Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-26
No Excuse for Bad Highways in a Rich
Nation Like This One.
THE VALUE OF FARM LAND AFFECTED

those countries were the first to awaken
from the long sleep of the dark ages, and the
growing rivalry between them necessitated
attention to their roads for the proper prose
cution Of both their military and their mer-
camille interests. In each country they
early came under the national supervision,
the results of which are seen in the most
splendid highways in existence, costing the
least to maintain, and in every way the
most satisfactory and economical for those
who use them. I.
IN THE BEGINNING.
Up to the advent of railroads, most Of the
settlements in this country were along the
water fronts, and on the seacoasts, lakes and
rivers. The invention of steam. and the de-
velopment OF the railroad, seem to have
taken all our energies and resources, to the
neglect of our roads and highways, and now
that we have more miles of railway than the
whole of the Eastern Hemisphere, and about
all we can make to pay at present, we can
well afford to turn our attention to the mat
ter of highways, in which everybody should
be interested, for all have to use them, rich
and poor alike; those that ride and those
that walk.
No country has greater road mileage, in
proportion to the population, than the United
States, but while with characteristic Ameri-
can push and hurry, the most extensive
means Of communication and intercourse
nave been provided, we have suffered the
consequence of lack of any general system
oil public policy, covering the location, con-
struction and maintenance of ways.
In many a case where ones travel leads
him through the old farming regions of New
England and the Middle States he may
take occasion to do anything but bless the
memory of the frugal early settlers who,
when the necessities of the case seemed to
demand that road be established for the
convenience of public travel, each contrib
uted way across his farm, lying perhaps
over the worst hill, and through the sandi-
est, or the rockiest, or the wettest land, with
a view rather to the economy of his best
pastures, than the saving in the years to
come, of the time and strength of the travel
er obliged to use it.
FAR BELOW THE AVERAGE.
American roads are far below the aver
age; they certainly are the worst in the
civilized world and always have been, large
ly as a result of permitting local circum-
stances to determine the location, with little
or no regard for any general system, and
ing.
Old post-roads and turnpikes, in times no
further back than the War, afforded the only
comfortable travel to be had in many parts
of the country; nor could the general bad
ness of the roads, by any means, be attrib-
pted to lack Of the proper materials for
their construction. Indeed, it often hap
pens that we find them the worst where nat
ura1 resources are the most abundant. and |
the better roads are frequently found where |
the natural conditions were so bad that the |
ordinary crude and wasteful expenditures
we're out of the question.
Fifty years ago there was some excuse for |
bad roads, for the country was poor. Now
It is rich, there is no excuse.
REASONS FOR GOOD ROADS.
There are many reasons for goods roads.
They are q source of comfort and con-
7enience to the traveller. They attract popu-
alton, as we'll as good schools and churches.
Good roads improve the value of property,
10 that it is said farm lying five miles from
market connected by bad road, is of less
7alue than an equally good farm lying ten
niles away from market, connected by,a good
Dad. They encourage the greater exchange
# products and commodities between one
district or place and another They benefit
he poor in the cities by enabling farmers to
egularly market their produce, and thus
zeep prices down.
Various movements. already under way,
n the direction of road improvements must
lave, and are already having, their effect in
ringing about material raising of the
Iyerage quality. The Governors Of several
states made special and important references
o it in their annual messages, and in sew
raj States bills have been presented having
ryior fho hoff Of Gkafo ksnrl- |
y regularly organized systems of work, to
e carried out under the supervision of de-
provided by the State.
The following outline, furnished by Colo
el Albert Pope, of Boston, in recent ad-
ress, may suggest some idea of scheme in
be right direction: A Commissioner of
Highways might be provided for, in the
agricultural Department, with corps of
engineers. and suitable appropri-
tions made, for the prosecution of general
npervising work. Under the charge of
lis commission, full systems of maps should
e prepared, based largely, perhaps, upon
le working of the State and county boards,
lowing more or less completely, as circum-
,ances would permit, the highways of the
ountry.
WORK FOR THE STATES.
For cooperation with this central bureau
nd the prosecution of the work in the most
borough and practical way. each State
lould have its highway commissioner,
narged with the highest interests of the
tate in the way of maintaining its system
roads under the most approved methods
nd for the general public welfare. Then
le best practical results could probably be
ttained by the division of the State into
ighway districts, consisting of counties,sor
erhaps townships, each of which should
ave its overseer in full charge of the open
lg and construction of new roads in his
istrict and the proper maintenance of all,
sponsible for the expenditure of the regu-
r appropriations for these purposes
hese districts could then be divided into !.
mailer ones under sub-oVerseers.
The importance and the value to any
untry and every citizen. from the highest
the lowest, whether taxpayer or tramp, of
ell constructed and properly maintained
ads, is not easily estimated. but clearly it
greater than that of many interests which b
e continually receiving the time and at
ntion of the people in their'homes, count
g rooms, public meetings and legislative
lis.
An eminent writer says: "The road is that :,
lysical sign or symbol by which you will =
st understand any age or people. IF they .
We no roads, they are savages, for the road
the creation OF man, and the type Of civ 81
zed society Al
i