Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1891-12-25
Communicated.
THE ROAD QUESTION.


ItaTsR few words to say in regard t.
the road law. If Virginia would adop
the Ohio system of making roads, W
would soon have better roads. Ohio ha
a poll tax, instead of a road tax; ever
man has to work road two (2) days o
pay two $1,000 dollars before he cal
vote; so yOu see the Road gets the bene
fit of the fine, as one political party,
not both, will see tn the poll tax j
paid. Bot in Virginia ran can yot
without paying his head taI, and hi
vote counts Just the same as a man wit
has property. The man of property j
compelled TO pay his head tax and !
goes to the State and not the roads. ON
half of those who don't or won't pay thei
head tax, will s, II their vote for so cents
and his county cannot make the fine on
of him. Now, if we would have tha
amount of work upon the roads, they
would soon be i'm a much better condition
than they ever were before. II we conld
get the head tax applied to the roads We
would not need to raise the tax any high
or and we would have good roads, but
the Governor of Virginia says There is
no other way to keep good or improve
our roads but by taxing The property
higher and the people won't stand higher
taxation"
don't agree with the Governor; there
is nothing that will shove our State
ahead, or bring more capitalists, N fast
as the improvement of our roads, and
this can be best accomplished by the
plan have above set forth.
The Governor. also, in giving the ex'
penses and costs of the convicts OF the
State, shows that they cost fifteen times
as much money as is appropriated to the
roads of The State. Now, let us have some
of that to apply to the roads and keeT
our iails clean. Instead of sending mar
to Jail for thirty days for visiting a her
roost or corn crib, with the consequent
expense to the county, put him on the
roads. Again, don't confine bunco mer
in Jail for a whole year, with an newt
able dead loss to the county, but Iu'
them on the roads.
Next, we will consider the Boad Oyer
seers. In the first place, they don't re-
ceive sufficient pay for their time That
is che reason why the roads have to
certain extent gone down. For this
reason we suggest the following;
(D "They ever have time to work the
roads"
(2) "Corn is to be planted and plowed.'
(3) clay is to be made"
()~"Whe must be harvested"
(5) eve must pillow for wheat"
CO eve must do our seeding"
"a ave never work"
And so on through the list of excuses
Now, you see what predicament q Com
missioner of the Roads is placed ID. / an
now speaking of my personal experience
however little it may be, with the roaC
matters and road business.
If Virginia will pass road law doini
away with the Road Overseer, and viii
give the Commissioner of Roads full con
troll of the roads in his district to worh
and keep in order, and recompense hin
with sufficient salary, say $3.50 per an
mum. the roads would receive their prope
attention in time. We have in our dis
trict twelve (12) Road 0yerseers in all
al total cost of from $3.50 to $500. Add
ing the Commissioners aud Road Boar'
fees. the total amount spent by the dis
trict in official fees will amount to NOR
than the sum at which have placed m!
estimate. Divided and scattered as thi
sum u.s. You can plainly see that there
scarcely any lnducement held out for an.
of these officers to perform their dutie
diligently. There are six districts in thu
county, and if they would ADOPT my plan
they would save from $500 TO 5000 annu
ally, and the condition of our roads woul'
be twice as good.
My experience is against the contrac
system. No one will undertake any con
tract unless he can make money at it. !
portion of the roads IN my district, tina
tried to let out at contract, could &c
no one to undertake at less than $3.50.
then repaired this same section at Coz
of $40. | believe the contract system t
be wasteful and expensive.
Hoping the suggestions | have give
will be duly dellberated upon, remain
Yours truly,
JOSEPH +. WIsMAN,