St. Landry democrat., 1892-06-25
Good Roads,
THEY ARE WORTH ALL THE MONEY
THEY COST.

Two thousand years ago the Romans
constructed great highways throughout
their empire, and some of these have
borne the traffic of all these centuries,
thus eyldencing their perfect const1uc-
ton. The Romans always constructed
their highways on a direct line, unless
prevented from SO doing bv some in
surmountable obstacle. They built
them on solid foundation ana paved
them with great blocks of basalt or lava.
But their roads cost vast sums of money
and required much time and labor for
their construction. In this country
good roads need not consist of paved
highways, constructed to bear the
weight of the traffic of 90 centuries. A
good macadamiZed road, or one built in
accordance with Telford's plan, is suhi-
Gent TOR all purposes, with the excep-
ton, OF course, OF streets in large cities.
Such streets require paving. The es-
| sentlal point of difference between the
systems of road making advocated by
TelfOrd and Macadam, is whether or
not there should be rough pavement
| beneath tho layer of broken stones. 1t
is now generally conceded that there
should be. Our turnpikes are con-
structed on this plan, and when built,
and kept in good repair, form excellent
highways. In road building it is always
necessary to make a survey of the pro-
posed route, to obtain Cd good drainage,
(2) easygradients, (3) the shortest route
between places of Importance. Good
drainage is always essential to good
roads, and its absence very often causes
the destruction of roads which other
wise might have remained serviceable
for years: The Importance of easy
gradient is already seen. They gener-
ally lessen the heavy draught of heavy
roads, and thereby save both time and
labor.
Good public roads offer an induce
ment for the building of railroads, in
asmuch as they provide means for
transferring the products of the farm
for shipment.
Then, too, persons seeking homes
choose them where there is easy access
to churches and schools Distance is
not always considered so much as the
condition of the public roads.
In many country districts tho roads
become almost impossible during GER
tain portions of the year, and the inhab-
itants are obliged to remain at home,
seeing or hearing little or nothing of
the outside world. Business must stop
NhN 0idiuC CcdsC uIllll the COnOlt1On or |
the weather be such as to permit the |
roads to dry sufficiently to allow horse |
to pass over them without sinking up to |
his knees in mud. This should never
be In such country as ours, especially
IN the more thicklv populated portions.
Probably the only practicable way to
obtain good roads is by special road
tax, to be imposed upon eacn taxpayer.
ana Its payment or an equivalent am
cunt OF labor required. Such mode
would not increase the taxes sufficiently
to cause discomfort. In many States
this system is in use, and would be suf-
hclent to insure good public roads if it
was fully carried out. Necessary laws
must be enacted and enforced to make
any system efficient.
Good roads cannot be obtained with
'ut the expenditure of much time and
5rouble. but let the subject receive the
leartlest consideration of every one and
t VIII not be many years until every
State has them.
Nothing would do more for the adj
7ancement and development of the
country. Then would travel be a
pleasure, business would flourish and
treat would be the result in many WAYS.
Gazette.