Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-04-07
The FUTURE or our WAGON RoAps.
Interest ia Their Improvement l. Rapid
~ Developing.

interest in Their Improvement IL Rapid
~ Developing.
Tho interest in our public highways, II
less developed than tho interest in
American railways, Is rapidly increHs.
ing. II has been pointed out that IL the
vacant farms are to be reinhabited one
factor IN their successful cultivation will
DO n better system Of common roads. by
which the agricultural products can
more easily reach the local market. The
movement FOR these improved highways
has received the attention Of the govern.
ors OF quite q number Of our states. who
have asked their several legislatures 10
make provision for better systems Of
roadmaking, aud 1t Is proposed by Mr.
Claypoolc. civil engineer writing In
The Engineering Magazine. that pfofts.
sional roadmakiuS companies shall 10
organized, who will contract for tho
construction Of highways, ~ contracts
are now taken for the building Of rail
roads. II Is evident that II the high.
ways in the rural districts are 10 be- inn
proved upon and made into useful
thoroughiarcs they must DO constructed
by people who know how To mako them.
Al present the working out Of tho high.
way tax by individuals, or tho transfer
Of this duty 10 the town roadmnstor, is
not q method that amounts TO anything
more than . system Of costly repairs.
The rains OF one season wash away the
roads that have been repaired, aud there
IS no wise method employed IN their con-
struction which limits the constant dam
age OF storms and floods. This wastoiul
system has gone as far as 1t ought 10.
The plan now more IN vogue " 10 place
tho roadmaldng In the hands Of tho
state or the county, and 10 have the
highways laid ont with reference to tho
convenience Of the largest number Of
the people, It appears impossible 70 go.
euro proper roads In the sparsely settled
towns In any other way, and II good
wagon thoroughfarcs arc desired be-.
tween important localities Il Is no more
than right that the moro important
towns should contribute largely for
their construction.
AZ AAH NfiA NAAAANAAklNAtA liNAl lNt
roads which cost tho most are usually
tho cheapest, because there Is very little
expense required for them after thor
first cost has been met. Unqucstiun-
ably the country is prepared 10 nut ia
wagon roads in n better condition. and
people who lool; at agricultural interests
and tho development Of the large towns
are regarding the wagon roads IN dif.
fercnt light from what they once did
Tho present pope, whom bishop OF Perm
gia, began his administration Of the
church by mapping ont system ofroad
improvement for tho whole province,
and It was by these improvements that
he first became known az an organizer
that tho Church Of Rome could Justly
/ place in is highest Office lilo was not
content TO build single great road, but
he united one road with another, so that
the whole province was infused with
uow life, The French and the Swiss AFRO
thcgrcat European masters ofhighways.
In switzerland the people havO made
their fortunes by providing good common
l roads for the tourists Of tho world, and
In France, whore the best wagon roads
In the world are 10 be found, ever since
Napoleon organized method OF road.