The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-06-27
AMArTER OF VITAL IMPORTANCE.


Under this heading the Houston Post of
last Friday editorially discusses question
to which time and again The STATESMAN
has called the attention of Austin and the
people of Travis county-county roads.
To quote portions of that editorial, the
Post says:
The county commissioners of this
county, by the time bad winter weather
sets in, could do Houston and Harris
county more good if they would build up
frst-class county road system than a
half dozen new railroads could accom-
plish. Ultimately, it will be discovered
that the good county road is worth as
much as a railroad, and that communities
will languish and even grow poorer just
in proportion as these county roads are
neglected. What the railroad systems are
TO the various states and to the United
States, that the county road is locally. 1t
must antedate all prosperity, and the
character of the system will measure the
extent and profitableness of the county
trade. There is not farmer nor renter
outside of the city of Houston, in Harris
COUNTY, hui u man III hui Itbi-
dent in Houston, but is vitality interested,
in dollars and cents way, in the pos
session by this county of a first-class
county road system. For months the roads
are impossible, and this fact loses more
to the farmer and the merchant in one
season frequently than frst-class sys
tenn would cost. 1T is actually like burning
money t. neglect this matter.
The farmers of Harris county need good
roads into Hsuston more than they need
railroads out. The retail merchant, the
day laborer, the professional men-they
are all concerned in this matter. A good
county road system is the life of the com
munity.
Under the present law the county com
missioners can employ road commission
ers to take general supervision of the
opening and improvement of roads in the
various precincts, and the law invests
these road commissioners with plenary
powers over the oversoers, hands and re-
sources for putting the roads in proper
order. The commissioners courts
may also accept all kinds
of donations, money, labor, lands
or material of all kinds, to aid in building
these roads. Ia other words, now, at
least, if there be the proper public spirit
and sense of self preservation and help in
the county, thoroughly first class system
of roads can be constructed. The county
needs the city's merchandise and the city
needs the oounty's products. Here l, a
field for great and mutually beneficial
trade, almost entirely independent of rail
roads. But it can never be developed
without many and excellent stone and
gravel roads, thoroughly drained and pro-
teoted and extending to all portions of
the county. The subject is beginning to
attract greater attention than ever all
over the south.
Every line OF this editorial applies to
Austin and Travis county and should be
Needed by the people of both. Every one
should help out in the matter, by pecun-
larry aid and by insisting upon the county
giving US the best roads
possible, not of dirt but good stone and
gravel roads. The fall and winter with
their rains will soon be upon us and we
do not wish a repetition of the losses of
last year from impossible roads.
.