Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1892-02-26
Some More About Roads.

only way TO bring about reform is to make
people dissatisfied with the existing condi-
ton of affairs and keep them disconnected.
Now we Of this county certainly need re-
form in roads, and while we can not go
about among the people and make them dis
contented, an article now and then in your
valuable paper will go for US. Of course
every one enjoys good road, but there are
unfortunately large number of practical
men in the county, practical only in prac-
ticing the blunders of their forefathsrs, who
still believe in fattening cattle on the sunny
side OF the straw stack, and in hauling two
horse load over a twofoot deep mud road,
with six horses, "kase they're feared taxes
mought be riz" Somehow they forget that
the iced and attention of those extra horses
would great deal more than pay the rise
In taxes even if they were doubled. So
they keep on pulling through the mud and
grumbling over hard times and high taxes.
Here and there you will find some farmer
who never rests until he gets road to his
front gate on the way to market, but
then having gotten an outlet for himself he
cannot be expected to work for other people
and there the good works stops.
In travelling over large section of the
county during the past year, some of it billy
and some level, numerous faults In the work.
ing of the ordinary dirt road have come un-
der the notice of this scribe. There are sew.
eral classes of road in this county which
may be briefly named in the order of excel
lence, 60utderised, dirt, stoned and macadam-
lied. They all require different treatment
to make them good, but all get about the
same, viz, have little earth shoveled on
about twice year. The first class, the
boulderized, composed OF stone as large as
In In,
needs having the stone cracked and side
drains put along to carry off surplus water.
The second class, dirt is the common road
of the county. Now some men who have
these roads in charge have an idea that the
lines OF their particular road are exempted
by special act of providence from the usual
showers which fall with the usual effects on
the neighborng fields. They, accordingly,
carefully pillow out deep ditch along side
and build dyke, anywhere from three
inches TO one foot high, between it and the
road to keep the surplus water off the road
way. This works finely in fine weather,
but when the rain comes that line Of exemp
tion fails to materialize and as much water
falling on the road rs anywhere else, a rush
ing, roaring, torrent developes small cata-
racts In every horse track, leaving the road
full of gullies and mud holes. The path
master comes out and surveys the ruins,
dogcn's the water, and congratulates him
sell that there will be another slice off his
tax bill. He then returns like the ground
hog 10 his burrow and awaits time con
venient TO himself to repair the ravagss of
the elements The public meanwhile con-
dennis the County Commissioners and
drives over the gullies.
What dirt road wants is not great deal
nf al rth a a h.A laualal lnUn no
weeks of travel, but Just little attention
every month or SO. BY going over the road
after heavy shower, once month or OF.
tener in very wet weather, any one with
half an eye can see where II needs attention,
and half days work then will often save
many dollars and much grumbling. II al
ways cost more to dump two or three loads
of stone in a mud hole which has been
growing larger for months than 1t does to
put in a couple OF shovels of dirt when IL
first started, but its better for the supervisor.
Why not adopt the plan used by the
Union Turnpike Company at the Brooke
vile end Of the pike, viz, employ a single
man who should do nothing but work on
the roadsg He could work und direction
of one OF the Commissioners AS at present,
and ON the roads which are not So much
used could be assigned about enough road
To keep at work all the time and get over the
section in about two months. This plan Is
certainly MS reliable as the supervisor plan,
aud most likely will give better roads at
less cost. Certainly u man who is at one
kind of work all the time will take more
pride in doing it well than one of the farm.
ers who takes the job mostly in order to pay
his tax bill cheaply. The stoned and mac
adamized roads are usually good, or would
h,i If ArAinaup DiNpn The 1vllR
system spoken of above usually keeps them
bare of earth for the greater part of the time
and consequently rough, bnt more OF them
would BIZ "A great comfort 10 ALL For in
creasng the number of miles Of turnpike in
the county there have been suggested two
plans, both OF them COOL.
The first is To apply from three fourth To
five-sxths OF the present levy to piklng the
roads most used, commencing with the end
nearest to Market the turnpike, or town,
as far as the money will go, using the re-
mainder for necessary repairs on the rest of
the road. If rightly put down stone pike
made of finely cracked stone and bedded
with plenty OF earth will last twelve TO
fifteen years without needing repairs, and
maybe longer If the stone are not covered
heavy loaded wagons will gradually work
out the wheel tracks down - the original
bed OF the road and repairs are constantly
needed. This is very good plan, needs no
further legislation, will Denefi: all alike, and
constantly gives a sample Of good roads TO
make those who haul over il want more.
The Other is 10 borrow sn county bonds
an amount Of money varying with different
proponents from 100000 TO 100000 and
pike all the principal roads in the county at
one time. These bonds are 10 bear interest
at IRON 81 per cent, with the most visionary
proposers, 10 s per cent, with the more solid,
and pay at the rate 5000 year. While
two savings banks in the county pay per
cent. ON deposits II is an open question
whether many bonds will be sold bearing
only 81 per cent, 80 the higher rates may be
sure ~ he paid If any money is obtained In
this way.
Most estimates place the cost of macadam-
izing at 81 900 per mile, but il ought to be
less than this ii no eng neer is employed,
and where farmers are not 80 in love
with their ancestral acres as 10 have con-
scientious scruples about parting with the
stone off them except for value received.
OF course where value Is as ,igned 10 stone,
as heat holders in the cornfield some ar
must be made by which they
may be removed without draining too much
fertility from the soil. Arrangements are
maze lot meeting Tue iuJeTeSI ANU tue ina
turing bonds, but none Tor the repairs Of
the lanes and unimportant roads which are
being opened almost monthly.
Now, don't you think that while the road
committee is drawing bills 10 authorize the
issue Of bonds they might as we'll add an
other section and provide that the roads o
pked shall be made toll roads. The gates
need not be closer than eight TO ten miles,
and the toll collectors could be made super
vsors oil their respective sections 10 adj
ton To receiving tolls. The toll need not
be made quite 80 high as that of the com
panies now existing 10 the county, which is
one cent per horse per mile for narrow trea |
wagons and one'third off for broad tread.
These rates are certainly not excessive, yet
they pay all expenses, repairs salaries, &c,
and usually small dividend. The county
reads which would be piked are certainly
as much Travelled as the existing turnpikes
and would surely pay their own way. Then,
too, the payment for the roads would not
fall on those who do not use them, and II