Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1891-01-16
IMPROVING COUNTRY ROADS.
detroit Free Press.

The average country highway is not mod
Ell affair for the Use of ANYBODY, least of all
the farming community that travels over it
The most and suffers from its effects, Saying
nothing about the general uncanny appear
ance OF the roadside as prolific seeding
ground for thstles, burdocks, and noXious
weeds OF a Ill sorts, Or depository Tor stunips,
stones, and rubbish of every kind, the condi-
tlon OF the road is far from Whatit should
De. 700 often indifferently built in the first
place, its subsequent use and poor repairs
speedily serve to reduce it to a Wretched CON
dition Rainy weather soon aids in sprink-
ling its surface with holes OF various depths,
and blowing it full Of rutS which remain
year to obstruct good travelling, and tear
wagons and harness to pieces. Smaller loads
must be carried and rapid motion is out OF
the question.
SUN roads are vastly improbable. Double
the load can easily be transported over fair
ly smooth road than poor highway will per-
nit Of. That means two trips for the farmer
instead OF one, with the consequent loss of
time for man and team. while the wear and
tear IS at I8aS. f0Gr times as great. Foot up
such loss as that in the aggregate of town
ships farming population and the result
would be something astonishing. But it never
is footed up, and the farmers go pounding
along over their uneven roads year in and
year out, with scarcely an improvement
How much better is the average country road
now than it was half a century ago! Not
much. And yet, in all that time it ought to
have been growing betterand better with each
years labor applied to it, until now it should
De almost the perfection Of splendid high
way.
The farmers of PENNSYLVANIA are at last
awake On this subject. They have come to
realize how expensive bad roads are and that
it is money in their pockets to spend time and
labor for their thorough Improvement A
citizens road association has been organized,
with Il university professor at its head who
are stirring up the farmers in all parts of the
state by disseminating useful information as
to the proper construction of roads and point
ing cut the losses entaiIed by reason OF the
Wietched facilities afforded them for getting
their products OF all sorts out to market This
ASSOCIATION has nov prepared the draft of "a
law which they will present to the coming
Legislature to help on the good work in Which,
| they are engaged.
Ibis plan provides for The election Of three
road commissioners i'll each township who
shall be kept as far removed as possible from
political OF pacuniary influences. They are
to appoint road-maStcrs to act as Superinten-
| dents over all work done by farmers who nav
their road tax by labor-and that means the
most OF them Every farmer desiring TO work
out his road tax must notify the commission
ers before May 1st and the road-masters will
then give him notice when and where to do
his work, and their directions must be follow
| ed. III the farmer fails to appear at the des-
ignated time, others viii be hired to do the
WORK. and lle delinquent must pay Eis tax in
! money. 1t is believed that this Will result in
dropping the sloyenly and halfway method
| of working out tax, because farmers will be
subject to be called out when they may be in
the midst OF important work, and they must
promptly respond to the summons. The work
is to lie done at the most favorable time for
making good road, and not at tie farmers
convenience. Then the being obliged to work
| under a superintendent direction and to
obey his orders will be far from agreeable to
most.
But, in order to make the paying OF the tax,
whether in money CT labor, more acceptable,
this proposed law provides that, for every
mile OF highway built alter permanent fash
ion, with Stone or gravel foundation and prop
Ell drainage, tile same being subject to inspec-
ton and acceptance by tie commissioners
the county shall build in fattownship anoth-
er mile OF equally good road and the State
still another. Thus a community can secure
two miles Of good highway for every one it
builds itself. The object of all this is to Sc
cure substantial and permanent work, and
there seems to be 4 fair promise that this
might be accomplished under this plan.
Ihe scheme would increase county and State
taxation for time if it were generally car
lied out, and all the large cities and towns
would have to contribute their share toward
1t. 1t is a move in a much needed reform and
deserves attention.