The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-12-19
COUNTRY ROADS.

There is an organized effort in New
England 70 consider and discuss the most
obvious means OF state development in Or
der 10 check the decline Of the rural dis
tricts and the exodus Of its population 10
the West. Judge Tyler, OF the Vermont
supreme court, in q recent public address
urged upon the people the Importance of
having the state traversed by the best
practical high ways, pointing out that dur
ing the last fifty years while the people
had been entirely engaged in raiIroading,
the common country roads, the important
links which bind communities together. had
been sadly neglected. He argued that the
state ought. Of right, TO assist in the con-
struction of main lines of road, since they
were the means Of communication Of the
people of the state with each other-not
for the exclusive use of the people within
its borders-but for 'the use Of all the
people of thi. and other states who have
occasion 10 use them. They are more es-
sential than railroads because more per-
sons are dependent upon them as means Of
transit"
In 1855 the Vermont legislature took
step in this direction when an act was
passed by which when any town has any
occasion 10 build or repair any highway or
bridge which viii be Of benefit to any other
towns in the vicinity, and such town
would be excessively burdened by the ex-
pense. Its selectmen may petition the
county court. which may. in its discretion,
appoint commissioners 20 examine the
premises and make report 10 the court. If
their report is favorable TO the town and
to the granting of state aid therefor, the
court may adjudge that the state shall
contribute a sum not TO exceed one-half
the entire expense OF the work, and ap-
point commissioner TO superintend the
expenditure Of the states money
In states where settled system of road
improvement has been adopted, as in
Union county, New Jersey, the value of
the farms along the routes of these roads
has increased from IS to $40 per acre.
Good roads shorten distances, bring people
nearer together, improve society, save
wear and tear OF teams, save time and
therefore money. Good roads make farms
more accessible and therefore more valu-
able. To make good highway, however,
costs money.
Our paving is inferior to that of Euro
pean cities because abroad they decline to
lay "shoddy" work. In Paris and Berlin
good paving costs from So TO 81 per square
yard, while in Dresden it costs 81 70 lay
granite pavement on gravel pure and
simple. The multiplication of railroads
has so completely absorbed the attention
and energies of the people that, unlike
Europe. which had excellent country
roads long before the advent of the loco
motive, Americas only avenue of CON-
munication which connects the farmer So
cially and commercially with the world at
large is the wretehed, primitive dirt road.
which is an object OF surprise, scorn and
ridicule to every intelligent foreign OBJ
server.
These dirt roads, long obsolete in Europe.
add enormously 70 the cost of placing
farm produce in the market town. for
wretched roads compel scaat loads, long
delays. mud hlockades, breakdowns and
extra trips. The great volume Of internal
trade in every state is the common road
trade, of whose volume Isaac 3. Potter. in
the November Forum, says:
Besides filing our local markets we are hsuI
ing over our common roads enough produce in
one form or another, 20 supply freightiug bus
mess for $4,000 miles OF railroads using more
than I,00Q,co9 freight cars ana earning trafSc
income in 1880 OF nearly s., 90 0109C0 Including
carriage receipts On nearly 10, 90 tons OF
freight The coai production Of Alabama las,
year was S,353,SS tons.
The movement of all these commodities
necessitates the constant and constantly
increasing use OF the common road. Eng
land and Wales are spending annually
sl6,0oQ,00o On the maintenance of an excel
lent system OF macadamizad roads. e1-
elusive Of $l,5o0.o00 additional expendi-
ture upon the roads of the metropolitan
district. France has 10000 miles of hard.
smooth roads upon which the government
spends SIS, 0o0,o00 annually. In Belgium.
Baden, Hesse Darmsiadt, Italy and other
European states the main roads are main
tanned by the general government, and
millions of dollars are annually appropri-
ated 10 insure their constant and sys-
tematic repair.
a bill has been pending for two sue
cessive years in the New York legislature
providing for the expenditure of ten
millions of dollars for the construction of
improved roads on important lines
throughout the state, and directs that the
money so expended shall be raised by
general tax. This bill has twice passed
the senate and was lost in the assembly
only by few votes. In Pennsylvania a
special state road commission, created in
isS9, reported proposed road improvement
bill, to the Legislature in February Of this
year. Massachusetts,, Ohio. Rhode Island
and several other states have taken similar
action, and in a recent annual report Of the
commissioner of agriculture the necessity
OF better roads for the farmer and merch-
ant IS strongly set forth.
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Salt Kills the Insects.