Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1888-05-11
Report of the Superintendent of the Shep-
herdstown and Halltown Turnpike.

To the Honorable Commissioners
and County Court of Jefferson Coun-
tv. w. Vain compliance with your
order of March %, 1888, the commits
sioners appointed by your honorable
body TO set rate of toll on the Shep-
herdstown and Halltown Turnpike for
farmers and others who wish 10 have
their toll by the year, have met and
performed that duty as directed;
In the performance of this obllga-
ton they have been guided as near as
possible by what they considered a
fair and reasonable compensation 10
the county for the use the pubic was
making of its road.
The old rates, the experience OF the
gate-keepers, and the necessity OF re-
pairs, were duly considered, while the
interests of the farmers, who are the
principal persons whose toll Is taken
bv the wear. were not overlooked or
neglected by the commissioners.
The farmers have generally been
prompt TO pay their toll, and as the
principal burden of keeping up the
county roads falls upon them III the
form of road tax, and the products OF
their farms now about twenty-elght
per cent. lower in price than they have
been for years, it was deemed prudent
by the commissioners to keep as near
as possible to the old landmarks, and
TO avoid, if it could be done, the in
crease of tolls or taxes in these unpro-
pitious times.
If time should prove the necessity,
and the prosperity of the county war
rant it, a greater burden for better
roads may then, perhaps, be more cas-
ily borne. The aggregate increase OF
toll on the whole of this road does not
exceed the old rates $40. The aggre-
gate decrease where in few cases 1t
was considered little burdensome
was about -, leaving the whole in
crease over the old rates from Sc to
$3.50 all told. With the amount levi
ed, if promptly paid, think with the
transient toll the road can be kept in
tolerable order without being an an
nual tax upon the county. This could
easily be done if fair and adequate
toll could be levied on the straw wag-
ons for the injury they do the roads,
and the toll collected for the travel
from Unionville 10 Decks Cross Roads,
which now escapes paying any toll
whatever.
One hundred and twenty-five dol
lars annually will not repair the dam
age done to this road by the straw
wagons during the months of Februa-
~ and March while the other roads
are almost impossible for hauling. 1t
seems that the heavy hauling of the
straw-teams on this road has been stu
diously reserved for time when the
frost is coming out of the ground, and
when the most possible injury can be
done il by five-ton load.
This annual injury, without paying
an adequate toll, and the entire es-
cape of all toll for the travel from I'm
ionville to Decks Cross Roads, rem
ders it difficult to keep up the lower
end of the road, and entails upon those
who pay but little or none for the use
they make of it. This fact, now so
well understood, has led to a just
cause of complaint, and ought if pos
sible to be corrected. With all those
obstacles in the way, and heretofore
encountered, the road to-day Is i'll
better condition than it ever was be-
fore. While some places at the hills
need repair, three-fourths of ii has be
come solid by the repeated. applica-
ton of stone, and as the upper end of
it is now much improved, more work
may now be done on the lower end.
1t is a noteworthy fact, that when
the condition Of road is complained
of, it is generally by those who con
tribute least or nothing to its sup
port.
On this road there are four bridges,
all originally resting on black oak
sills which soon ratified out and gave
way. They have been taken out and
replaced by good sound locust and
white oak in three of them, and all
have been once replanked.
All persons originally owning stock
in this road have been paid out of the
tolls of former years, and duly report
ed to the Court
The financial condition of the road
is as follows, and the vouchers are
herewith transmitted: