Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1890-08-15
The State Road Commission on
is Travels.

EdNoiS.
The State Road Commission arrived in
Titusville last Wednesday night and held
a meeting there next day, which was at
tended by several farmers of that and
neighboring counties.
The meeting convened at 11:30, and,
with recess of only half an hour for
lunch, lasted until nearly 5 pm. The
farmers were not afraid to tell on them
selves. Said Mr.. Alcorn: "After all our
farm work was done for the season we
used to take the shoes off the horses, fill
the animals with grass and then send them
ont to work on the roads so that they could
get good rest"
Mr.. Higbee said: "0n a certain day the
farmers on q certain road in this county
were out working their road taxes. Itwas
very hot, and Sam Jones started off to fish.
Meeting Miller Smith by the wayside, he.
remarked that they would not be able to
finish the road that day.
That's bad" replied the miller, ''for
people will not be able to reach the mill.
How many men are working out their
taxes to-day, Sami"
"well now can't say right off," replied
Sam. "but " rnn t~'i bow many
fence corners there are betv cen Uaele'
Billy Jsckson's and the "a Lew Snydcr's |
can tell you exactly the number of men at
work"
James B. Powell, o well known horse
breeder of Shsdeland, who has made a
study of roads for many years 10th in this
country and Europe, addressed the COM
mission for nearly an hour. In substance
he said:
There is so per cent outlay i'm roads of
my township over and above the expenGi-
lures for schools. We should have very
elastic law-no startling innovation. We
should have q National Commissioner Of
Highways to have bureau under the De-
partment of Agriculture. Then you want
State Commissioner of Highways. The
State constitution will not allow that now,
SO about the most you could do would be
to have bureau on country roads created
to be attached to the Office Of Secretary of
Internal Affairs. That would furnish a
home for all records and correspondence
about the condition of roads. After that
there should be County Commissioners for
roads. 1 say nothing about townships
Poor roads are compelling farmers to give
up agriculture and go to the large cities and
towns. One-third of every year a farmer
in Pennsylvania is bound up at his home
with mud. Ii your commission recon-
mends any radical change the farmers will
be scared by the prospects of increased
taxation. Do not think of making too
costly roads. Ohio has five pixies costing
only from 90. 900 to $4,000. 1t has been
said your commission thinks Of having
stone roads made. With your 10000
miles Of roads in Pennsylvania / consider
that an impracticable scheme. Erie ceun-
ty, with its fine gravel and sand-what
need has she for stonef You should study
the demands Of localities. Some roads
that are much travelled, like those in the
the neighborhood of town, should be i'm
proved at cost Of about 80, 900 per mile.
Other roads ought not to be at more than
$3.50 per mile.
Every road in county ought to be
named or numbered so that stranger may
know where he is. As soon as pi iactical
all road taxes should be paid in cash.
Educate the people up to this. Show them
poor roads depress the value Of their farms
and that as long as men work out their
taxes 1t is impossible to have good roads.
/ favor State aid for road improvement
because towns are increasing in population
and they would pay much of the tax. 1t
is fact that many of your fashionable
carriages will 60 five miles out Of town to
get ride on smooth country road-a
dirt road. Make that solid stone road
and people will call it rough. Yet must
admit that dirt road is very bad one.
There is so much Of dissimilarity Of soils
in this country. The best roads in this
State may be found in Erie county, where
there are simply Of the virgin soil-never
poor in so years. Yet in the Pacific States
the soil is sticky and impossible. Water
makes roads bad, and road machines do
not 60 down deep enough. Deep bitches
are needed on both sides Of the road to
carry off the water wherever the wealth Of
the land will justify it, and one-half Of the
road only is macadamized and the other
half left as smooth dirt road. / would
like to see roads stoned.
But II is all nonsense to think of making
the principal roads all through the State of
stone. The land Is too poor To pay for it,
We, Of this generation, will not live long
enough to see one fftieth of the Pennsyl-
vania roadways stoned. The use OF broad
tires on wagons should be encouraged. by
loading 5000 pounds Of lumber on narrow
ties, know of one lumber teamster who
uined 81, 900 worth ofroad, while he did not
ealize more than $25 profit on the whole
load.
Colonel J. J. Carter, Chairman Of the
Citizens Committee, submitted PROPOSE
tion to the State Road Commission answer
ing the interrogations seriatim and discuss
ing the subject rather elaborately from n
legal and engineering standpoint, as well
as from the public utility poin Of view.
Colonel Carter favors the establishment
of Bureau of State Roads, to be connect
cd with the executive department Of the
State government and presided over by
State Engineer or Surveyor General, TO be
appointed by the Governor, after tho plan
of bill presented TO the Legislature of
1885. lie also favors road supervisor for
each county, to be elected by the people
ut the same time and for the same period
as members OF the Assembly are elected
no one to be elegible unless an educated
and professional engineer. Also board
of road ovcrseers for each township
borough or city. not le| than three nor
more than five, to belelected by popular
vote on the plan Of minority representa-
ton, In each district; the supervisors 10 ap-
point a road master. who shall be an engi-
neer by practice, for each district.
He also favors an appropriation made by
thu sn snneYviaora of thu dat rict and racom-