The sun., 1893-04-02
ROADS.
Letter 10 Governor Flower.

A. o,er Letter 10 Governor Flower.
r,r SIN: In addressing you In this
n,,"...rner. propose to quote from men
pu.n,inence and intelligence not to prcss M y
0proi oninjnn. What ] desire to do is to
pe'sV ,,,,n the minds Of the rcople OF this
impley 49,. i'm por;nnce 10 them. individually and
hs'. hs.,,,s,v Of A compulsory law In the inter-
..t Of good roads.
". .,,r second message to the Legislature
=. .s,, state YOU said. among other things:
., er.a s,udy n good roads has excited remark
-" ,,,erest throughout tho country. By
s,,or sU, agitation and newspapers the move
~, IL hecinning to find expression In State
,.ssI.,ion. and IL it goes on with its present
omsntum will revolutionize conditions now
p..,.ilinc in nearly nll rural localities"
W .,atc that you have been In communi-
..nan With the town clerks in the state and
s.,nrs from such communication the fact
~, exclusive OF the cost Of road improve
" .., in cites and villages in flny counties
y, M. state, s., TUO.uUO is expended annually
~ ~ Iahor and cash upon highways in these
..rn,,es. making an average OF about S54 900
sch county, and you say relating thereto:
.t,snturc the assertion. which think will be
-.,.rolly cogroborated by those who have
80, the m methods OF work now employed on
.,,n,ry roads that II large proportion OF this
.,,snditure il practically wasted. With no
/ .,..ter expenditure. but under n different
.,.,em. ,ach county might be covered with
A.. macadam roads. with all the resulting nd
,,,,apes in appt eciation OF property and in
economy OF transportation
you state that u conservative estimate by
engineers is S1.OL0 mile rs the cost OF first
construction. with an annual cost Tor main
,.,ance and roJairs of about $500 n mile. and
,,ate. If this estimate is correct. the present
.vsrace cost Of high way Improvement each
re,r in the counties OF the State. reducing tho
labor reformed to II cash valuation. would
nav the interest and provide for sinking fund
m sufficient issue OF boads to construct $50
miles OF roads In each county.
"Tho primitive system OF repairing country
roads has long been outgrown, but is i'm
bsdded in the law. and the practice must con-
tnue so long as the law romans UNCHANGED.
The Legislature cannot make better roads.
nut II can remove any obstructions to road
Improvement which exist in tue laws. Not
only will good substantial roads improve the
value Of every acre OF land 10 their vicinity.
saving exr ense of transportation. and in bring
ins the farmer into closer and more profitable
communication with the towns"
These are wise. patriotic. and statesmanlike
Ia the discussion OF the subject Of good
roads four plans OF Improvement have been
y. National roads laid out through States
and Territories at nationa! expense and under
euperyison OF a national Government Bureau.
"2. State roads-lnid out through the coun-
ues Of state at State expense and under
State supervision.
s County roads-laid out in each county.
connecting the various towns in the county.
built al county expense and under the super.
~ Town roads-laid out through each town.
pt town expense. and under supervision OF
town authorities"
You state that you are opIosed to both the
hrst anu second plans and give n reason for
your opposition t, to the second plan that; IT
I"@ to serSa tie Ut .ha
Yoq then commend the county, road system.
ID the legislature en- bodying the county road
idea Is known as Gov. Flowers measure"
As between the State road and county road
seems to me unanswerable and incontroverti-
Tho adjacent State of. New Jersey
Into practice an an eniishtensd M road paiey their I
s ns. nsSs ss s ks .nss
illustration. plenty Of land In the Oranges ts
ready o. sale at higher prices, than prevail in
that the last figures are necessarily unduly
Low. OF the first ppduly high. But those efisr
sSSd sdt roads and al! Of the rural attrsetions to
tancs IN time from City Hall. Under the
separate county plan what Is found to ensue is
good roads within their own houndnries. In
kryening, counties build inferior ones. Pros
psrty and progress within the more progres-
rust needs be taken to heart by their neigh
bor. who will shortly follow an exam pie whose
Experience disneis the pleasing vision HUI
Between two such neishbors third win drag
the refuge Of all the human trash for fifty
satia plaEulng, all the nsighbornood within
the principle has been accepted that the coun-
nis tho sovereign political unit with refer
snss t2 ts own roads The evil now existing.
,snsd, nI It Is true; but in its modified form Is
now thing OF holes and tatters. becomes q
athlng OF patches. to remain such unto genera
Another writer SAYS; The State Of New
ne permanent Improvement OF her roads. Re
suit: Out OF sixty counties within the State Of
iWNoai Nsw YORK, tho census shows actual decrease
cultural. within the last ten years"
10 an article on good roads and school at
e"n y Il Shepey OF tGe State IN Normal P
school, he shows that by reason Of the dis
Graceful Graceful condition Of our highways much ir::
mat the state is responsible for this state OF
tansiIs sant should provide such faciiities that
. .he Shld In the r9motest corner OF the district
snail have accessibility to the school,
Another writer says: Last year the price OF
Saied hay In the large cities OF tho State OF
New new York increased In price about thirty-aye
sents per hundred pounds. owing to scarcity
., supply owing to the mud blockade which
ye'ehted the farmers from connecting with
the hay market. Immense sums OF money
sSre Ssre paid by city residents to make up this
11avance In price: The Spectators and mid
s.Insa esImsp reared the entire profit; the farmers
hn Tarn
ms ms Incident supplies q lesson to those per-
as Soas VINO argne that he cities have no interest
10 Ine Improvement Of the country ronds."
,sppr p Martin r, srhenck State Engineer end Sur:
oIiiuinE and the counties should follow.
Mr "; ). Bull Of Buffalo writes: 1T Is nec-
Ssaty. however: In our State that some guild
ny nn; ana and nyerseeinG director should maintain
SSaiiormity OF system among tho several 'coun-
sss sss and Keep them in touch with each other.
s,n, ssau LOT tlls reason am in favor OF general
msts n,ats supervision OF tho main roads, Local
Itis.nods stinnods partake OF local psculiarities. A
I',ngy ana ignorant community bestows its
~ public suffers accordingly"
Fttinntsanon Hon William T. Richardson. Senator. |
shir.eeeenth district, New York State writes:
.nnother plan, called the county nption ninn