackwaXey land, so formidable
an obstruction to travel III
bad weather, can be successfully
treated in the highways by Pho round
ing up or mounding process, leaving
large bitches on either side. Under this
system the ground soon dries, and now
not near so much clamor is heard Of I'M
passahle roads as in times past.
The HERALD is of opinion that the
laws need some revision on this subject
Whilst it is true that there was an evil
dent intent on the part OF the leglsla-
ture TO compel the working Of the roads,
vet it seems that the penalty attached
is so severe as TO defeat the very object
of its enactment. Under its provisions
man can be indicted for failure TO do
his part in woodworking, but nobody Is
indicted and the law becomes inopera-
tive. A less severe and more practical
statute is required which could be exc
cuted by securing the services called
for, or its equivalent in money.
AS to Understanding roads, as IN Ken
lucky and Louisiana, it is well to recog-
nize the fact that it is impracticable. We
have no suitable stone convenient in
sufficient quantities, and to import II
would be so expensive as to remove the
idea from consideration. 1t is said that
shedding "A road with rough lumber
would cost less than paving it, but be
that as IL NAV, it would certainly be pre-
ferable to cover with planking the very
low places, where ditching and rounding
no in the middle are ineffective, tc
patching with rock.
The advantage to the city Of Dallas de-
rived from good roads and bridges can
not be oyerestimated Several cities
that could he named, conspicuously
Maysville, Kentucky, have achieved ioi
themselves substantial prosperity by
deyuting their principal attention
to securing access to their marts
bv The construction of fine avenu eS and
thoroughfaros, even to the exclusion Of
largess offered to railroad companies
The concentration in Il city surrounded
by magnificent country like ours, guar.
antees solidity of commercial pros
perity which neither contraction nor
panics can affect
The HERALD can suggest to the pres
ent board only two things: First, a
careful consideration ofthe present laws
and the preparation of a bill that viii
enforce road working, to be presented to
the legislature. Second, the adoption OF
a system OF roads, not making independ-
ent lanes here and there, but a regularly
organized plan of operations, by which
all will tend to common centre and
preserve consistency of route. Oh
course the shire town or the great city,
if there be one, will always be the focus
ing point.