Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1891-02-05
GravelROads. The heEquestriausPray-

cOoAsJ ot0 OOheeul Win urging tueiH noIsco
over all but impossible roads by spur and
whip on an average of three-fourths Of the
year. This class in so doing is moving in
conjunction with the saying "gap at gnat
and swallow an elephant" and the most de-
plorable portion Of this darkness is that their
short sightedness will not permit them to re-
aiize this fact. For all time to coms and
during all time passed, the departure Of Jack
Frost from earth and clay, will and has, left
the roads in a condition to make travel, il
possible at all, a toll to be dreaded.
There is but one remedy for this great in
convenience--one straight path leading from
this labyrinth of difficulty characterizinq all
newly settled countries, to the privileges
which we, as a county seventy. five years old
have a rightto ask and demand. Both gravel
and stone roads have been tried and proven
to be impervious to the whims of warm
sun on the still more whimsical Jack Frost,
or the opening wide of heavens food d-gates.
No weather can be so inclement as to prohibit
travel altogether on gravel roads, and it is
well known fact that stone roads cannot be ef-
fected after once constructed.
| But the merits and utility of stone or gravel
roads are incontrovertable and not the ques-
ton here set forth. The question is rather,
why property owners will ''gap at the gnat"
of a small assessment for road improvements
while they continue year after year to gulp
down impossible roads and subsequent wear
and tear on harness and horse, broken down
vehicle and great loss of time, which, when
correctly computed in profit and loss will
swell the loss column to such excess as to
stagger the shortsighted Economical farm
er." Economy? Bosh! What constitutes
economy? Isit refusing to cast your vote fol
good roads, thus avoiding a small sum for
such improvement when fully twice the sum
is paid out indirectly for the privilege of us
ing bad roads? It is well known that many
blinded by cupidity entertain this sort of log
ic and steadfastly refuse to give their good
common sense possession long enough to
eradicate such avariciousness.
The law for years has given each township
the right to construct road Improvements at
their will. How have they availed themselves
of this privilege? Napoleon township and
corporation have both done the fair thing,
while all others save a small portion of Free
dom and Ridgeville, have been shamefully re-
creant to the trust reposed. Richfeld, Bart.
low and Marion are the only townships at all
excusable for remaining aloof from this
swim of progress inasmuch as the land there
in is far from possessing perfect system Of
drainage. But for the other townships, there
is no excuse for perpetrating this gross injus-
tice upon themselves and others. By what
right or equity have Flatrock, Pleasant, Har-
rison, Monroe and Marion to, year in and year
out, drive miles out of their way in order tc
utilize Napoleon township pixies, while they
all steadfastly refuse to construct such or
their own territory?
Flatrock maintains that were she to con-
struct a continuance, of gravel road on tht
Kalida pike to her southern boundary, Mon
roe would derive as much benefit as herself al
no cost whatever. Such would be true II
Monroe shonld avail herself of such con-
temptib!e injustice, and not gravel one of hel
great north and south roads. Surely these
two belligerent townships should blush with
shame when they consider what Napoleon
township has done, and that too without a
murmer. But such is not the case. Flat.
rock for fear of beneftting Monroe, has made
up her mind to let Kalida pike remain in its
present condition until the end of time
while on the other hand Monroe says nothing
but waits, hoping her long winded neighbol
will soon give in.
There are those living in both townships
who acknowledge that the pike should be i'm
proved and advocate ''three mile system
whereby both will contribute an equal share
To be more explicit: As the road in ques
tion is practically on the boundary line, theI
hold that it should be built by three mile
east and west, thus making full township
the ratio of assessment to be according Il
benefit derived. For example: the first mil,
50, the second 50 and the third 81 on eacl
hundred of valuation. The project was feast
BILE but we understand the third mile ii
Monroe absolutely refused, and many in
cluded in the first mile adjacent to them o
the second mile raised vigorous objection
because their assessments were trife highe
than their near neighbors. With such sci
evident little facts, backed with stingines
and jealousy, the really tenable scheme wa
killed and all hope of solution to the di
lemma abandoned.
During the past week frequent thaws, fol
lowed by copious rains have transforme
the so.called highways into veritable quag
mires. Especially has this been SO of thos
most travelled, the Kalida "pike" leading tn
list. Very few think of coming to town 9th
erwise than afoot, while many have bee
forced to abandon single buggies in tn
middle of the road and make their destins
ton horseback. Wiseacres shake heads an
slow" something should be done, but
nothing. few severe frosts will max
passable, though very hard riding roads, an
the question relegated to a backnumbershi
until another such occasion.
The cost of extending Napoleon township
gravel road to the southern boundary line G
Pleasant would be barely perceptible
thoseldefraying it; then farmers, why do yo
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