The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1892-07-21
FROM A WEIGHTY SOURCE.
Hon. Herbert w. Ladd, Gov
ernor of Rhode Island.
Writes About Our Public
Highways.

l am a strong believer in good roads
and during my two terms in the
Executive office have contributed
what influence could be exerted in that
direction to the cause. / believe
thoroughly in the utility of well made
and well kept highways and the value
they have for every community and
for all people of Rhode Island who
have felt the influence of the modern
reform movement in this direction,
and within the past five years great
deal has been accomplished in this
State.
While not designing to devote the
brief communication / have been
asked to write to the situation in this
little corner of the land, l think the
condition of things here is typical,
much the same as may be found in
perhaps every State in the Union,
and consideration of it may therefore
be instructive. Road improvement
in this State resolves itself into a
solution of the problem of traffic and
travel over our comparatively large
areas of sparsely populated country.
Our cities and most of our compact
towns are in very good condition as
regards roads Indeed, Newports
splendid boulevards are of world-wid
reputation. The main retail business
street in Providence is often quoted
as model pavement highway, and
in every direction well made mac
adamized roads extend to the city
limits. Pawtucket's streets, made
for the heavy traffic of manufacture
ing city, are kept in good condition,
and her main highways extending
out from the town are broad and very
we'll maintained. Woonsocket has
recently made rapid strides in the
direction of roads Improvement, and
her streets and Suburban highways
are being put in first-class shape. In
South Kingstown, where the
attractions of Narragansett Pier
have brought wealth and population,
there are miles and miles of broad,
/, scientifically built and well cared for
, highway; and in other communities
organized effort in the way of improve
, ment societies, public spirit and money
. available from compact town
5 population, have resulted in rapid
, and permanent road improvements.
, When, however, we go abroad from
t the compact communities and into
y the country" where good roads are
e most needed and poor roads are ;
e direct tax on the pocket of every
D farmer who takes his truck to thu
e nearest railroad station, his grain K
o the nearest mill, and his hay t.
4 town; whose livelihood is largel,
q dependent on the work got from hi
@ horses and oxen and rolling stock
n here we find bad roads and often al
n indifference to their costliness, borI
g of ignorance, that discourages at tn
J. outset the would-be reformer. Il
g area, this country section is the big
s gest part of the State. 1t is so i
v most States. Population therein
V small and widely scattered. Th
Ie first cost of constructing good road
,e is greater than the towns care
10 undertake, and in some of ther
would not seem to be warranted b
;e the present demands of traffic. 1t
N to be believed, however, that goo
r road is worth going in debt for, jul
10 as a good right-ofway is worth bono
w ing q railroad for, to secure it; an
doubtless many of the communitit
would find such debt rapid
liquidated by the improvement
. their condition either in an agricultur
ve or industrial way or in the aspect of
ed "summer resort" which so mar
charming places in our State cou
assume did their highways furni.
. comfortable transportation or poss
+ bilities for pleasure-driving abroad.
od A satisfactory condition of thin
49, cannot be reached, however, if
.y occasional enterprising town do
undertake the reform Its own wo
fails if adjacent towns do not c
lie, operate with it in putting their roa
*. into good shape. And the mon