Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1890-01-01
Working the Roads.

There is a good deal of discussion 60
ing on In the papers in regard to the
best way OF improving the highways.
A correspondent Of the Country GEN
tleman writes thus about it:
Since the question of good country
roads affects farmers more than almost
any other class of travellers, would
suggest that it form one OF the leading
subjects to be discussed this winter at
the Institutes. and that. wherever pos
sibie, action thereon follow at the open
ing of spring. When such magazines as
the Century and Scrlbner's following
and daily newspapers, take the matter
up, it is time the parties most interest
ed bestir themselves. There is no
doubt that the present system of road
making by working out" tax is utter
ly inadequate-as, for instance, the dis.
trict live In will show. We are sup
posed to keep in order about half a
mile of road, for which we are assessed
thirty.seven days labor. divided in pro-
portion to the value of our land, BE-
tween eight of us; my share consisted,
this year, in drawing nine loads OF
gravel about mile. About sixty loads
altogether were drawn, and the assess
ment was worked out" in two days
June 10 and 1l). Allowing load of
gravel for every two yards of road, we
drew material for only a little more
than sixteenth of a mile, consequent
ly ii the road were systematically re-
paired, it would be seven or eight years
before the same piece got another coat
ing.
| think it will be allowed that the
most practical plan is for the different
towns to employ responsible men
whose business it would be to make
and keep perfect roads. There are
very few districts where good stone and
gravel cannot be procured as we'll as
competent and available men, The
chief difficulty seems to lie in the
method Of raising money to pay for the
making and me nding, and to apportion
the cost among the residents of the dis
trict, so as to maze. each pay his share
according to his use of the road. The
toll system, which still obtains on the
main road off which / reside, appears
to be generally condemned. This turn
pike trust, as 1t is called, levies toll ac-
cording to the distance you travel over
the road, which reaches out seven r;iles
from Rochester; yet all do not pay &C
cording to their use of it. There are
two lime concerns, with kilns two
make twelve or sixteen trips daily with
wagons loaded with two tons of lime.
The toll they pay is not at all proper
tionate to the damage they do. We, by
living four miles further out have to
pay twice the amount, and to travel
over the three miles of road at times
made almost impossible by their travel,
and which our higher toll will help re-
pair. According to the trusts pub
lished accounts, it's yearly expenses are
about $500 mile, including toll-keep-
er's salary, etc.
A tax might be levied, payable in
cash, but to this very many farmers
would object. A $40 tax worked out"
hy himself and team is very different
from one that extracts $40 bill from
his pocketoook; IN the one case he feels
no actual loss, in the other it means Cat
present quotations) handling over the
price of twelve and one-half bushels OF
wheat or twenty-five bushels of pota-
toes. Sill, if he can be induced to
think the matter over, be will find that
his cash, in the hands of competent
men, will go twice as far toward giving
him good travelling as the same amount
worked out" would do, and at the
same time saved at busy season Of the
year, would be OF much profit. With
a good road. TOO, the lessened wear and
tear of buggies and wagons, the better
footing Tor teams affecting the shoeing
billy, and reduced strain on the horses,
and the ability to draw larger loads
with the same motive power, are items
of much account 1t would be no easy
task, either, to apportion the tax to suit
everybody, if it is made on the assessed
value of the land.
Profit Apples.
The California Fruit Grower remarks
the surprising fact that while choice i'm
ported bananas are peddled in the