The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1891-11-27


provide the means for wasting the
money of the tax payers. There
are parts of the State where the
roads are fair, and, at times, ex-
cellent, but there are other sections
where incaIculable damage has
been done by the unspeakable con
dition of the public highways. 1t
is safe to say that no other cause
mas so completely retarded develop
ment and insured the poverty of
certain neighborhoods, and. indeed
entire counties in the State. Mary.
land is not alone III this respect,
the complaint being general; but
In portions OF Maryland the evil is
worse, probably, than elsewhere
north of the Potomac.
Nor is it because money has not
been spent on the roads, nor be-
cause the people themselves are
contented with the condition of
them. Large sums have been
practically thrown away upon road
construction in the very nelghbor-
hoods where the roads are the
worst. The main cause OF the bad
roads, is the lack of system, and
the failure to apply the most obvi-
GUS scientific principles in their
construction and maintenance. 1t
is not uncommon to see large
face OF men at work on road in
some parts of Maryland causing it
to incline from both sides to the
center, and thus providing a con-
venient ditch for the reception of
all the water that falls on the sur
face. The first heavy RAIN that
falls washes out the center, turns
the highway into a series of gullies,
and produces wreck as lmpassa-
BILE as though that was the prime
object of the engineer.
Nothing repels capital like bad
roads. They produce the impress
ion of the thrlftlessness and desc
lation which makes the heart sick
and create the wish to get as far as
possible from the region; and they
tell the story, at glance, Of a
woeful lack of facilities for moving
about or transactlng any kind of
business. What is needed is sys-
tenn that will introduce scientific
principles into the construction of
roads, so that the money spent will
not be wasted, and one that will be
sufficiently elastic to apply to all
sections of the State. This will
not be an easy task. 1t has not
been found so in many of the
States which have given more at
tentior to the subject than it has
received in Maryland. But while
it may be difficult to determine
which is the best, it will be COM
paratively easy to select from those
which have worked well elsewhere
one that will produce very much
better results than have yet been
| aCnleVeu III CnlS OCate.
The Morning Herald has the fol-
lowing to say on this question:
at seems to us that the Mary
land farmers and others interested
in the subject ought not to be sat-
isfed with anything less than good
Macadam roads. That form of
highway Is constructed on scien-
tific principles, is suited to all con-
ditlons of grade and soil, is sub
stantial and permanent. does not
get out of repair easily, and, when
broken, can be mended with trlfling
expense; and this kind of road is
not more expensive in the end than
the dirt pile or highway of oyster
shells. 1t is the nearest approach
to the old Roman roads which have
stood the wear and tear of twenty
centuries, and is regarded by many
experts as the best highway con-
struction which the Maryland
counties can adopt.
line cost OF macadamlZed roads is
considerable, but so is the cost of
any form of highway which will
answer the purpose. Their ex-
pensiveness. however, does not de-
bar their introduction. Every
county already assesses a road tax.
and in the aggregate it Is large
sum of money each year. With
portion of this fund a beginning
can be made. and to the first few
miles of road others can be added
as funds are provided. Or money
can be raised by special taxation
and the work carried on more rap
idly. o..
This was the plan adopted in
Union county, N. j., about foul
years ago, when the citizens of
that county voluntarily petitioned
the Legislature to tax them $780,
900 in two years to build roads.
That county now has over 100
miles of Macadam and Telford
roads, and Is steadily adding to
| them year after wear. The farm