The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1888-01-06
Communicated.

Mr.. EDIT0R:-One OF the most import
ant questions OF a local character agitating
the public mind at the present time is the
Road question, and it is presumable that
there is no other wherein the people more
radically differ than of keeping the roads
in repair and the proper system to adopt
which will be the most satisfactory to the
public. Now it is first necessary as a pre-.
liminary step 10 remove from politics the
roads, which haye been made a matter Of
personal consideration, in many cases,
where more political work has been done
than otherwise, then adopt some form Of
contract on business basis that will insure
good roads throughout the county. 1t is
hard to get out of old ruts, and still more
difficult to accept outside influences, even If
much good will acrue therefrom and net
many will:accept like Ephriam welded to
his Idols] anything outside of time honor
ed customs will be endangered and L am
compelled to admit that it is with certain
degree of caution that venture to offer
what may be acceptable to- those in Office,
and the tax payers of the county, any way
I will suggest that politics be separated
from the local matters of the county and
the offices filled with men Of both parties.
Such is generally the case under township
organization, when the majority retains the
larger number of Offices, this is the key note
to the situation, and has proven to be the
OF local affairs. after this much accomplish
ed, and the Office of County Commissioners
is sAlaried Office (which should be made
this winter) then the people are prepared
for an effective Road system and only then,
and no other class will suffer but the polit-
ical manipulators, and they mostly reside
in Bait. My earliest recollection relative to
road work was done under the township
system which had been in use for genera.
tions. it was simple and seemed to suit the
people as money was scarce article at
that time. The Selectmen of the town APP
pointed person called a surveyor to over
see the repairing Of the roads, which was
done after the planting season, about the
last of May, then the surveyor notified all
tax payers to be prepared to work out their
road and pol. taxes adjoining their lands
or nearest their homes. This system has
been abandoned, and give the system in
practice there at the present time, copied
from letter from an official Of that town.
There the offices are divided. The town
affords three commissioners. for them to
let the roads to the lowest responsible bid
ders, and leave the working Of the roads ale
most wholly in their hands, it costs us less
than under the old system and we have bet
ter roads," This system has been tried here
and failed, owing to political reasons. /
believe when our road management becomes
of a non-political nature they can be safely
sold to efficient and responsible parties, I'M
der contract, the contract to specify. how
the work shall be done, but in case of a
deluge the contractor shall reserve the
right to haye such damage appraised or
the privilege to do it by the day, to be
paid for same outside of his contract.
don't think an efficient, responsible, inlelli.
gent person can be found to bny roads in
the hilly portion of Cecil County, unless
he was protected in case Of great damage to
the roads. In case the Commissioner rs fail
ed to sell the roads, they shall employ those
most directly interested to repair them and
exact of such parties detailed statement of
work done. giving name of person, wages
paid, teams employed &c. Under the con
tract system the contractor in case Of disa-
greement shall have the privilege to select
one disinterested person. The Com. shall
appoint another. in case they differ a third
to settle the difference 10 be heard by con-
tractor, and there shall be no appeal from
their decision. believe that the contract
is the only true system, then the cost will
be known, and if cut of politics experience
ed and responsible persons can he found to
keep the roads in good repair. There is a
feature connected with the roads Of Cecil
County, seemingly of local character
which has proven detrimental to good roads
and the interests Of the tax payers not of
ten found under township organization.
From observation in the older paris
of the country, am more forcibly
Impressed with the extravagant an d I'M
necessary wholesale way of building new
roads iE most instances of an individual mo