The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1889-06-13

III lHb ihH lHunnhnuh VI uUllhih hib
thus spent annually IN every county
not ono dollar OF which Is toward per-
manent roads,
special attention 10 the drainage of
the fOadbed and d liberal use OF the im'
proved wheel road aoraperR even II only
twice a year would produce beIterrOads
at 0ne-fOurth OF tho outlay made under
tho present plan,
There arG but few counties In this
State In which material for tho improve
ment of roads 10 not found Gravel
banks, limestone aud sandstone quar-,
rleH, the Ahalea and debris from Quarriea,
furnace or mill oindera, tho inoxhauati
bio beds OF washed gravel IN the beds
and shores OF many OF our atreama,
particularly in eastern and southern
OhiOl all could be utilized Ia improving
the most important roads continuing
the treatment from year 10 year, uutll
In time the roadway would become
built entirely OF this new material and
OF u permanent character ana on when
the cost OF maintaining would be Less
than 10 now expended toyery little pur-
pose,
10 put tho improvement and main
tainance OF the public roads on the
same footing with other departments of
thG public works Of OHIO means q
radical change In many respects,
The plan which the writer believes
10 be the proper substitute for the
present unsatisfactory one 10 not
an experimental one, 10 10 In daily
operation on all OF our tOllroada, rail
roads, canals, street railways or other
transportation ways, aud IN simply that
ayBtem developed aud proven by long
experience 10 DO the economical one,
which ~ 10 say, that the maintenance
OF any means of transportation up 10
any standard of condition, N most on
Ciently aud Cheaply done by constant
supervision and care, The hOmely
phrase, ~ stitch IN time saves nine" Is
nowhere better eXemplilled than IN the
method where repairs costing one dol
lar NJ the proper time, II left alone for
months, cost ten,
Such a system, already proven 10 be
practical and economical, can be ap'
piled 10 the improvement ard mainte'
nance Of tho public highways, and
while 10 a considerably Increased cost
~ compared with the present, would
unque'tiOnably bring the desired re'
suit, and at the end OF two years would
show the money thus expended TO have
been n good Investment for the public
welfare.
The plan which seems 10 com,
mend Itself a8 beiug put In OPP
GRAFTON aud managed by the present
county aud township organizations,
may bo outlined as follows That the
public roads, other than toll roads In
each county, shall be under the general
supervision of the County Commissions
era, or that each commissioner may
have II aperIal supervision over one OF
three districts, into which the county
should be divided, ana Of which he Is Il
resident This ia similar to the diyis'
ion Of territory, and supervision pmC
ticed by the state hoard 0f Public
WoIkg,a and following lhe,rplon further,
the commissioners should be assisted
IN the direct management OF the work
by q superintendent, having charge OF
new work, division Of the road dis
triCla, etc, who from the nature Of his
charge should be competent engineer,
The division of counties should be by
townships, and townships again SUB
divided into road districts, embracing
such territory ard number Of miles OF
roads as may be best taken care of by
u repair gang of from five 10 seven
men, in charge Of foreman, This
foreman should be employed by the
engineer aud II goes without saying
that they should be even selected for
their ability aud experience In work OF
q similar kind,
The division Of q township into road
districts should be made with reference
TO the character of the roads; the pro-
bablG amount Of Improvement neCes.
sary; the locations of large streams Of
water, and of towns and Villages,
An ordinary six mite township con.
t0in8 about eight mileB of public ronds;
dividing this into three districts of
from % to 30 miles, each viii approx
mate about the mileage, which Il repair
gang, such uS has been mentioned, may
take care of during the season Of the
year, IN which such work can be profit
ably DONE This force may be iuCreOs.
ed Ns the commissioners and engineer
may deem best
During the winter months but little
can be done, requiring not TO exceed
two or three men, except In cases of
emergencies rs floods and Ice g0rges.
All work Of n permanent character,
such rs graveling, grading, stone work
| or pling for protection, In amount eX'
ceeding one hundred dollars In cost,
should be contracted TO the lowest re-
spOnsible bidder on plans and speClil.
cations prepared by the engineer
There many other matters Of detail
In carrying on the work IN this man.
ner, which may be passed NJ this time;
the foregoing, however, describes In u
general way the methods, which seem
10 meet the requirements of the case,
Discussion and interchange Of views
would serve to elaborate and
work out the details Of u
comprehensive system Of laws for
the Improvement Of public roads.
Coming now to the question of cost;
IL Ia assumed In the very beginning
that this system will require Il much
larger OUTLAY Of money Tor It's support
than has been heretofore appropriated
and for that reason, If no other II Will
be condemned by such economists as
are content with the present state Of
affairs, because II is apparently mex.
pensive
The yearly cost Of maintaining this
system for each road district may he
approximately estimated Mt S2,5OO for
tie first two years, or $500 per town
ship. Ia addition TO the above esti.
mate should be- added the per diem of
commissioners and engineers, which
may be placed 0t $1,000 Tor the county
or from Sll5 20 $50 TO each township
The clerical work could be carried on
through the Office of the county auditor
and treasurer, township clerk and treas.
urer with the usual compensation for
such additional work.
The funds TO carry out this system
may be provided by the ordinary direct
levy, or by the sale Of bonds, and IN or.