Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1892-08-11
COOPERATIVE BODYBUILDING.
The Expense to BE Borne Equally by
the State, Nation and Township.

The Expense to BE Borne Equally by
the State, Nation and Township.
Granting the power and duty of the
government 70 aid in roadmaking, very
many people despair of any honest or
efficient administration of such aid on
the vast scale demanded. But more
complex and difficult functions are un-
dertaken by our government and per-
formed with fair SUCCESSIVE improve
ment of rivers and harbors, the postal
service, building and maintenance of a
navy, maintenance of an army and even
q great war have all been carried on
without great complaint of extravaganza
or corruption. Other governments have
taken over the entire telegraph and rail
way service, while wagon roads are un-
der national care everywhere but here.
In these days of railroads there is no
need of great national or state roads,
and it would be mistake to set up any
plan of separate construction by nation,
state and county, as has been proposed.
1t would be impossible to do justice in
the distribution of aid in this way, and
local jealousies would soon kill the
movement.
On the other hand, if the state and
nation will undertake to contribute
equally with any county and township
desiring the improvement of highways
and will join in deciding upon the plan
and scope of such improvement and in
experimenting its execution, justice can
be done while local enterprise and pub
lie spirit will be stimulated to the ut
most. Such cooperation would guard
against collision with contractors, by
triple inspection of all work done, and
while the county and state officers might
be in a measure under political infiu-
ence, the national road organization
could be made as free from politics as
the army and navy. A national school
of roads and bridges would soon furnish
the material for such a corps. Mean
while the work could be begun by army
officers and civil engineers.
Organization on grand scale would
bring about many economies in the
work. Convict labor could be employed
in quarries, gravel pits, railroad rock
cuttings and tunnels and would prob
ably be more than sufficient to supply all
the material that would need railroad
or water transport. Arrangements could
be made with railroads for transporta-
ton at cost in consideration of their in
terest in the improvement of wagon
roads or perhaps of their being furnish
ed with ballast at its cost in convict
labor. Railroad transportation would
be an important matter. since at a cost
of about thirty cents per ton per 100
miles it would be cheaper to move ma
terial even that distance by rail than one
mile by team. The use of steam shovels
for loading it into wagons and traction
engines for hauling TO place would re-
duce the expense of distribution to
minimum, while the latter machines
wouldscompact the road as it was made
and save much Of the cost of rolling. In
prairie districts. and others where the
roads are sufficiently level and straight
further saving could be made by lay
ing temporary railroad track on the
road and delivering the material in
place without handling or hauling.
With these economies, and with the
diminution and distribution of interest
and capital charges heretofore detailed.
this great work viii be made so easy
that no settled portion Of the United
States need deny itself the blessing Of
good roads Roy Stone in New York
Tribune.