The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1893-10-26
AN IMPORTANT QUESTION.
GOOD ROADS THE TYPE OF CIV
ILIZED SOCIETY.
a Practical Paper Read by W. G. Nc
Mackin 6efore the Recent Road
Convention, at Raleigh,

Bad roads are easily defined and a
correct solution can be given by the
| little urchin, but the definition of good
roads is supposition with the most of
US, having life time experience with
! the first and historical evidence of
| the latter.
| Beyond the field of politics there is
no question that engages so much at
| tention throughout the country as the
road question in its various bearings.
: Our people in certain sections are
awake to the necessity of better
roads as never before, and they are
| willing to bear a just proportion of
necessary taxation for road improve
ment where such taxation is consis-
tent with the requirements of popula-
! JiOn and the taxable property is able
to bear the expence without being
burclened by it.
/ There is want felt throughout our
whole State for better roads and a
! conviction that the old and present
/ method of making and repairing roads
by personal service is expensive and
Inadequate to accomplish its OBJECT
properly. The Importance of having
it is not easy to devise any detailed
plan which viii suit the circumstances
of the thinly settled portions of the
State and OF those which are denSely
populated and highly improved: or
which shall provide for the accommo-
ddtiOn of the traveller and protect
the tax payers in their rights. 1t is
doubtful whether our people as
whole are yet ready to submit to addi-
tional burdens in the shape of road
taxes.
What then can be done? This is
the practical question. All will con-
cede that, if our property was taxed
for the improvement of our roads and
judicIOuSly expended under the direc-
tion of experts skilled in the art of
making roads by actual experience,
much more could be accomplished;
but it is doubtful whether there will
be general assent to plan like this.
Therefore the one prominent essen
tial to the attainment OF road reform
is organization.
A fayoring public opinion must
drst be developed and directed in the
channel which tends to the most GER
tain and lasting success.
Public sentiment is in sympathy
with us, the only requirement is
well settled plan tc carry it out. Must
this be done by using convict labor
and levy of a road tax? We want
good roads, we must have them, and
the sooner the subject is practically
considered by worthy, competent and
experienced men, the sooner will the
reform movement be subStantiated.
it L right direction.
Poor roads we know are tax on the
farmers mind, morals, bank account,
stock and vehicles: tax that tears
down but does not build up, and if
One-half of this was put on the roads
annually in judicious manner we
should see an improvement that
would be wonderful. 1t is an easy
matter to talk about good roads and
bad roads, but the best way to get at
Il feasible plan to attain this end is
the question. To build good perma-
uent roads requires money and 40 lit
tie of it, therefore, this first essential
must be settled by an equitable plan
to get it. The next requisite is the
labor, should it be convictS or free Ia
Dor? | contend the cCnVictS OF the
State should do road labor absolutely,
at this kind of work they Will not be
competing with honest labor. With
the advantage of all the improved
road-making machinery and imple-
mentS, a TelfordMacadam road six
teen feet wide, an average depth of
eight inches, would cost eighty-four
cents per lineal foot, using hired la
Dor at one dollar per day of ten hours,
or 81, 435. 20 per mile. This estimate
does not include. grading, draining,
etc With conyictS the same road
can be built for thirty-eight cents per
lineal foot or 81, $50 per mile, differ
ence Of s., SOL, 20. These estimates are
subject of course ito notifications by
various local conditions. With these
illustrations of economy, why should
not law be enacted requiring each
County to work her own cOnvicts on
her roads and levy tax for their sup
port and maintenance? Some of our
counties have such a law IN effect,
viz: Wake, Mecklenburg, Forsyth,
Durham and others, and the expert
ment is effectual and economic. In
this (Wake) county, the average cost
per mile for grading and rocking our
roads varies, owing to the heavy grad
ing tan the hills are being reduced to
an ample of repoSe or an assent of one
foot IN thirty lineal fcet), the locality
and cost of material; the lowest cost
has been about l,750, the highest
near 81 900; the latter includes heavy
grading, permanent drainage and the
building of bridges with stone or
brick piers.
| am sorry that time forbids me
discussing, the grading, width of road
way, preparation OF the rOad-bed,
| thorough drainage, foundation course,
surface layer, rolling, the Telford and
| Macadam systems &c, but will say
| that, after a road is once built, it
must not be assumed that it will for
ever remain in a first class condition
without paying any further attention
| to it.
on the contrary it will require a
great deal of care and unless needed
repairs are made at the proper time,
| the new road may not prove as great
| an Improvement as was expected.
| Therefore supervision of reads and
| bridges is very important by COM
| petent supervisor.
| The amOunttof work which will be
required to any mettled road in good
| condition, depends greatly upon the
width of tires passing over it; our
| standard width tend to cut ruts in the
| pavement; wide tire, say from p to .
inches do excellent service as rollers.
| A load is much easier hauled over any
| road with wide tire than narrow:
therefore, our wagon factories should
be implored to establish the wide tire.
1t is to be hoped that good rock roads
may soon become so common that ii
will no longer be necessary tho explain
their construction, nor advocate their
durability; when no road shall be con
sidered worthy of the name, which is
not solidly constructed of stone or
which the heaviest loads may bt
transported regardless of the weather
and at all seasons of the year.
How's This.
|