The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1893-01-06


have far-reaching consequences with regard
to road improvement i'll Hartford county was
held 10y the Deer Creek Farmers Club, ut Walk
cr's Eagle Hotel, Bel Air, ON Monday afternoon.
BY special invitation the County Commission
ers and General Road Supervisors were invited
to be the guests of the club All of the Com
missioncrs, who are Dir. William ID. ScarbOro
President. MessrS. Thomas Muusddlc, George
\. Courtney. Joseph +. Batemun and illiam
\. Hope, attended together with MeSSrS. John
Haviand, Henry Il. silver, John Dalton and
Samuel james, General Road SupcrVi-
sOrS OF the county. other gentlemen present
besides active members of the club. were
McSsrS. b. Frank and Joseph Is. Iianway, Win
f. Hays, Charles f. CrcswcIl, George T.. Silver,
Otho ). Lee, James Is. Preston, James Lee
John ). DulluIn, WIN. Stephenson, j. NJ Street,,
{. X. Scweli, 5. NJ. Lee, VIM. Munnikhuyscn,
{. W. Proctor, Jefferson Dallam, john }. Alex
andcr Joseph FOLEY, John ". GIlbrctth and
John &. Rouse.
Mr. ID. C. Wharton smith, President of the
club, presided, with X. Harris Archer, Sccrc-
tary. Other active members present were
Thomas Lochary, John Muuros, james +. Ken
ly, Il. p. MoorcS, " III. ID. Lee" " N. b. hopkins
John b. WNSOng, James ". Hanna, robert +.
Hanna. T. H. SwartH and f. W Baker.
The President welcomed the County CommiS-
soncrS and Road supervisors, and said II might
be taken for granted that every one present
was animated with tbs. SINGLE desire To promote
the general welfare uI the county ANA aid in
securing reforms, especially i'll the admnlstra-
part of the club, any intention to dictate To the
commissioners, but the club wished to obtain
their views with regard to some proposed
changes i'll road management rs would lessen
the county tax rate, ut the same time giving to
the people OF the county better roads for the
money expended. Outlining the plan suggest
cd and approved by the cub, he said that II
wuS proposed to reduce tine number of sub
supervisors of roads and invest the General
Road Supervisors with more authority III con-
trolling road expenditures. Now the duties of
these officers are not clearly defined, and II APP
pears that the increase i'll taxation Is largely
due to the fact that each silb-SupcrNiSOr can Ill
pleasure exceed the amount OF his rUad-war-
rant. without authority either from the County
Commissioners or General Supervisors, ANA
thus these officials are made responsible Tor Il
condition OF affairs over which. practically,
they have no control. 1t Is proposed, he SAID,
to appoint IL General Road SupcrN SOr tor
each district; to divide each district into
road sections, over each IF which Il super
VISOR is To be appointed, subject To the
approval OF the Commissioners. to take charge
"a such section and to repair the roads therein
under the direction of the General Road super
VISOR. Each of these assistant Supervisors
would be required to provide himself with the
necessary implements and men to work the
roads under his charge, and no extra work to
uc done except by the order of the General
Road Supervisor III the election district, except,
of course such repairs to bridges or roads that
require immediate attention To prevent unim-
pcucd travel.
Mr.. smith said that this plan would relieve
the County commissioners from pressure.
which they can scarcely Withstand and enable
them to handle. III "A huSlncSs-iike way, the
sums annually appropriated Tor road improve
ncnt. Ii WAS uut intended, he said, To intro
ducc any startling or radical changes. lnvulv-
ing IL great expenditure ~ money, but To try
10 secure better results on our roads with low
~ taxes. Ihe County Commissioners Were
then called upon TO express their views OF the
plan proposed.
Commissioner MuulSdale, of the LIST district,
said that the General supervisor III his district
selects the sub-supcrvisors and has entire con-
troll of the roads; but the commissioners are
constantly harasscd for increased appropria-
lions. If this burden cOul'i be taken from the
commissioners il would be great relief.
Many OF the taxpayers do not know that the
large apprOu riatlon this year on account of the
roads has come about 10y road expenditures
which have been dragging along from year to
year until they have accumulated To II large
sum. He would like to see II change made and
favored the plan suggested. The beneficial
working ~ the plan would depend largely
upon the character of men ut the head OF IL.
Commissioner Courtney, of the ID district,
SAID system some what similar To the one l,rt =
posed is pursued i'll his district and with excel
lent results. Many OF his roads are worked
with road machine DLI he WIS not SIN. that
,nc system wound serve Tor Dublin district, for
instance, where not muck wor> can hc done
with the road scrnpcr lie WAS Ill FAVOR OF the
proposed plan - good men could be got To
mend the r,.uS. IL has been customary for
,tIb-supcr, lSOrs to do extra wur> without con-
suInmg either the County commissioners or
General Road Supervisor and this has CAUSED
the high taxes. his practice ought To he stop
ped.
