The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-07-04
Country Roads.

Ii the condition of the public high
ways OF country is TO be taken as an
index of its civilization, we fear that
certain sections of this country would
suffer by the comparison. Especially
would this be true If the Judgment
were applied to the public reads in most
farming communities. In such places
road making is too often looked upon
as matter of secondary Importance.
The people seem content to go to and
fro over roads whose condition makes
travelling a prolonged misery. Who
that has taken journey, however
brief, in farm wagon over stony
country road scanned and crossed with
ridges and bitches, worn by turbulent
rain torrents, with frequent thank-you-
mans in all the steep places to empha.
size matters, does not have painful
recollection of the humping, jolting and
humping process to which he was sub.
Jected, and remembrance of his in
tense gratitude when the ride was over.
1t a stranger to such experience, he
will wonder in his exasperation why
the community submits to be tortured
In this manner when little combined
effort and painstaking labor would pro-
vide remedy. Neither would he find
much solace in the remark that sit is
nothing when you get used to it, If
such condition of things were una
voidable spirit of meek resignation
would be commendable, but where
both the ability ond opportunity exist
for improvement to continue in the
old way argues rather lack of enter
prise and intelligent interest in the
common welfare
Under the mistaken idea that road
making is every bodys business 10
general and nobody's business in par
ticular, it often happens that man
will allow public road bounded by
his own lands to remain in a wretched
condition. He works out his road tax
upon it and no more. All effort be-
yond that seems to be regarded as a
gratuitous service to the general pub
lie, an act of philanthropy which most
people are not ready to perform. 1t is
true to great extent that the proper
care of the highway is a matter of gen.
eral concern, but since it is plainly i'm
possible for the whole public to be i'm.
pressed into caring for o particular
piece of road it is manifestly absurd to
allow a vague dependence on ''some-
body else' to stand in the way of ones
own comfort and welfare.
1t is evident that good public roads
can be maintained only where there is
a spirit of generous enterprise, coupled
with feeling of individual response
bility. This spirit and feeling will be
heightened when it comes to be under
stood that good roads are direct saw
ing to every member of the communi-
ty i'll reducing the wear and tear OF
horses and vehicles. 1t was wisely dis
covered by the manager of one of the
first railroads in this State, that one
dollar on the track was worth two dol
lars in the shop, and the remark is
equally true OF the common highway.
The old adage that "a stitch in time
saves nine is strictly applicable in this
case. The expense of the frequen,
shoeing of horses, mending broken
down wagons or buying new ones, ne
cessitated by miserable roads, would
go very far toward putting the latter
in fit sondition. Smooth, wide high
ways not only ensure ease, comfort and
quicknes of travel, but makeit possible
70 convey larger loads with safety,
saving much in the cost of carriage.
In short, well-kept roads are posi-
tive advantage in every way to the
public, individually and collectively
they enhance the value of the property
by making it more accessible and Civ
ing it the appearance of neatness and
thrift.
In many older countries it has beer
demonstrated that good, durable
road-bed must be made of broker
stone. Common clay or loan may bt
worked smooth, but it can only be kept
so through the season by watchfulness
A hard gravel road or macadamizeG
one costs more in the beginning, but i
pays in the end by its durability.