The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1892-11-17
COOPERATIVE ROADBUILDING
The Expenses to Be Borne Equally
by the state, Nation and Town
ship.

The Expenses to Be Borne Equally
by the state, Nation and Town
ship.
Granting the power and duty of
the government to aid in roadmak-
ing, very many people despair of
any honest or efficient adminlstra-
ton of such aid on the vast scale
demanded. But more complex and
difficult functions are undertaken
by our government and performed
with fair success-the improve
ment OF rivers and harbors, the
postal service, building and main
tenance of "a navy, maintenance of
an army and even a great war have
all been carried on without great
complaint Of extravaganza or cor
ruption. Other governments have
taken over the entire telegraph and
railway service, while wagon roads
are under national care everywhere
but here. In these days of rail-
roads there is no need of great ma
tional or state roads, and it would
be a mistake to set up any plan OF
separate construction by nation.
state and county, as has been pro-
posed. 1t would be impossible to
do justice IN the distribution of
aid IN this way, and local Jealous
les would soon kill the movement.
On the other hand, if the state
and nation will undertake to con-
tribute equally with any county and
township desiring the improvement
of highways and will join in decid-
ing upon the plan and scope of
such improvement and IN supern-
tending its execution, justice can
be done while local enterprise and
public spirit will be stimulated to
the utmost. Such cooperation
would guard against collision with
contractors, by al triple inspection
of all work done, and while the
county and state officers might be
in a measure undef political inhu-
ence, the national Eoad organiza-
ton could be made as free from
politics as the army and navy. A
national school of roads and
bridges would soon furnish the ma
terial for such "a corps. Meanwhile
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 probable 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
interest in the provement of
wagon roads Or perhaps of their be-
ing furnished with ballast at It's
cost in convict labor. Railroad
Transportation would be an impor-
tant matter; since at cost OF about
thirty cents per ton per 100 miles
it would be cheaper to move mate
rial 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 refuge the
expense of distribution to q mini
mum, while the latter machines
would compact the road as it was
made and sage much of the cost of
rolling. In prairie districts, and
Others where the roads are sul1ici-
emily level and straight, a further
saving could be made by laying
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 hereto
fore detailed, this great work will
be made so easy that 40 settled
portion of the United States need
deny itself the blessing Of good
roads. Roy Stone IN New York
rNr,b,,o