Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-03-18
For the SPECTATOR.
PUBLIC ROADS.

happily is now near 1IS CLOSE, Inuot uaFo
proved to every one the necessity OF doing
something to improve the condition OF our
public roads. Staunton is not only the
seat of justice of our county, to which ev-
cry one who has business in Court, or with
the Clerks, is obliged to come, but it is the
principal market to which large portion
of our people find it convenient to come to
sell the products of their farms and to
make purchases of their supplies. Then,
circumstances render necessary considera
wear, over the roads that lead into the town,
and, as YOU approach the town, the amoSnt
of travel naturally increases. The neces-
sary result of this is that the roads, as you
approach the town, are more cut up by
wagons, &c., than in any other portions of
the county Thus it happens that parts of
the road, over which most people have to
travel, are in the worst condition.
During the latter part of the winter,
some of the roads were almost literally i'm
passable. Such was the fact in regard to
the portion of the AIiddlebrook road be-
tween Peaco's Mill and Capt. Fulcher's.
The New Hope road, from the town limits
to point some distance beyond Mrs. John
A. Harman's farm, was in the same de-
plorable condition. Indeed, it was cur
rently spaken Of ON the streets of Staun-
ton, that the mail carrier found this portion
of the road so bad, even for orse-back
travel, that he left his horse behind him,
and trudged to town, through the fields, on
foot, with his mailbag on his shoulder
The Springhill road, for several hundred
yards through the flat land west of Judge
Hendren's, was in not much better condi-
ton Such state Of things, to say the
least of it, is not very creditabe to the pub
lie spirit and good sense of our people.
Along the lines of all these sections of
roads, stone, to MacAdamize the bad pla-
ces, exists in abundance, and the cost OF
making the needed repairs would be very
inconsiderable. AS long as they remain in
their present condition, the people, whose
route to Staunton is by either of these
roads, are practically cut Off from coming
to town for several months in the year.
Is this fair and just to them? They
have contributed their full share of the cost
of highways for the benefit of other parts
of the county. They were taxed to pay
both the State and county subscriptions to
the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, which
now enables the people along its line, from
the Blue Ridge to the Rockbridge line in
the Pastures, to get to Staunton and bring
their produce for sale at all seasons with
out regard to weather. They were also
taxed to pay the States subscription OF
three-fifths to construct the Valley turnpike
to Staunton, and to the turnpike from
Staunton, by Greenville, to the Rockbridge
line. The Valley Railroad Edwards which
the county people contributed nothing,
while the city of Stauntan gave $780, 0O)
now affords equal facilities to all the people
~ 10 10, %rvc ~
without regard to mud or weather.
The people who live on the Middlebrook,
the Churchville, the Springhill, and the
New Hope roads, are almost the only
classes who are effectually barred out!
I repeat, is it just that they should con-
tinue to be subjected to this great incon
veniencee Is it fair play on the part o.
those who have been fortunate enough to
have convenient thoroughfares provided fol
them to deny the same means OF relief tt
their destitute fellow citizens?
!; In a brief communication, published il
the SPECTATOR about three weeks ago,
called the attention of the Supervisors tt
the necessity of doing something to pu
these portions of our roads in order.
have no special interest in either Of them
do not live on either of them, and am moi
under the necessity of travelling over either
My appeal for relief was prompted only by
a sense of Justice and consideration O
sound policy.
In the following number of the SPECTA
TOR communication appeared, in which
the writer expresses the hope that the Su
pervisors would pay no attention to my
) recommendation, and proceeded to make
some remarks about a general system O
, improvement of roads!
, l agree entirely with this writer in til,
propriety of having a general system o
improvement. 1t is very easy to talk abou
: a general system; but how are we to get it
/ Are we to wait until the Legislature enact
a law for a general system and the people
vote to adopt it? If that is his idea, III
may as well give up all hope of seeing an.
9 improvement in our roads.
What does he mean by general system
Is it not an aggregation Of many individual
improvements? We can only have a gen
eral system by constructing a number O
local roads.
The combination of many local improve
, ments is what constitutes general system
To have general system, we must begir
with local improvements. The old proverl
says, "Rome was not built in day.
Scripture tells us that s'The Omnipotent'
was occupied six days in the creation o
, the world, and it tells of the progress tina
was made each day. Every thing mus
have beginning; and where or how coult
7 we make more judicious beginning of /;
= general system than by making the i'm
, provements l have suggested? Let then
be completed, and the benefits will be S,
apparent that the people living on othe
roads will not be content until similar i'm
provements are made for their comfort ant
RI convenience. In this way, the general sys
tenn will be inaugurated. If you attemp
too much at once, failure is certain. I
you want to split rail-cut, you dom try t.
drive the wedge in butt-end foremost LIE
us begin modestly. Do not burthen tn,
+ people too heavily at once, or we will
frighten them to opposition. Some valua
BILE improvements have been made; for ex
ample, on the slate hill Oh the Waynesboro
t road, two miles from town, and on the hal
mile of the Churchville road, next to tn
: city limits. These were timely and judi
cious improvements. Thousands-nay, tel
:. thousand-people of this and other coun
ties, have been benefited by them. The.
cost good deal of money, but they wer
< we'll done, and I have got to hear the frs
word Of complaint uttered against thei
construction.
| ~ III Will OC Will tlC improvements
3 have suggested. When they are completed
every body will be delighted with them
and they will soon be followed by others
almost as important.
Every sensible man will admit, that tn
Improvements ought to begin where tn
work is most needed, which is where Their
3 is most travel and the greatest number o
people will be accommodated.
If you will look at the map of the coun
ty, you will find that the roads converge t.
: the Courthouse as a common centre, lik
3 the spokes of wheel to the hub. Ever,
: body has occasion to come to town to trans
act some kind of business. Hence, as you
} approach the town, the number of person
r and vehicles on each road increases. Thi
would indicate that most people would b.
r benefited by first improving the road
} within few miles of town, for all coming
: to town must necessarily travel over thos
sections.
5 Let us have no dog-i -the-manager poll
} cy. If we cannot get exactly what WI
: want, let us not seek to stop all improve
J ments. Our time will come after while
Every good improvement we make will
r strengthen the sentiment in favor of max
, ing more. Let our Supervisors not be timi(