Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1885-01-15


dental advantages that follow in its
wake
Here the speaker gave a practical
demonstration and explanation of the
inew system of cream raising, and the
bchurning of the butter. and how a
fcieamery is operated.
t@The Need Of q Better Road SYSTEM
for Our State" by VIM. 5. Fox.
1t has been wisely said that "every ju-
dicious improvement in the establish
ment of roads and bridges increases the
value of land, enhances the price of CON-
modities, and augmeRts the public
wealth" To any one qualified to judge
there are many indications of the degree
of civilization of a country. There is NO
test more infallible than that of the con-
d4tion of the public roads. Their con
struction in some form is one of the first
requisites of the occupancy of country
by civilized people, and their improve
ment must keep pace with the nation in
its advancement in industry, wealth and
civilization. Is has also been said and
is probably true, that "the common roads
of the United States are inferior to
those of any other. civilized couHtry; their
faults are those of direction, of elopes, OF
shape, of surface, and generally Of all
the attributes of good roads, We will
uot charge that the people are entirely
to blame for all these defects. Compared
with the civilized European countries.
this is a new country, and incomparably
ahead of them, if compared at their same
period of existence. Many of these de-
fielencies of our roads are unavoidable,
and arise from the scantiness of capital
and labor in a new country; but many,
lar too many Of these defects, arise from
flgnergnea of the true nrincinles- of road
I-lnaking. Hence the remedy, more gen.
eral diffusion of scientific instruction
upon this subject.
From the multiplicity of books, being
printed and scattered all over our coun
try by our American publishers, scarcely
one Can be found treating of the con-
SLruction and mainteRance of public
roads. Almost every little industry, as
the growing of onions, of Strawberries,
of bee culture, &C., have their books and
pamphlets, treating Of their respective
subjects, but how often'do you see book
treating of the construction and i'm
provement of common roads? How
many of you ever saw one oA the farm
ers' table or In his library2
The building of railroads in all direc+
tions through our State has made great
change in thelrequirements of our road
system. Without these railroads, we
would be under the necessity of using
and improving our navigable streams to
much greater extent, and making many
macadamized theroughfsres such as the
National Road, with which the citizens
here are all familiar. Though every man
should have railroad near his house or
farm the common road could not be dis
pensed with, and is incomparably more
valuable to the community at large. We
know that we could do without the rail-
road, but without the common road we
could not be an intelligent, wealthy, civ
ihzed people. Our forefathers cleared
off the heavy forests and performed the
most laborious part of improving our
country, and it would seem strange, that
if we, with all the improved means and
machinery at command, cannot now
construct good roads, and make this one
of the best spots on the globe for civil
lied and industrious people to live hap
PLY and Independently of all other ma
lions. Here where we have an abundance
of good water, coal. timber, and a soil
that with proper management, may re-
tain its fertility for all time, and when
we are so comparatively free from the
devastating storms and pestilence of
| other climates. Our country being new,
there is yet much to do in order to get
our roads graded, drained, and improved
in surface, so as TO be in proper condition
for travel at all seasons of the year. That
system which gives US the most of these
conditions, with an economical outlay, is
the system for our State and country.
We must understand, too, that all these
improvements cannot be had at once,
that we will have to be content to add
little by little each year. that we will
have to earn and save the capital as We
go along.
Every good grade. and every good
stone foundation for bridge. with an
iron superstructure, are permanent inn
provements, and add to the public wealth
work which shall be legacies to future
generations. And those that are en-
trusted with the supervision of their
construction, should have the knowledge
and skill to construct them where need
ed, and of such character IS to be SER
viceable for all time to come, so that our
energies may not be continually applied
to repairing and reconstructing, but
that each year may lind US little far
ther ahead.
Persons coming either from the East
or West into Eastern Ohio, are disap-