The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1888-11-15

Iniury 10 Business by BAD Country
Roads.

/ e@NNA"f
How MssohAnta hatimAls tho Impedi'
ment 10 Tfafno Through Lack Of Proper
Road Construction,
Many people declare ihey never have
known a fall IN which there was 30
much fain and mud, Some ara posi-
tiY6 enough about tho unusual eharao'
Tor OF tho weather 10 30 back twenty
i've and thirty years, Tho "oldeat in
habltants" can bring 10 mind no sea-
sou which will equal the present Asa
consequence there has been a vast
amount OF talk about tho rain, the
mud, and the eject upon business OF
having roads over whieh-0r rather,
through whleh-yehielea can hardly be
drawn, In order 10 ascertain, II pos
alble, 10 what extent merchants oonaid'
or the commerce OF tho city 10 DO In
ured by tho condition OF the roads, q
reporter interviewed few whom no
could lind, and ut leisure 10 talk,
Mr, W, o, Myers said he believed the
hardware trade OF tho city waa deereas'
cd at least twenty-five per oentum In
volume aa direct consequence Of tho
condition OF roads leading 10 the ooun-
Try ana towns Bad streets are u great
injury 10 trade, but their effect cannot
be 40 directly calculated IN that OF the
country roads, II would be aa eaay 10
keep constantly improving roads IN 10
work them under tho preaent ayatem,
he said, Now, q fufrow 10 run along
each side Of road, and the dirt thrown
up Ia tho center, Under rains and the
weight OF vehicles, II In forced back 10
the sides, and after time, the work ID
repeated, Instead Of this, tho high
places should be cut and allsd into tho
hollowa, In this way a vast amount OF
gravel would 20 into tho roads, and
great improvement made In tho quail
ty, while they would gradually be 10,
lleyed OF tho steep grades. hut |
think twenty-five per cont II low es'
tlmato for tho injury done 10 our bual'
neea,
Mr.. w, T.. Wells said he had no objec
ton 10 bad weather, II was Just what
the shoe mon wanted Brought down
70 the subject OF mud, no was positive
that the volume OF shoe business auf'
fers nifty per cent by the character OF
tho roads leading out OF Canton. Most
OF our trade comes from the south. On
the north there In Akron 10 divert
trade, Alliance and LOulayllle have an
effect on the east, and MaaalllOn on the
west From the South people come aa
far 40 htteen and eighteen miles, and
with such weather Aa We have had
transforming roads Into deep mlTea
they cannot mako tho trip IN one day,
and haul anything, believe that last
fall thousand buShela OF coal we're
prevented from coming into the city,
through farmers, which would have
Increased trading 10 that value among
merchants. OF course all the necessary
coal was purchased, but the farmers
did without that much merchandise
which they would have bought had II
been possible 10 got into the city,
Three good macadamlged roads would
do this city more good than another
railroad
"The condition OF roads and streets
has undoubtedly been great Injury tO
business" said George II, Spanglor,
Ut ID difficult 10 mako nm estimate
upon II. While my business has been
up 10 the figure OF last year, yet II
ought 10 bo greater on account OF The
increase Of population, The fall trade
has been greatly sut of. The weather
has not had 80 much 10 do with my
trade as In Others which are not almost
exclusively for men. Men can get
around In the rain aud mud, and make
their purchase where women are pre-
vented, Trade undoubtedly has been
thrown back from one 10 two months,
and In the aggregate this means agreat
loss In traffic
Mr., A, Sohwertnor, In reply TO an in
quiry for his views on thesubjeot, said
We've got TO have good roads, Have
10 borrow the money aomO day; better
do II now than ten years hence, II II
wasn't for the railroads we'd all die
people couldn't get In here from these
small towns NJ all In some weather
All these public improvements have
got TO come, add better get them soon
40 possible, say so aheOd and pave
the streets; don't wait for people 10 ask
forit, II you do that you will never
get some streets paved,
Sentiment on the street question Is
strong, as indicated by the stray inter.
views above given, and the council will
be supported In measures for improy.
ing them. Az regards the roads out OF
the city the feeling Is equally positive,
but ideas indefinite as 10 what should
be done TO secure their Improvement
On this point gentleman who Is nd.
verse TO appearing In public print gave
expression 10 an idea, He thinks the
Canton Business Association should
make II ono Of its objects 10 consider
such subjects, and use It's influence In
having proper methods adopted by the
county for road construction. The con-
dltion of roads directly affects the mer.
chants, and concerted movement on
their part could produce great results.
All questions affecting the mercantile
business of the city, as freights, roads
ETC., should be subjects of regular dis.
cusslon by the association, instead of
conhnlng itself TO upholding earlyclos.
ing An organization comprising
nearly every firm nthe city could bring
Immense force 10 bear on subject
Yea IL IA nothing but mud, mud mud,