The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1891-01-14
Rester Roads.

ROOu 5ut56OchtChcs eHet - 80 --Rf'.>t-
BILE to this county, and to the whole
State, as it is to Wood county:
sThe question of roads or public
highways is probably one which
should interest the people of the
State more than any other thing
affecting their material interests.
at is fact that no country or
town dependent on that country
can be prosperous without good
roads, aud | challenge anyone to
name a county in the State Ono diff
erence how good the land may be)
which has miserable, bad roads, that
has any show of thrift prosperity,
in it. On the other hand it may be
shown that every county which has
good roads has prosperous farmers
and thriving towns. The cause of
this can be very easily figured out
in this way-with good graded
macadamized roads, the farmer will
have use for only two horses when
four is required on bad ones. He
will make the trip to market in half
the time, will use less than half the
harness. His wagons or vehicles
v i'll last as long again. and he can
get to market at all times during
the year, and especially in midwin-
ter when his products will bring the
highest price. These things or
savings when counted up will
amount to, say three hundred dol
lars per year to the ordinary farmer,
which in time will make him pros
porous if not rich.
son the other hand as it is in
parts of this county situated from
IL to % miles from the city off the
river or railroad the people are
practically mud bound during the
winter.
ave will instance Steele district,
one of the richest and most thickly
settled portions of the country in
which arc raised wheat, corn, hay
hogs, potatoes and apples in abund-
ance. None of these articles are
ready for market early in the fall
while the roads are good, or if so,
the price is so low at that season it
will not pay to bring them in. APP
pies in the fall are worth say 75c
per Dbl, in the winter and spring SO.
Potatoes in the fall 25c, winter and
spring, 75c. Hay for SO in the fall,
81 in the spring. Hogs cannot be
driven or hauled during late fall or
winter when they ape ready to mar
ket. Now though the land is ricb
and productive, is il not astonishing
that the people can make q living.
~ viii say that the grade of tho
road to Rockport is very good in.
deed, and If they had good smooth
macadamized road they could come
TO town in p to 3 hours. AS it is
they start early in the morning and
get here late-have to remain in
TOWN over night, pay a hotel bill and
return hsme aeKt day arriving with
a worn out team,
sit appears to take all the money
raised from taxes in the county, say
$4,000, to keep the roads up in
their present condition.
SIS not the present system greatly
qt fault, this plan of selling roads
out to the lowest bidder, with speci-
fcations to furnish only spch ma
teriai as is fnpnd in the road bed,
which is generally clayq
al think something better can be
devised and l will submit what 1
think the best system of building
good roads. 1t is this-I would
have each district purchase the best
road machine, together with scrap
ers, plows, shoveis, picks, etc., and
all necessary tools for effective work,
a first-elass, pushing Road Boss
should unemployed, who should hire
men and teams to work on the roads,
commencing early in the spring,
matchmaking all the bad places
needing it in order to bring the bad
part of the road up to the good.
The county should employ good
apa effective engineer to locate all
new roads and na-lapate VII old ones
whore such LOCATIONS will be an i'm
ppoyement of grade, avoiding all
hills and steep grades when possible
and should give particular attention
to the thoroughfares leading to Park
leaving the little side and
roads out as much as
possible.
hThen ut the end of each season,
say the list CT November, have the
roads in all the districts, examined
by competent committees, and give
to the supervisor of the one having
the best worked roads, premium
of, say $780, SECOND best, $50; third
best, S25. This would probably he
the best spent money in the country,
as it would create a rivalry among
the workers.
"The engineer should be superin-
tendent ofall the work and workers.
"By this means we would get two
or threee times as much, and better
work for the money, and in a few
years, under this systom, all the
would be pixies, well
graded and passabIe at all seasons
of the year.
"Fhen would come prosperity to
the farmers of the county, and to
the citizens of Parkersburg."
HAY SEED.
West Virginia Coal Resources.
A very striking illustration of the
mineral wealth of West Virginia is