The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1893-04-08
WHY WE HAVE BAD ROADS.
The Indifference of the Public More to
Blame Than Existing Laws.

nv ooDJSSo INV StiiCl dAiy uSitaoCN.
1t has been brought by the chief execu-
tive officers of a dozen different states to
the attention of their several legisla-
lures. 1t has received intelligent and
careful consideration at the hands of
commissioners, of experts appointed
especially for the purpose, of commit
tees of several of our legislatures and
Of the legislators themselves. 1t must
be confessed-in spite of all that has
been said, of all the study that has been
given to the subject and of all the effort
to reach practical conclusions that
nothing generally satisfactory has as
yet been attained. The main difficulty
in the case is perhaps To be found, not
in the inherent defects of present laws
or in the inability of legislators to make
better ones, but in the indifference of
the general public upon the subject.
Every member of society is interested
in the public road. At birth, at death
and at all intermediate points during
life it is used, to a greater or less degree,
by or for every individual member of So
ciety. 1t carries the doctor to the bed
side of the sick, the minister to admins.
ter consolation to the dying, friends to
the house of mourning and the dead to
their graves. 1t brings purchaser and
consumer together. 1t is the avenue
alike of pleasure and traffic. The farmer
seeking his market, the commercial tray
eler looking for customers, the million
aire in search of enjoyment with his
coach and four, the wheelman in pursuit
Of health, the few seeking pleasure or
profit on wheels and the many in like
pursuits on football are interested in the
public road.
And yet, direct and immediate as
these interests are, W. are content to
follow the methods Of half a century OF
more ago, to submit to inconvenience, to
discomfort and to the immense waste of
money and patience. not because we do
not admit the advantages of Il good road
over a bad one, not because we cannot
see, in theory at least, that II solid,
smooth, level road which allows the
farmer to convey to market twice as
much with half the power is advanta-
| geous to him; not because it cannot be
clearly demonstrated that in the end
| because of the saving in annual repairs
and the saving of waste in vehicles.
horseflesh, harness and the like u good
| road is cheaper than a poor one-for all
| these things are distinctly and fully ad-
mitted by those who have given careful
| study to the subject but because preju,
dice, opposition to change and indif-
ference control the masses of our people
and dictate the course of legislation.
In the discussion of the road question
n of the most popular and oft quoted
remarks is that relating to the evidence
OF the civilization of a country which it,
roads exhibit. 1t is not a question OF
civilization, however, and we have moi
yet reached the point when we can fairly
view it from the aesthetic side. 1t is 9
question of the simplest, comlnonest
most practical business sense. Itreaches
the everyday life of every man, woman
and child in every community. Thos,
of us who advocate a reform in the mode
OF laying out, constructing and repair
ing Il public roads must show, and ar,
responsible for showing, to our people
that their direct and immediate pecu
mary interests are involved, and will b.
subserved by a radical change in ever,
department of road management.
1t is not impossible for us to hope fol
some improvement, even under on,
present unsatisfactory laws, in certain
favored localities. An example or two
which will appeal to our readers will bes'
convey the impression desired to be made
Mr.. A. j. Cassatt, whose country resi-
dence is in Montgomery county, adjoin
ing Philadelphia, was a few years age
elected-probably partly as o joke an(
partly i'll the hope of securing the benefi.
of his knowledge and experience-aro at
supervisor for the township in which hi
lived. To the surprise of many he ac
copied the position, levied the larges
amount of tax allowed under the law
summoned his neighbors and secured
voluntary contributions from those WHIT
were interested like himself in goo(
roads for driving purposes, and as a re
suit during his official term secured TO
that township the best common roads il
Pennsylvania.
Another gentleman in one of the sub
urbs of Philadelphia, anxious to bene
Tit his kind and to ecure foy his neigh
bors the greatest comfort and conven
fence in everyday life, located, lait
out and built at his own expense SOM
two miles of model public road which
he presented to the municipality il
which he lived.
AS to the practical results arisin,
from the improvements just referred to
there have been undoubted enhance
ment of the value of real estate, an in
iux OF desirable population and tn
largest possible increase to the comfor
and convenience of all the people 0
those regions who make use Of thes
roads. If a good road, thoroughly con
structed, will endure for a thousan'
years with ordinary repairs, what bet
ter monument can o. man who wishes t
benefit his kind raise to his memory
how can he contribute to the welfare @
his fellows more fully and for a longe
period, and how better perpetuate hi
memory than by following the exampl
Of the gentleman last mentioned, an
by giving his own name to the road thu
constructed?
l know Of no law which prevents tn
enterprising citizen from building or re
pairing 1.-The roads in front Of his owl
property, and there would be undoubte'
acquiescence Oh the part of the pnbli'
| in uynrL of fhtc bind Tu ~ ,,nt pAsGih1