The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1891-01-07
public Roads and Wagons.

Our one misfortune is, we have too mary
public roads. Another misfortune is, they
are mostly badly laid out
They mus; undergo a revision before the
State would consent to expend money on
them. Even if the State would help TO put
our roads in good travelling condition how
long would they 50 remain Certainly BOT
long. with our manner Of constructing wsg-
ons. So long as We build and repair cur own
roads. iast so long viii the State agree to our
present fashion Of wagons, which IS the
fashiou handed down to rs from ancient
generations II may be respectable to adopt
the customs Of our forsfathers. bat il may
not be wise, for experience has taught as
that their wagons destroy our roads, even
the best macadamized. Now, does it not
follow, since our very narrow-tresd wagons
destroy cur roads, that very broad-tread
wagons would improve them Perhaps it
does.
We are opposed to broad-tread wagons
but our opposition is based less on knowl-
edge Of facts than on prejudice We say
but there is 10 truth in it, that the broad
tread strikes every object ia The road. A
good road has no objects in it. and a broad
tread wagon necessarily cannot spoil good
road
The time has now come that We should
prejudice ourselves against the narros-treai
wagon first. because it is a regular road
1-.-..o. ..oc,,d J-~a,,.o r c.Srs r,s,-. y,
pat road in order for it than for the broad
tread, and also because it wears out sooner
than the broadtread if the broadtread wag-
on IS introduced entirely then very shallow
bed of finely broken stone will suffice or if
the rcadbed is kept entirely dry, rains ex-
eepted, the road may need no stone whatever
and the broader The trezd the more solid
will II pack the road bed How broad i
should be l viii not pretend to say, but my
views are very broad in this case.
To macadamize our public highways thor
onghly viii require great outlay Of money.
To construct them in any other manner is
useless, owing 10 the build Of our modern
wagons. Even II made after the most i'm
proved manner, our reads cannot remain
good under the circumstances The first
act. then, OF oar Legislature should De an
act condemning the narrowtread wagon as
public nuisance. That it is a nuisance no
one denies. for every time it passes over the
road the road IS the worse for it.
The instant the State legisIaies in favor Of
the broad-tread wagon, that instant the
building of our public highways will assume
a new phase. We could cease calculating
on twelve OF sixteen inches-of broken stone
for roadbed, for If any at all IS necessary,
three or four inches viii suffice What then
would hinder US from building our roads Of
dirt altogether or Of dirt and stones com
bined7 or Of the material most avaiiabie2
Could we not, under good brOad-tread
wagon law, construct lasting roads Of dirs
alone, by gently sloping them from the
center toward good water ditch on each
side ? No breakers should be made acro.s
any road, for good cuIverts are much better
Then after the road is 50 cast up, let it be
well rolled with i've or slx-ton roller, and
il Is ready for use
With such roads and wagons, our road
taxes would be reduced 10 a minimum in
comparison with the present taxes, and our
wagons would require but little repairing.
Horses would continue longer active and
real estate become more valuable.
Ultimately it viii come that the broad
tread wagon viii be legislaied in favor Of
and wise men will consider this view before
they condemn IT, If they condemn it at all.
The present generation should have the
honor Of introducing this radical reform.
Necessarily. the hrozd-iired wagon need not
be bulky or unwieldy. It has many virtues
to recommend it, with few vices to urge
against II.
TAXPAYER