The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-10-14
GOOD COUNTRY ROADS.

The commissioners of Clallam county
have been justly complimented by their
local press upon the pains they have taken
TO establish system of good wagon roads
within the entire area of the county; whose
authorities have raised 100000 for this
purpose. The work on a main highway
along the northern boundary of the county
running east and west beyond Dungeness
to Neah bay was commenced In August,
and in a year from that time it is expected
that good system of substantially built
roads win be completed to Port Angeles.
A great writer has said that "the road is
the material sign or symbol of any age or
people, for the road Is the creation of man
and the type of civilized society,"" Rome,
measured by her superiority as builder
of roads, bridges, sewers and aqueducts,
was the greatest state of the ancient world,
and today, measured by the same test,
England. France and Germany
are the greatest countries of
Europe. The necessities of trade and
war forced these great states to early build
and maintain splendid highways, which,
once built under national supervision,
have cost little to maintain. Had we been
military as well as trading people we
would today probably have as fine roads
as those of Germany. and France, over
which General Sheridan relates that he
saw the German armies march at rate of
oldest and wealthiest parts of the United
States. Had New England and the Mid
die states been the scene of as constant
battle as were France. Belgium and the
Rhine provinces of Germany for the one
hundred and fifty years that ended with
Waterloo we should have today excellent
highways in America, for the federal gov
eminent would have been compelled to
build and maintain them.
Furthermore our government had not
been In existence fifty years before the APP
plication ofsteam to land and water trans
portation diverted popular attention from
the subject of great highways. Europe's
splendid roads were all built in the last
century at great expense, long before the
days of the steamboat or locomotive. and
once built have been economically nre.
served and maintained by national super-
vision. If Europe had been in no constant
danger of war; and IL she had had the
steamboat and locomotive at the onenino Of
the 18th century she would have compare
lively interior roads today, for her energies
and her money would have been applied
TO the construction of commercial and
military railroads, and the establishment
OF exterior and interior routes of water
transportation by steam, so that Europe.s
superior roads are not altogether due to
her superior practical wisdom, but some.
thing to the pressure of military necessity
ana her longtime dependence for rapid
interior transportation, whether for war
or commerce, upon excellent highways
In the old stage DAYS the great American
highways across the Alleghan;as wsra
good roads, but with the rapid spread of
rahWays ana the decrease of stage travel
the highways fell into neglect.
but the scientific improvement Of orr
country roads has at last become a tonic ~
national interest. The work of reform, he.
commenced at the East and in savera1
states, notably New Jersey. laws have hsar
passed that viii enable any enterprisine
county TO build good, hard Macadam or
Telford roads. Such roads, properly built
can be kept in order without much ex.
pense and if they are not neglected tbsv
get better with age. The work OF makins
such roads is so expensive in the frst
instance that few counties or townsbins
feel able 20 undertake any larye NJ ,y>,.,.-. .
hensive system of road improvement o,
this character. In several states an effort
is being made TO have each state build the
roads in the first place and for q time