The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1891-05-01
The Egis & Intelligencer
Bel Air, Md, May /. 1891.
ROAD MENDIG AND POLITICS.
The Views of a Fifth District Man.

MR. EDITOR: beg leave for little space in your
valuable paper for some remar KS on the road ques-
ton. We may expect TO have bad roads at certain
periods of the year, no matter how carefully they
may be mended. We must abide by the law oi
nature in this respect. and should not De always Jay
roads for IA time. Nor should we be so ready 10
condemn the Commissioner of the district and put
the blame on his shoulders for what neither he nor
any one else can prevent He is placed in a diff
ficut position. Here comes petition for new
road, another TO have road turnpiked, other peo
pie want a bridge across spring branch, &C., yet
the cry is. 1.-THE road taxi the road taxi"
Now, Mr.. Editor, it seems TO me that the road
question is not considered as it should be, for we
cannot change the law of nature which gives us
bad roads when the frost is leaving the ground.
believe that We can have better roads under the
present system than any other, with the same
amount OF money expended. For instance, we have
road that for eight months in the year is the best
in the county and during the remainder of the year
the worst. First we have afreeZe then rain and the
road becomes full of quicksands and so low that it
is impossible to drain the water from 1t. would
advise, in such a case. ex-Commissioner Walkers
remedy-plenty OF stones. L agree entirely with
Mr.. Walker with regard to turnpiking such pieces
of road.
Here is another plan which should be adopted
and enforced and as long as lt Is not enforced
trate. Nearly half of our roads could be worked
with one-fourth less money than is now expended
on them, and we could have better roads, the
amount saved going to turnpike the always bad
places.
have road to work in the fifth district. Part
OF it runs through my farm 1t was given to me by
Commissioner Scarborough, when he was General
mend s 1Par through
your farm. viii allow you $40 ON II. hestated
TO take it. What am to do with the qucksand
places in the flat?" l replied Put all the stones
in which you haul from your fields" he said did
so. The second year he came along. why. you
ed. YOU can work it this year for So The past
three years have been working It for Sc have
good stone road g. yards long. Here is "a saving.
will tell you how this was done. When | saw a
break a water course was filled up and likely to
overflow, shouldered my shovel and in few
mil dad m | eat
non of driving over good road. Now, how long
will that hill stay good that you mended nicely?
In all probability before you finish ii heavily load
ed wagon comes along. The driver will not take
the middle of the road but takes the side of the
road which IS hard linen IN go tn gown sne mn
wagon against the bank. blowing it down: the
water course and the breaks are filled up. Next
comes a long settled rain, the road becomes soft
and muddy. The same team, perhaps. cuts the
road open, the water follows the wagon track and
the water-cOurse will be in the middle of the road
Now. what are you going to do about it? There,
are only two ways. First give the road to the man
to = or ne @ ke bs
not TO work all the money out In May and June, |
but keep few days work back for the late fall and
with a shovel will save all this heavy mending in
the late spring, and will provide fund that will
places where nothing will serve as a substitute !
for stone. Just as long as you do not adopt this
plan of hill mending you may expect to have bad |
roads, unless you station man at the top of every
hill to warn people to keep in the middle of the |
road.
These are my views on the road question. Let |
me say word about the coming political campaign |
in the Democratic party. Don't vote for a man |
the man who is most competent and will fill the
office best and with credit. To be sure we like
good, social fellOw-one who can always give You
good warm hand out of politics as well as in. / |
not but feel reluctant when see so many good |
men named for office. but we must make choice |
and not only choice but work for the man OF our
choice.
We would like to know who is to be our next
Governor and U. 5. Senator. Has Hartford no one
capable of filling either of these offices? surely
think she has. Where is our representative in
Congress, Hon. Herman Stump? Could he be
elected to the u. 5. Senate while he remains a
congressman? If so let us have him. Every man
who announces himself for the Legislature ought
to be able to say, Il am Stump man."
j. b. METZEL.