Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1884-05-23
Public Roads in Maryland.-T

Public Roads in Maryland.-THt
Counties Waking Up.--Our friends in the
counties are at last waking up to the neces-
sity of improving the condition of their pub
lie roads. In Charles county, pursuant to u
call for this purpose, a meeting of taxpayers
was held at Port Tobacco on the 9th inst. to
take the subject into consideration. The
result of the meeting was the adoption OF IA
petition to the county commissioners asking
them to appoint civil engineer as general
superintendent Of the road service, and put
ting the supervisors under his orders. 1t is
thought they will comply. The wretched
condition OF the Charles county roads, says
the Port Tobacco Times, sis one of the most
crying evils that the people have to endure'
the money spent on them by the supervi-
sors being for the most part absolutely
thrown away" 1t says, with great good
sense and an earnestness that merits atten-
ton, that "the public roads of community
have direct and important bearing upon
its general welfare. If the roads of this
county were kept in that condition which
the money expended on them ought to effect,
in addition TO the great additional pleasure
and comfort which would he experienced
by Travellers the value of every acre Of land
in the county would be thereby enhanced
The markets and shipping points would be
placed practically nearer to the farmers
door and the expense of conveying his pro-
ducts be correspondingly reduced" In Dor
chester county the road-making and mend
ing committee have been testing the efiicien-
cy Of several road machines, but the trial of
them at Cambridge was not satisfaction
The committee in their report speak of the
loss from bad roads Of the county as senior
NOUS and they propose to continue their
work in the hope of making some sugges-
lions for the improvement of the present
loose system. In Frederick county the Citt-
zen complains Of "the useless expenditure
OF the thousands of dollars that go every
year to fill up the same mud holes" In
Caroline county contracts have been entered
into for the improvement of the roads, but
the contractors thus far have failed to com
ply with the conditions of the contract, and
there is great dissatisfaction. in consequence.
Throughout many of the counties the deter
mination of the people TO have better roads
is beginning to be apparent, and now that
the spirit OF change is fairly aroused among
them there is u reasonable hope that they
will be no longer content with the slovenly
way in which the reads are IN ended from
year to year, without leaving them any bet
ter than they were before fresh dirt was
heaped upon them to BE- washed off by the
next heavy rain. The total expenses of
Baltimore county for the present year are
set down by the commissioners at three
hundred and seventy thousand dollars The
half Of this amount, or to give the exact
figures, one hundred and eighty six thou.
sand and forty seven dollars, is to be spent
in the support OF the public schools and on
roads and bridses-the latter taking $780,.
047 of this large sum. Any one who knows
what the condition Of the roads were this |
spring, and still are in some parts OF the
county, can but be impressed with the toll |
erance OF the taxpayers in submitting to be
50 heavily assessed without getting any APP
preciable benitit from the outlay. The same
old routine goes on from year to year, "the
same old mud holes are dill up as in Fred.
erick county, and all because of the want of
u proper application OF mean to ends. The
supervisors are not at fault. They do the |
best they can. The great want is of intelli-
gent directions through the adoption of
system which shall gradually give us firm
smooth roads in any weather. These can
only be had by degrees, but every mile of
road so made lessons the cost of keeping it
up and leaves mere money out Of the annu
al levy To be devoted To the improvement o +
the emainder.-BdLtO SIN.