Mr. SILVER. tIcncfdl road supervisor Tor the
second district, said that nearly all tho roads
below the p, W. and B. RairOad, i'll his district,
are mcndcd by two men. who are supplied with
good teams and the necessary appliances. In
inc upper part of the district, many roads are
mcndrd 10y one man, with economy ana good
results. ii had. however, II number Ot efficient
sub-supcrVisors whose places could not be bet
Ter filled. lie would he sorry to see these roads
taken from such men, especially those who
live along the roads they nend and are person.
ally interested i'll them. Unfortunately these
rood men Will NOT lllG To mend mo
roads than they now have. They are taXpaN-
crS and do not charge mems prices for boys
whom they may WORK on the roads. He recon-
mcnded that cuINcrtS should be built Of stone
archcd, instead OF wood, rs better and more
economical. He also regarded covered wool
en bridges us cheaper and more lasting than
open iron ones. He favored II trial OF the pro
posed plan.
Otho ). Lee asked some pertinent que.tions
and advocated turnpIkinE the main thorough
fares.
Commissioner Batcman said the County
Commissioners are willing to enter into any
arrangement profitable To the people to I'M
prove the roads. The expenses of repairing
roads increases with the increase of pupula-
ton and the use of traction engines. In some
sections the roads could bc worked by one set
OF men, but i'll others, where good men are al
ready appointed they ought To lie kept mend
ing them. The proposed plan looks as if il
might wore satisfactorily. Ii would put an
end To extra appropriations and relieve the
Commissioners from opportunity. Many men
sign petitions for roads and bridges and then
complain about high taxes. He would advise
IN At the General supervisors have entire dis
position of the road funds. Altogether he
thought raVOrably of the plan.
Commissioner ScarbOrO, of the fifth district,
said he would checriully favor any change
that would lessen taxes. No one had lett more
hurt by the high tax bill of last year than him
self, but he did not feel that he was To blame
for It. No man has an idea of tie pressure
brought to bear upon the Commissioners to
make costly improvements, and delegation
after delegation appears with its demands.
The Commissioners had even been threatened
with indictment by the Grand jury if they re-
fused some OF these demands. He had served
the people to the best OF his ability and had en-
dcuNOrcd to keep taxes down. The present
system was i'll existence when he first entered
the board and this was the first time any organ
iZcd body had offered any encouragement 10
the commissioners i'll the performance of their
duties. Ii had always been his opinion that if
the roads were given out i'll larger sections
better results would follow, but he had never
been asked to do this Farmers do not aid the
Commissioners ns they migrt. He tries to give
the roads to those most interested, but they
mend the roads when they please and generally
when il Is not lit to work ON their farms. They
work out all the money ut once, so as TO get
their pay, and nothing is left to open water
courses or do any absolutely necessary repairs
later i'll the season. He would chccriully go
i'll for the proposed change, believing il would
give better results. He cumpimeutcd the BAR
lington Road League upon the excellent work
il has done and said he was in perfect sympa-
thy with il.
s. 5. James, General Road Supervisor for tl,,
fifth district, heartily favored the proposed
plan. Now the General Road Supervisor has
but little authority either over the money cX-
pended or the manner in which the work is
done. If the roads were given out in larger
sections to good men who would each have from
$500 10 5000 To cNpend, they would properly
equip themselves with tools and get good hands
VINO by becoming familiar with the work
would soon bc able To render more efficient
service than inexperienced hands. lie did
not think any farmer would want to mend 1;
road if he had to leave his farm work to do it,
He did not want to take rOad-mendIng away
a
ticc to the roads can make any profit ont of
them. If farmers could have their tax bills
lowered > or So he thought they would all bc
glad to give up road-mcndng. tndert new
plan the General supervisor could keep back
IL portion of his road money and in the fall go
over the roads, open and Straightcn the water
courses and leave the roads in good condition
for the next spring. Now no care is tit en- of
the roads after they are mcndcd i'll the spring
or summer The allowance too, would not be
OVcrwOTkrd. In his district nearly every
warrant is UVerwOrkcd. He said it WAS IL mis-
take to suppose that all the road-mcndcrs are
farmers.
Mr.. Scarboro remarked that he had gotten
the best results from men who do not own Il
i'll the proper time and take pride in their
work.
John Dalton, General Supervisor of the
fourth district. said that under the present
system the General Road Supervisor is merely
a puppct TO put blame on and carry It to the
COmmiSS. OacrS. The General Supervisors NAV
already be invested with power. to appoint us
many or as few Sub-SupCrVISOrS us they may
desire, but he had never thought il his duty To
make the change. He has no control over the
money levied for roads. If $1,000. Tor i'll
stance, is levied for his district, he lays warr'...S
for say $4,000 i'll the hands OF the bt-Nt men he
can find to mend the roads. =, serving Sl,oIo
for emergencies ync warrants are oNcrworl.-
rd and tll,. reserve, tuni disappears. He lives