Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1885-05-23
Good County Roads.


not forbear quoting it-with the
hope that our people will apply 1t
directly: One of the prime issue
with us if we wish our county to fill
up and prosper is tar better roads
than We now have.
The Centreville (Md.) Observer
states that the grand jury for Queen
Anne's County Court, in their re
port at the May term, SCALED atten-
ton to needed changes in our pub
lie road system, and the court heart,
ily indorsed the recommendations"
"Enough money!" adds the. Observ,
er, SIS doubtless spent on our roads
if it was judiciously used. Many
of the supervisors know practical
~ nothing about road-making OF
road working, and they work away ysaAy
i liFiiliaflon. This Will not probably be
improved until woodworking is
made a business of, and the roads
given out in large sections to men
who understand how to work them,
and are not made rewards for par
ty Service.n The suggestion is an
excellent one. Road-lnaking and
mending, like everything else, de
mands the application of practical
knowledge and experience, and
there are a few mechanical occupa,
tons in which time aud labor c;ln
be more easily wasted through ig-
noranee. Roads are often "mend
edn in defiance ofthe simplest rules
Of drainage and other condition,
so that in some casts 1ua9mlres
actually form in localities where
the supervisors or contractors have
expended considerable labor in the
hope Of improving the road bed.
There are few matters OF local coil
cern OF greater Importance to IL ru-
raj community than good public
roads, and the business of caring
for them should he entrusted, not
to personaltriends orpolitical favor.
ties of the parties in control, but to
thoroughly reliable men who have
some practical knowledge of the
Work they are expected to perform.
To keep the roads Of most OF the
Eastern Shore counties, which, us
a rule, are level, easily drained and
with little tendency to "wa>h," i'll
tirst-rate condition, ought to be
comparatively easy aud inexpcn-
sive task. Itmay be that the cause
of complaint as TO ''bad loads" on
the Eastern Shore, ITS well us i'll
other portions of the State, arises
IN many instances from the fact
that the roads are naturally so good
that the persons in charge OF them
scarcely think it.worth while to tlo
more than carelesSly "palch up,
the occasional holes aud gullles,
without making any effort to drain
and otherwise improve the road bed.
In course oftime, with such treat
ment, the very best roads become
at certain seasons almost impasS
able. The Eastern Shore is now
growing so rapidly that it canliot
afford to tolerate such neg lect and
Indifference much longer, and the
persons i'll charge Of the roads will
be held to much stricter
account i'll the future.
We urge that If, under our pres
ent road law, duty is not done, the
grand jury shall act. Heretofore to
has been lenient-we demand duty.
The Riddleberger Bill Finnlity.
A large public meeting of tue
citizens Of Botetourt county, VA,
irrespective Of party. was held at
FincaStle last Monday to consider
the debt complication as affected by
the late decisions of the Supreme
Court. After speeches by various
gentlemen the following resolution
were adopted without dissenting
voice:
1. That, having accepted the Rid.
diebergcr bill as the final adjust
ment of the debt of Virginia, we
will do all in our power to make it
so.
9. To this end we here resolve
thatwe will not use coupons i'll pay
ment of our taxes to the State, and
,rih nsa orr nnlnnvorS to indnrp all