The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1890-01-10


ty Bonds-A Competent Supervision De
manded.
Reported for The Egis.
By invitation of Mr.. r. Harris Archer the Dee
Creek Farmers Club met last Saturday on the farm
of the late Johns I'll. Janney. Mr. James ". Hanna
President, was in the chair. other active ant
honorary members and guests present were II
r. John Rogers VIM. MmlnlknuySeh. john Is
Wysong, VIM D. Lee, Th9s bofhary; EdT Rar p
w Scott Barnes. Geo E. silver, S. b: Silver, II. A
Kelly. Geo. W. Scarboro and Harry Wilson.
The topic announced for dlscuSsiol. was tne all
bers found fault with our present road system bl
all thought it is not carried out as y might be- thS
trouble being chiefly in the want OF knowledge and
experience in those who make and mend our roads
rather than from intentional waste OF money. De
cded opposition to the ereat eat Oh bonded DEBT
taxation for the roads at this time. 1t was sug
gested that the County Commissioners set apart a
damiZing the main thoroughlares, experimenting
it by small additional levy, and apportioning the
fund in the several districts.
r.. Harris Archer thought our road system not
so much the cause of our bad roads other things
One trouble is the lack Of interest on the part OF the
people. The Commissioners have always been viii
ling to appropriate reasonable amount to repair
a bad piece OF road Our county is not prepared to
have all the roads turnpked. Some OF the princi-
pal thoroughfares perhaps ought to be turnpiked
and to do this tax of 10 cents on the 800 might
be levied for the permanent Improvement OF such
methods of repair. He opposed the issuing OF
county bonds not wishing, he said, to saddle a
future generation with heavy debt.
E. p Moores said our road system is good one
and ordinarily we have good ROADS, Inc C0mnlS-
sioners do not appoint road supervisors who will
fully rob the public but they are often men who
don't understand road-mending. He argued that
Il competent road supervisor Tor the whole county.
who made that his sole business, would secure good
roads with the amount of money now appropriated.
He also opposed county bonds, taxes being high
enough now.
roads which ought to be turnpiked, and he would
be willing to pay extra tax TO improve our roads.
More machinery could be used with economy in
making and mending roads. Many supervisors
don't know how to mend roads their only object
seeming to be to pay their taxes by working roads.
John b. WySong said If we want hrst-claSS roads
we must have an experienced engineer at the head
of our road system and adopt a contract SYSTEM
In the present condition of farming interests that
could only be attempted in a moderate degree
The present system is fairly good one If properly
carried out but one-third OF the road mont
is wasted. If one-third of the money now levicI
were used in turnpiking roads Ill each district Il
great improvement would soon be seen. There are
some good road supervisors but many of them
don't understand their business. They only work
for dollars and cents and there is too much politics
in it. Drainage is one of the most important things
in connection with mending roads, and this is too
often neglected,
Mr. Archer did not think politics entered into
the appointment of road SUPERVISORS as much Us
many people supposed.
Mr. Wysong contended that road warrants were
frequently gwen TO men because OF me votes tneH
only mend roads when they cannot do any other
work. and they are left in bad condition the greater
part of the year. He had also noticed farmers
trimming out the fence rows and dragging tie
trash into the water courses, TO the INJURY OF the
roads. There is no use to talk about issuing bonds
and raising taxes for roads.
Geo. F. Silver thought the discussion of the road
question, if it did no other good, would show the
Commissioners aud road supervisors that the pub
lie are interested in what they are doing and expect
them to do their duty. 1t has been said that the
condition of the public roads indicates the charac
ter of people and also that if this be so the peo-
pie of the United States must be only halt civilized.
Good county roads, he argued build upa country
the same as railroads do 1t is therefore our in
tereSt to that our roads are as good as we can
afford to make them. We cannot turnpike all of our
roads but we can make our thoroughfareS better
by a judiciouS expenditure OF the money appro-
priated. We don't want any better system than
the one now in use, but some changes might be
made with advantage. Until We get what is collect
ed better expended it Will be of no use TO make
any change. If the people knew who mendS the
roads ana how much money is expended on them
they would either make some change in the sys-
TEN or in those who carry tout. A tax collector
had told him that in some place men have only 100
yards to repair; others only quarter of a mile,
and some men are given road warrants who don't
own shovel or mattock. II the magnitude of
road expenditures is not sufficient TO justify us
in securing the services of a competent man who
would give his whole attention to lettering our
roads our county is poorer than he had thought
This man should work under the County Commits
soners and study the road business thoroughly Mr..
