The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1890-02-28
OF COUNTRY ROADS.


being discussed by legislators, by men of
science, by economists and otheQF having
a practical interest in public means for
transportation. Some states have re-
Gently taken action in this matter, and
others are considering measures with a
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
road law last year, providing for uni
formity in highway building under a
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
Island, 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
in order to secure uniformity in the vari-
GUS states is substantially this:
Section l constitutes a |. ghway dis
trict in each township not under munich
pal control. Section 2 provides for an
overseer for each highway district. Sec
tions 3, A aud 8 define the duties of the
overseer, who shall locate and open all
public roads, and improve and repair
the same. Sections 6 and z relate to
sign boards. Sections and relate to
the award of contracts. Section Is pro-
vides for IA tax levy, and section 16 re-
lates to the method of apportioning and
levying the same. Sections 10, 90 and
81 place all toll roads and bridges under
the care of the district overseers, with
power to compel the owners to repair
them and also to close them whenever
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
a 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
In Rhode Island the League of Wheel
men have prepared bill, and Governor
Ladd, in his last message, recommended
a uniform road law, which "should seek
not only to direct and control the proper
construction and keeping of roads in the
state, but in a 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 APP
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 for
and maintained at the expense of the state at
large, under the direction and supervision Of tho
state engineer and surveyor or other competent
to be designated. This system, when
once completed, would enable a 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
Of crushed stone or other suitable
material, with proper culverts, good bridges. ade
quate drainage, watering trougbs and sign boards,
SO 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
and vast advantage to the whole
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, as during the summer months they flock
70 the country in large numbers and are deeply
in all that concerns the material prog
ress, development and prosperity of the rHral
districts.
In the early history Of tho state it was the GUS
tom to construct important public highways ut
general expense. The session laws from 1912 to
1881 contain many acts making liberal appropria-