Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-11-30
ROADS AND HOW TO GET THEM

pftlu ~ bnC AOoh HuNotADhA ~ 49, ,
ern states than is the case here in the
West, whers the development of our
internal resources is so largely depend
ant upon good highways. Among the
influential papers which recognize the
necessity of road reform and which are
using their influence to bring 1t about
in a practical way is the New York
Independent, from which the follow
ing admirable general article is quoted:
''In several respects roads resemble
money. For one both are not ends, but
means to an end, and that end Is easy,
safe and economical transportation. Both
may be very imperfect, and yet their i'm
PROJECTIONS may fail to be generally recog-
nized Both are very rude at first, and
improve with civilization; roads espe-
cially are test, measure, and prod
uct of civilization. A new country has
comparatively little need Of roads and has !
no time to make them, other labors being |
more imperative; for the Pilgrims OF
1920 to construct macadamized road out
of their Plymouth settlement, even had
they known how to do IL, would have
been as anachrs nistic and out OF time and
character as to construct an opera house,
lighted by electricity.
The first requisite for good roads is TO
recognize that they are profitable and any
others are improbable. Good roads, by
facilitating communication, increase
wealth, reekoned by average as well as
by exceptional possession; they promote
Intelligence, the requirement OF homes,
content of mind, and greater disposition
TO stay by the farm instead Of crowding
to the city. The fewer railroads, the
greater need of good highways, for more
dependence must be placed upon them;
the more railroads. the more are good
highways needed as feeders. There have
been times and places when wheat was
used as fuel, thirty miles from the rail-
road, since hauling 1t over that distance
consumed its value; for illustration, sup
pose that farm produce In given section
will bear five miles hauling over poor
roads. 1t might bear eight miles over bet
ter ones, and ten or twelve miles ovei
really good ones. To bring railroad to
every mans farm is impossible; TO bring
every farm, in effect, to a railroad is quite
possible.
A strip Of surface over which it is pos
sible to drive horse with wagon at
tached is not necessarily real road
hence, TO fell trees, grub out the stumps
bridge streams, smooth the surface some
what. and even to grade hills, is not Il
make one. The first point Is to reaifz
that road must be made, and that max
ing is a scientific matter, having man.
questions involved. The problem Of tn
best grades, not forgetting the homel,
maxim that the bale Of pot is no lo1ge
when IL lies down than when ii stands ny
and that the short way over hill may b
longer than the long way around it; prob
lens of dra mage; of minimizing the ba
extremes Of dust and mud; of mainte
nance of surface against the sc0ur {
rains; Of easy draft; Of endurance-thes
are the principal ones. We may set dow
several propositions thus:
1. Good roads cost, both for construC
ton and maintenance. But bad roa'
cost, too Which is better aud thriftie
10 pay for good roads and have them wit
their benefits, than TO pay for good roat
by having bad ones?
ANOdh bhilhlhB AtIhAANo HNA'hN''
knowledge and cannot be done witho
1t. Nothing could be more wretch
economy or more unfortunate In its r
suits than the od-fashioned road ma
ter rural way, unless It is the worse WI
OF letting whoever preferred " work out
his road tax. Incidentally, we may
mark that to turn up the soil at the sid
and throw 1t on the single track " stT
between may be solid practice in plowiu
but 1t isn't road-making. The way to 9
roads Is to raise cash for 1t, and then G
pend that cash rightly.
g. Each contractor, both in constrt
tion and maintenance, should be hi
strictly responsible for his own section.
4. Broad tires. In these two VOL
very much is contained. Probably
tire should be as narrow as at prese
and the widths should bear relation
the character Of the vehicle. the heav
the load the wider the tire; moreover,
forward pair Of wheels should not gu
track with the Others This should
regulated by law, by the simple process
levying a fine; the result would be
make wheels road -preservers instead
road-destroyers.
The benefcent vehicle, the bicycle,
in its budget Of gifts the great gift
good roads. Every man and won
who tries II learns what sand is in RESP
to draft, learns the goodness Of q
roads and the badness Of bad ones; lea
something Of what the dumb horse an'
have known these hundred years past.
have been denied power to explain.
cycler Is a believer In good roads, an
worker TO get them. Therefore, as
other reasons. may the number Of him
crease
Nevertheless, we cannot agree with
movement 70 present petition 70