Silver gave the results OF calculation showing
how much the people of the county would save an
nually by having good roads. He thought the pe0-
pie living alongside within mile OF the roads to
be benefited by Mr.. Woolsey's bequest should
contribute to make it available because of the bene
fit they would derive therefrOm. He thought the
opportunity Of getting $1,000 Tor our pupil G6e roads
perly expended he was in favor of an increased
road tax for permanent improvement of the main
thOr0ughfareS distributed equally over the county
He considered it more economical TO turnpike in
the spring such places in the roads which are
known to become almost impossible every winter,
and not defer it until the winter. He was opposed
to putting debt on the people of the county.
S. B. Silver regarded the road question as "a most
important one. The trouble in Hartford is not in
the road system but in its management. Our pub
lie roads ought to be mended in the same manner
that railroads are kept in repair, by keeping men
employed the entire year on certain sections, filling
up mud holes, opening drains, &c.
VIM. Munnikhuysen said it seemed to be fashion
able to attribute the bad roads entirely to the
system. This he considered good enough and he
thought every board of Commissioners we have
had for many years has made an effort to improve
roads. Mistakes have been made, of course,
and will continue to be made by any board. He
had observed that many people, instead OF trying
TO improve the roads, throw every obstacle in the
way of their improvement, and attribute the bad
roads to the system We have. He did not think we
could have roads like those in New Jersey, because
of the difference in soil and our Scant population
as compared with that State. The amount levied
per mile upon our roads is really very small and it
is not strange that we do not have better roads,
The levy for public roads ought to be increased and
the money spent judiciously.
John MooreS considered Jack Frost the best road
supervisor we have. When he comes the roads i'm
prove. The roads are bad and the money badly
have head. He advised a law providing for three
County Commissioners instead of five, and three
Road Commissioners with competent man to
superintend the making and mending of our roads
No better law could be framed than the one pre-
scented few years ago by the Deer Creek Club
Unfortunately they called the chief a Road Engi-
neer. If they had called him General Supery-
sor or Grand Dtcher some might not have opposed
it. 1t would be well to % per cent of the road
money every year and add cents per 500 to the tax
for permanent improvement. Put ii i'll some place
where people will see the good it does. There is
NtlN MARI
pose? Our schools are managed by three men.
Why could not our public roads be managed like
wise? In the lower part of the county oyster
shells would make good roads and last long time.
James b. kenly thought the principal thorough
fares ought TO be turnplked Many opposed issu-
ing county bonds, but to make much Improvement
at once would require heavier tax than the coun-
ty can stand. 1t would be only fair to let the ris-
ing generation help to pay for good roads, and it
would be economical to make the roads good as
Mr.. Moores suggested that by spending money
in turnpikes people would be directly benefited
by the money remaining at home. giving employ
menl to persons who would spend all they earned
here.
Mr.. Kenly said that apart from the great
amount OF wet weather our roads are bad because
they are taxed with travel beyond their capacity OF
endurance. He thought that with the present sys-
TEN of shoveling mud into the roads the public gets
only about 80 cents worth for every dollar spent.
II. John Rogers remarked that almost everybody
says our road system is good enough but it is not
properly managed Now, if after all these years
ly carried out, he thought the system must really
be at fault. He thought three County Commissioners
enough to manage our affairs and he opposed
to the county going into debt to turnpike any road.
People have now as much taxes TO carry as they
can stand. He opposed building any more such
turnpikeS as we have. II is torture to drive over
them. 1t is useless to attempt to mend some Of
our roads by throwing dirt on them. Such roads
ought to be properly turnpiked. Money enough is
appropriated to put roads in good condition. if
it we're properly laid out. Now a dollar spent on
our roads does not strike with force of over so
cents. He thought il each district were compelled
to mend its own public roads the people would be
more interested and public spirit would soon give
us better roads everywhere. To have good roads
must not depend on farmers to make them but
should have set of men who understand the
business to work at it.
r. A. Kelly also thought there should be some
one employed to look after our roads and do moth.
ing else, He endorsed Mr.. MOoreS' suggestion OF
three County Commissioners and the plan of turn
piking bad places is a good one. If the present
system can't give us better roads do away with it.
He thought it would be wrong to issue bonds now.
In few years of judiciouS expenditure of the
present road fund the roads would be improved
+. w. Baker suggested the employment of more
labOr-saying machinery such as road machines
and stone cruShers. Many farmers would be will
ing to haul stone for little or nothing alongside OF
public roads. When sufficient quantity has been
accumulated stone cruSher. mounted on truck
and hauled by traction engine could be sent along
the road and crush the stones, which could then
be placed where needed. He also suggested thai
the money derived from license fees, if applied
specifically to turnpiking pieces of roads, would il
afew years materially improve them.
The next meeting of the club viii take place a
U residence of the President, Mr.. James w
arm Accounts" will be discussed.
Meteorological Record for December, 1889