Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-04-05
Making and Rcpniring Rond..

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The making of new roads and their
repairs, under the system generally in
vogue throughout mot OF the states.
dcyolvcs almost wholly upon Tho ngris-
cultural portion Of tho community, and
1T may be safely said that i'll moth ing in
which they are SO deeply interested has
there been so little Improvement Roads
are quite Often found running directly
up steep places at tho points of hills,
making both the ascent and descent
dl'hcult, II not dangerous, when by a
more circuitous aud but little longer
route an easier grade could have been
obtained, over which fur heavier loads
could have been moved with comparative.
ease.
Boys and miry places are bridged over
or Ii ell up in such manner as to be
benefited only temporarily, ii at all, and
to again become virtually impossible in
the worst seasons of the year. Where
labor is expended on the roads it is
quit" frequently so timed us to interfere,
rs little as possible with the farm work,
and ut II season when the ground cannot
properly settle aud become hard before
it is cut up by travel, and the road be
comes as bad rs before
Very much of the blame for this state
which in SO many of the States leave the,
roads wholly in the hands of the people
D. small districts, to be worked only in
such manner rs the Supervisor of tho.
district shall direct, and chiefly by the
labor OF men working under the COM
pulsion Of law for the payment of a road
tax ut stated per diem for their SER
vices. Usually the workers bring the
tools that suit them best, and come and
go Mt will, and there is no uniformity oh.
served in the different districts by which
an important road passing through them
shall be kept in good order in all.
1t IS not surprising under such n state
OF things that the people in many of the
States are not only becoming dissatisfied
with their roads, but arc demanding of
their Legislatures such II change in the
laws on the b;oct rs shall substitute
more l'cicnt service and result in bet
ter rouds. 10 bring about better roads
1t is absolutely nccc ssary that the system
named shall be changed to one Of con-
tract Tor specified work to be done or
for direct pay under the direction of per-
sous who shall be held to strict re.
sponsibility Tor the disburs ement of the
funds Mt their disposal, aud for the best
form of road construction and repair that
the means will allow, aud in order to Sc
cure uniformity the whole should be
under the supervision of county super
inteadcnt.
The first thing to be done in improv-
ing the condition of long line OF bad
road should be review and survey that
should make such changes in the route
rs are practicable to afford cas-. or grades,
and. wherever it can be done without
nantes: injustice to residents. avoid
going owe! grounds uncommonly bad in
themselves.
How shall country road be con-
structed and what shall it he made of
when the route is finally settled! An
answer to this question to be OF any
value in special cases would require an
accurate knowledge of the locality to be
passed over, its soil, geological forma-
ton and the means ut disposal. In gem
eral terms competent engineer should
be employed to locate and determine as
easy grade us the natural conditions of
the country will allow; locate bridges,
culvcrts and bitches, and so order the
construction of the road in all its par
ticulars that the rainfall on the road It
self shall he drained oil rs quickly as
possible. and that the water that falls
adiacent 10 tho rond shall in no case be
led into it or allowed to flow over it
-Ncso York World.