The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1890-03-29
OF COUNTRY ROADS.

On Inc country rOauS OF AInerlCa ID how
being discussed by legislators, by men OF
science, by economists and others having
apractical interest in public means for
transportation. Some states have re-
Gently taken action in this matter, and
others are considering measures with q
view to securing the quickest and best
results. Pennsylvania has state COM
mission at work, inquiring about the
needs of the state and the best methods
Of reform. New Jersey adopted new
yoad law last year, providing for a uni
formity in highway building under q
state engineer.
In Tennessee the Vanderbilt university
instructs free of charge one person from
each county to supervise roads. During
the present sessions of the legislatures
bills will be presented in New York,
Maryland, Ohio, Virginia and Rhode
leland, and it is probable that some ac-
ton will be taken in New Jersey and
Massachusetts, A general awaking of
interest throughout the country has been
brought about largely by the efforts of
the League of American Wheelmen, a
national association of cyclists. Last
year the league issued little work enti-
tied Improvement of Highways" which
discusses practical methods of making
and repairing roads and gives the draft
of bill which, with some notifications,
may be the basis for new legislation in
the several states of the Union. The rec
concentrations for new roads treat prin-
cipally of some form of macadam, either
for the whole road or for such portions
Of it as lie in places that cannot be thor
oughly drained.
The bill which the wheelmen suggest
b order to secure uniformity in the vari'
GUS states is substantially this:
Section / constitutes Highway dis
trict in each township not under munich
pal control. Section provides for an
everseer for each highway district. Sec
lions 5, and 5 define the duties Of the
sverseer, who shall locate and open all
public roads, and improve and repair
the same. Sections and relate to
Ggn boards Sections and 0 relate to
the award of contracts. Section Is pro-
vides for tax levy, and section 10 re-
lates to the method Of apportioning and
ievying the same. Sections 10, 20 and
81 place all toll roads and bridges under
the care of the district overseers, with
power to compel the owners to repair
<l,no nd al To nj ,rba
their condition is not according to the
charter or laws governing them.
In the states where the agitation has
taken hold various plans are under con-
sideration. Last year bill was before the
Pennsylvania legislature providing for
uniform road tax of seven and one-half
mills, to be raised in each county and ex-
pended under county engineer. Not
less than 40 per cent. of this tax must
be expended in matchmaking or other
other permanent improvement. Accord
ing to this bill each county will be sub
divided into districts under charge of a
supervisor
In Rhode Island the League of Wheel
mer have prepared bill, and Governor
Ladd, in his last message, recommended
q uniform road law, which "should seek
not only to direct and control the proper
construction and keeping of roads in the
state, but in measure should also con-
troll the laying out of roads, with view
to prevent their unnecessary and costly
multiplication, and seek to secure sys-
tematic network of highways for inter-
town communication"
The citizens of Rhode Island have
formed State Roads improvement as
ISOLATION, with the object of increasing
public knowledge and interest concern
ing good roads, and to procure needed
changes in legislation. This association
petitioned the legislature to enact ap-
propriate laws at the session for 1890.
Governor Hill in his last message re-
ferred to one of the plans under discus
sion in New York as follows:
1t has been suggested that the state should pro-
coed to construct through every county two high
ways, running in different directions and inter
secting each other in about the center Of the
county-such roads to form part Of a complete
general system those in each county to connect
with those Of adjoining counties, and to be known
everywhere as state roads, constructed cared Tor
and maintained at the expense Of the state at
large, under the direction and supervision of the
state engineer and surveyor or other competent
authority to be designated. This system, when
once completed, would enable q person TO start
from New York city, Albany or any other point
on foot or in carriage, and visit every county in
the state without once leaving the state roads,
thus insuring comfort, convenience, pleasure and
speed. These roads should be macadamized or
constructed Of crushed stone or other suitable
material, with proper culverts, good bridges, ade-
quate drainage, watering troughs and sign boards,
20 as to compare favorably with the best country
roads in other countries; and existing highways
could be utilized for this purpose so far as feasible
These state roads would not only prove of great
convenience and vast advantage to the whole
community, but they would serve as object les
sons" to the local authorities the effect Of which
would necessarily tend to improve the ordinary
town highways and prove Of inestimable benefit
It Is not believed that the people Of the cities Of
the state would object to this improvement, but
that on the contrary, they would hail it with
pleasure, Us during the summer months they flock
70 the country in large numbers and are deeply
interested in ali that concerns the material prog
reas development and prosperity of the rural
districts
In the early history Of the state it was the Gus
tom to construct important public highways at
general expense. The session laws from 1912 to
1881 contain many acts making liberal appropria-