The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1891-10-15
COUNTRYHIGHWAYS.


control, as the condition of the pub
lie highways in rural districts. The
state of the country roads through
out the United States, as a whole,
is Tar below what it would be, were
some considerable portion of the
energy wasted in other directions
exerted for their betterment. Just
as great many people are deeply
interested in the salvation OF the far
away heather, and, VINO suffer the
needy and worthy poor ct their
doors to live and die in utter neg.
lect, so farmers organs and farmers
speechmakers spend much valuable
lung power in discussing their op.
pressions by the moneyed classes
and other evils, which are much less
strongly felt than the grip of vile
roadway system. The heather, both
abb DAD and at home, need salvation,
and the farmer needs relief from
whatsoever form of oppression bears
down on him; the heaviest burdens
however should not be the last to be
considered.
Unfortunately, remarks the Ohio
Valley Manufacturer, there is NJ
politics in the question OF good
roads, so the farmer hears nothing
at all upon the question of greatest
Importance to him. The cheaper
ing of railroad freights is very de-
sirable, but the cheapening of trans
portatfon from his farm to the rail-
road station would be infinitely
more valuable to him.
The long haul from this inland
station to the important centers of
the grain trade is oftentimes very
expensive, but the shorter haul from
his home to the railroad station is
infinitely more costly to him. In
addition to cheapening the cost of
transportation, good roads would
free him frcm his present depend
ence on season, and enable him to
quickly and easily transport his pro-
ducts to the market at whatever
time his judgment told him was the
most favorable to sell. As matters
now stand, the farmer is unable to
reach his market at the most favor
able seasons and has to market his
produce at a time when somebody
else buys it to hold it for rise in
the price, and it often happens that
the buyer reapes more profit on his
investment, than does the farmer tor
his arduous toll in growing the crop.
The farmers have long looked up.
on this dependence on the seasons
| as "the will of Providence" and any
effort to improve the condition Of
the roads meets with indifference
| from the class in whose benefit sucf
improvement would result. Tn,
considerable sums OF money nov
spent on the country roads is almos
always expended under the direction
of men who are absolutely ignoranr
of the first principles of scientific
road building. The result is tEat
very little that is OF permanent
value is accomplished and thus il
goes from year to year. Road
building is an art which has in all
countries where there are good
roads called for the employment of
the best talent indeed, the reputa-
tons of some Of the most distin-
guishvd engineers, have been due to
their success in the construction of
permanent highways. No doubt, a
knowledge of how to build roads is
now quite general among engineers;
but we are certain, from personal
observation and experience, that it
has not taken possession of the or
binary country path-masters, who
squander the taxes annually, with
the least advantage to the highways.
Of course, many of them have abiIi-
ty and intelligence, and would learn
how to build good road if they
were to see one made; but we may
be sure that no one will do it until
he has learned how, either by expe-
rience or from example.
"Why is it so much easier to con-