The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1892-04-21
The Road Question.

" inexhaustable. OF course there can be
no dissent from the arguments advanced
in behalf of good roads Everybody will
recognize their value, and particularly at
this season of the year. when some of our
main thoroughfares are practically i'm
forming our country roads into such mag
niticent highways as those in Brittany
and Switzerland the question OF dollars
and cents comes to the front and the
query. will it pay? must force itself upon
public attention. Without doubt we
must be content with something less cost
lv than those European highways: but it
is safe to say that with the present ordi-
nary expenditures for highways it is pos
Sble to have far better roads than we
have now. The fault is not So much with
the men who have charge OF these mat
tiers as witt the system under which the
work has been performed. Perhaps it
would be more correct to say. the want of
system. Lany men, many minds. Our
highway Surveyors are frequently chang
ed. and not unflequently large part of
The work of one will consist OF undoiny
til the advent of the road machine there
had been no change in the general plan of
doing the work from the time of building
the first roads Working out the road tax
is now generally regarded as wasteful.
Practical men say that such labor is not
worth more than twentyt five cents on the
dollar Here is where reform might
well begin.
The first step toward improving our
roads. 1t seems to us. should be a careful
survey of the principal thoroughfares.
showing elevations water courses. nature
Of soil, and indicating nearest point for
obtaining material to be used in building
and repairs Upon this basis practical
plan for Improvements might he made. to
be followed by succeeding surveyors The
amount of work done each year could he
restricted to the usual annual eXpenali-
lures. btll w lltl Is gone SHOULD it wen
done. Drainage. while of first Importance
is too often neglected at present. There
are ut least two places on \olthport ave
nue where from want of drainage the bot
tom of the road drops out every spring.
and aside from the Inconvenience thus
caused the expense to the city has been
many times the cost of the additional cul-
verts needed. Probably more money has
been expended upon this avenue than
upon any other highway within the city
limits, vet it is tai from being what it
should be and might be made In adopt
ing a plan for making good roads stone
must be an important factor, and this
should enable farmers t" dispose of the
old stone walls now an remembrance and
am eyesore. Few farmers can afford the
time and labor required for cartino off
these old walls but where thew are CON
tiguou> with the highways they could be
used To- advantage in road making. and a
portable stone cru>her would be a fitting
companion to the road machine
The columns of the Journal are open to
all who wish to discuss this subject. and
We tI1.St ii viii be agitatcd until some
thing is done. To return again to the
matter OF cost there is no doubt but that
in many cases the highway appropriations
would be supplemented by public sub
scriptions and private contributions. A
gentle man remarked the other day that
he would be glad to expenh liberal
the 9lade could be established and some
settled plan of Improvement decided upon.
The ease with which a handsome sum was
raised for really impracticable scheme
regarding Northport avenue suggests
what might be done if it was proposed to
make first class road OF this principal
pleasure drive and business thoroughfare.
The Boston Globe has a special from
Augusta which says, among other things:
At the proper time the fierce congress
sional war in this district is to be brought
to a close by the shelving of Marley, Bur-
leigh, Milliken and Wiswell, to be follow
ed by the nomination of Mr.. Herbert NJ.
Heath as compromise candidate.
This is certainly very important, if
true Now what the average Republican
voter would like to know is who yields
the mysterious power that must be ex-
ercised in shelving quartette of more or
less prominent gentlemen who aspire to
seats in Congress. If Mr.. Marley was
not in it himself the wicked Democrats
would no doubt declare him to be the
manipulation of the wires. But Joking
aside this alleged news is simply absurd.
The candidates in question are not to be
shelved They are men grown, know
what they want, and will get it if they
can.
Mr.. VIM. H. Grace, whose report of an
interview with Mr. Blaine attracted much
attention, has issued letter Ito the