The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1891-03-20
The Egis & Inteligencer
Bel Air, Md. March 90. 1891.
THE ROAD QUESTION
As Seen by an Ex-County Commissioner
A Criticism of Prof. Haupts Address anu
Some Valuable Suggestions upon I'M
nroyinr our Roads L Economically.


GARLAND. March 16-Will the Editor of tn.
E0is grant me a little space in his valuable paper
see I'M issue of March 9th Prof. Haupts address
headed For Better Roads," This question, in
deed, is important one, but like most questions
has two sides. In the first place our worthy farm
ers held session i'll which number OF them gave
their views Also the President of the meeting
read paper, in which he made a little mistake
He stated that the farmers of Hartford labor under
"A great disadvantage i'll hauling out their crops
compared with the farmers OF the West. would
say to our worthy President the hauling does not
bother us much, but we cannot compete Win the
western farmer in raising crops, on account OF our
State Road Engineer is asked for this State
Engineer to appoint one engineer for each county,
10 sit in the county town OF each county with ms
little subs around him, to do his bidding Also
resolution was passed to appoint committee 10
draft bill to be presented to our next Legislature
This bill is to ask that the dulles OF Ine Ios
ers bordering on certain road snail ask lot thiS
certain road to be placed under the coniroi Oh ms
engineer, it shall be DONE Also the Dill wants 10
make il obligatory ON the Commissioners, when an
amount of money is subscribed by the patrons OF a
certain road, the Commissioners shall appropriate
In the first place we do not need an engineer
Our road laws are good enough and can be carried
politics in our road work. True, in some parts OF
The county. / am familiar with facts but IL does
not apply to all the county. 1t was said III the
Farmers Convention one year ago that those in
authority would cut roads into short Sectlons 10
give them political strength. II sucn things are
The roads to be turned over TO this engineer on
application of patrons.-I do not see the real ne
eessity OF taking the control of ourroads out of the
hands of the Commissioners, since they should be
competent men to see what any road needs.
The compelling the Commissioners to furnish
road is very objectionable. We will suppose
case. Take group OF well-otf farmers or what
h heS hsy Wsn Il %ans They gt up
subscription and present it TO Commissioners
They want them bound to furnish like amount.
We will here compare about how our taxes rest
on our tax payers We will take 40 tax payers.
We will suppose 100 of them assessed at 81 900 each,
making 100000. These are generally farmers who
have a mortgage of one-half the value OF their
farms resting on Them. They are thus reall!
retfy hard g bIsness We viii now take the
lucky ten in our problem-Iucky 1ellows9 The They
Are at s0 ng ea fbese aEe not
more than One-half their worth. They nave pro
perty in mortgages and various other things which
are not assessed. Now to apply this. The tax
payer of $1,000 is generally poor man. He may
raise 200 bushels of wheat. what IS the eonse-
far and ot his croo into market Does
this farmer generally need pike to haul his
crop out on say he does not, but prefers good
smooth earth road. He has very little use Tor a
We will take one of the lucky ten. He is large
farmer. He raises 200 or 500 bushels OF wheat.
He does not care to thresh until after corn husk-
ing. His wheat is paying him good interest,"
He does not care to haul it out until March The
consequence is the roads are then throttled with
mud as our Professor has it. Now, are these poor
struggling tax payers to be compelled TO pave the
road for these men OF wealth 49,,
say to the voters and tax payers, consider tneSe
things well.
And what about Prof. Haupts address ON the
highways of Hartford county? would say, L
want to be BRIEF or it may be as the Professors
lawyer administering the dose OF medicine, II may
be an overdose, or the minister who is consulted
about curing the horses. 1t may spoil say the
Professors views are both impracticable and OVER
drawn. Impractcable. because If his language
road system. Change might be beneficial, but we
do not need an engineer 10 tell US Wnere
changes are necessary Take a-halt dozen Pra a
know as much about the matter OF locating road
our Professor. and as much about soils OF pro-
propelling or overcoming forces. We have prac-
1iced and observed it all our lives.
The principal thing in the Professors address IS
drainage, which will do in some instances.
We will now take his first requirement. or loca-
tiOn. We have travelled our public roads thous-
and times when almost impossible, and nave
found the road sides and the fields alongside fine
and nice then. There was no mistake III locating
our road there. but the wash and wear of years
cannot be drained. We often see dangerous side
drains along our road sides in these muddy places.
The water cannot reach the drain. The clay holds
the water as an earthen jar.
Neither will under drainage answer. You may
fhTee inches Of this cay on It and it will hold the
water, which can only escape by evaporation. We
have not time to touch on much OF the Professors
address, but will take his table three. In compar-
ing roadside first takes iron, smooth surface
but too costly; farther down he gives macadam
roads and then earth. The Professor claims two
horses ON macadam roads will haul as much as
four on earth roads. Now any practical farmer
or teamster can readily see this is over drawn
We will not take our last two unprecedented
winters, but our average years, and the majority
of teamsters and farmers one-half to three
fourths Of the year will take the earth road in
And the traveller in light vehicle prefers the
earth road the major part of the year.
Now, as to my idea of this subject. am nos
opposed to road improvement, but say with all
my heart, let us have better roads, Our road
sevies are large. our regular levy is $4,000. The
reimbursements amount to from $1,000 to $6,OOO,
and road extras $4,000 to $4,000. making some
$S1 900 for road work. Some years a little over
count. 400 miles of roads in the county. Now.
MIR, Editor. suppose we would do on our roads
what might be called Temporary work with our
possible. With good team to machine III
miles per day can be dressed. The whole tenn
porary, work could be done for about S7,OOo or
$500. leaving a balance, with but little extra,
of sc, 900 for permanent work, to be put on the
worst places, and in or years we would be
Our roads should not be cut in short sections
by the Commissioners and General Supervisors,
to electioneer with, as is sometimes done; for
the longer the section, in reason, the cheaper can
our roads be repaired with the machine:
Another matter should be seen too-that there
is no pikipg done in winter unless hands and
teams can be hired for three-fourths the price
per hour that they would in summer. The same
work will cost three-fourths more in winter than
IN summer.
Now, pardon me for introducing my own ex--
perience. l have had the charge of public road
for over twenty years. My original road was
q bout IL miles in length. but now heightened TO
about two miles. During the first few years
received $50 per year. About eight years after
wards received $35 per year. until my road was
heightened. when received $50. with the under
standing should put part in permanent work.
One-half or more of my road runs through very
fat land. but have on my two miles of road
about GOO yards of stone pike, which has been
put these last seventeen years, and IL has cost
the county but $500 above my regular road work.
10 the worst places. Now. with concert of action,
having some $4,000 or $4,000 to work with. an
immense amount can be accomplished. think
lawyer may administer an over dose of medi-