The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1892-07-23

The Road Problem.


the State devosing more atten-
tion to our public roads has been
forcibly impressed upon me in a
recent trip of several hundred miles,
extending through many counties
of the State.
There is something radically
wrong in our road laws, or in their
execution, and every public spirited
citizen of the State should awake to
improving our system of country
roads. 1t is very evident that the
bulk of the road taxes levied in this
State is either very injudiciously APP
piled to the purpose for which they
are levied, or We have eminently in.
ferior men for road supervisors.
Even at this season Of the year,
when roads should be excellent, the
majority Of the country roads are in
such poor condition that difficulty
is experienced in moving the farm
products to market, and in driving
the lighter vehicles over them. IL
is true that the roads are dry, but
in most places they are so rough
either from the ruts of last winter.
or from rocks that are permitted to
lie loose in them, that we have con
slant obstruction to travel and an
additional cost of from so per cent
TO rs per cent in the expense ofmo
ing our crops to the markets.
In many sections of the country.
we hear lond complaints ahout the
depression in Agriculture. hut we
have not heard of the farmers taking
any steps to increase their profits hy
reducing the expenses of transports
ton of their crops to market. In
many counties in this State. am
convinced that the simple matter of
working the roads and bringing them
into first class condition. would in
many cases change the results upon
the farmers ledger from loss to prof.
it,
Within the last three Years in this
county fMonongalia) we have had n
wonderful revolution in the charac-
ter of country roads. They are still
far from being what we ought to
have, but the county court has had
the wisdom to invest few hundred
dollars in read machines. which.
with four horses and two men in a
day, can work more road and do it
far better than can ordinarily be ac-
complished with 30 or 40 hands in
the same time. tits doubtful wheth-
er our county court has ever expepd
ed money more wisely than in the
purchase of these road machines.
and If every county in the state
would adopt the method of using
these improvements, for working the
roads, the value Of the farms would
be materially increased. the profits of
agricultural pursuits more secure.
and facilities for Communication
among the agricultural classes very
much improved. We hope in this
county that the numher of road
machines will be doubled, and that
the roads NAV be left in first class
condition in the fall, before the
winter rains set in. These machines
have been freely used during the
past spring, and this summer we
have better roads than the oldest
citizens have ever seen in the county.
The machines when properly
handled leave the bitches at both
sides of the road open and rough
ly clean, and the center of the road
higher than either side. so that
thorough drainage is effected. aud
the water kept off the road bed: a
point which is generally neglected.
or at least not sufficiently emphasiz
ed by the road supervisors, Gull
verts large enough to prevent their
being readily filed should be placed
under the road wherever necessary,
and upon most of our roads. much
closer than at present.
We trust that the county courts of
every county in the state will take
this matter of the Improvement of
the roads into serious consideration.
and develop a system which will
lead to the more frequent working
of the roads. to the more perfect
drainage of the road beds. and to the
prompt repair of damages to the
road bed, before serious injury is
done. There is no public money ex
pended in the state more wisely than
in the careful laying out and mainte-
nance of the country roads. Let the
grades be established by the county
surveyor or engineer. and even if
the county should occasionally have
to pay damages. let the roads be To-
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