Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1889-12-05
POPE ON ROADS,

GOOD COUNTRY HIGHWAY
The Rest Road is the Cheapest
American Roads are NotOri'
ously the Poorest In the World
SYRACUSE, Nov. 2O.-Col. Albert A
Pope Of Boston to day, by request. de-
liyered an address on the subject OF
roads before the Board Of Trade. COL
Pope said in substance:
1t has already been my privilege tc
speak in your city upon the benefit oi
| good roads to AN important branch of
trade.
But there is higher and broader
view to take of the whole matter, and
we may we'll consider the Importance
of good roads to us as Americans, Ms
men of whatever social or business in
terests, rs property owners, and finally
as citizens of our respective localities.
think that everyone is prepared ia
grant the value Of good roads to the
country at large, since it is quite nat.
ursl to anyone to think of various
things that benefits mankind in gen.
cral, even though he may aot take the
pains to come down to the particular
way in which they affect him person
ally.
The influence Of good roads toward
the development and increase in value
of the agricultural regions will hardly
bc questioned.
The advantages Of improvements are
not confined to the propretors or to
those living Immediately upon any road
but are shared by all who avail them
selves of the increased facilities.
Agriculture is both directly and tn
directly depend~nt, in great degree,
upon good roads for its success and its
rewards.
Directly. as these roads carry the pro-
duction of the fields to the mar ket. and
bring to them in return their bulky and
weighty materials, at cost OF labor
which grows less as the roads become
better.
Indirectly. as the cities and towns
whose dense population and mannfsct-
uring industry make them the best
markets for farming produce, are ena'
bled to grow and to extend themselves
indefinitely. bv roads alone. which sup
ply the plac, Of rivers; to the banks oI
which these great towns would other
wise be necessarily confined.
While, therefore, it might be an ine1
cusable waste Of money to construct a
road TO construct costly road to con-
meet two small towns which had little
intercourse, it is equally wasteful, and
is much more frequent shortsighted
ness of economy, to leave unimprovec
3, and almost in q state Of nature, the
communication between a great city
and the interior region from which 1T
daily sustenance Is drawn, and int
which ITS own manufactures and mer-
chandise are conveyed.
The posperity Of any city depend'
largely upon the surrounding country
and the better the road facilities, th'
faster the country will grow in populs
ton and the more business the city vii
have in supplying their wants.
Some of the advantages thus to b
attained have not long since been wei
summed up in a report Of a committe
Of the English House of Commons:
by the improvement Of our road
every branch Of our agricultural. com
merclal, and manufacturing industr
would be materially benefited.
"Every article brought into markc
would be diminished in price and tn
number of horses would be 20 much re
duced that, by these and other entrench
ments, the expense Of millions pound
sterling would be annually saved Il
the public.
The expense Of repairing roads ant
the wear and tear of carriages and tn
horses would be essentially diminished
and thousands Of acres, the produc
of which ia now wasted in feeding nn
necessary horses, would be devoted t.
the production of food for man.
"In short, the public and private ad
vantagcs which the world would resul
from ctfecting that great object, tn
improvement Of our highways and turn
pixies, are incslculab,e though iron
their being spread over wide surf"c
and available in various ways, such al
vantages will not be so apparent a
those derived from other sources Of i'm
provcment of more restricted and lee