Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-11

ROADS IN PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY.
What IL Said by well-Known Marylanders.
In connection with the convention at Balti-
more today in behalf Of good roads the views
Of well-known residents of Prince Georges
county, as presented in special to the Balti-
more american, are of interest.
Mr.. VIM. J. Hill, a member Of the house OF
delegates. says:
"At meeting to be held in Baltimore there
will be every shade of opinion and experience
had and expressed by the delegates sent from
the different counties Of this state. In this
manner the different systems for roadmaking
and repairing the same will pass in review; and
from this alone some good must arise. The
public roads Of Prince Georges county, the
most Of which we're laid ont at the time of the
erection Of this county, from their zigZag and
roundabout direction between given points,
seem to have been projected TO meet the views
and conveniences of individual farmers and
land owners. In this way many Of the public
roads prove to be inconveniences, and for this
reason the number of public roads has become
multiplied, SO that we have many more upon
the county than the actual needs of travel JUS
tify. The appropriation for the repair of public
roads and bridges is limited by law toS Is 600 Be-
sides this sum there is extra amount for the
known as the whisky license fund. This varies
in amounts, but can be placed at an average Of
$4,000. 1t will thus be seen that n fund Of
nearly $50 900 is annually devoted to the pur-
pose OF keeping up the public roads and bridges
Of the county. It is estimated that the mileage
OF Prince Georges county in public roads will
very nearly aggregate 10000 miles. 1t
would appear rs the best solution to have the
appointment Of q competent civil engineer
whose duty it would be to divide up the county
into great thoroughfares, which would appear
to him to accommodate the greatest number Of
the travelling public in their way to mill, market
and church. After SO doing these roads should
receive the greatest caro- and attention of the
supervisors. but the work upon them should be
in all cases under the charge of the engineer,
and the work done according to his direction.
Wherever the public roads are ad jacent to rail-
road lines river landings these corporations
might be induced to deliver freight free, oyster
shells. gravel or ballast that could be procured
so with such means at our disposal the repair
upon the roads could be made at n lesser cost.
Speaking for the roads in Prince Georges
county it is a notorious fact that many Of them
are far too narrow for public travel This is
one fault that should be corrected"
Richard E. Brandt, esq.,, states attorney,
said: "While the roads of this county under
the present system have greatly improved it is
fact that this is the condition in those por-
tons of the county where gravel is acceptable
as one OF the means to that end will be the APP
pointment of a civil engineer. whose duty shall
be to go over the various public roads Of the
county and examine them and report to the
board of county commissioners as to the adj
visibility Of repairing or closing the same as
the needs of the travelling public may be con-
cerned. Good roads will do more toward ad-
vancing the value Of real estate and inducing
capitalists to settle in the county than any thing
else."
Mr.. George c. Merrick. ex-state's attorney.
ex-member of the legislature and q prominent
LAWYER. says, after describing the unsatisfactory
condition OF roads during greaber portion Of
the year: Politics is the great chief cause of
all the trouble. 1t is Mt the top and bottom of
the whole business. The county commission
ers virtually control the whole matter. appoint
the road supervisors for all the districts and fix
the compensation for laborers. teams and ma
terials. The fund annually levied for roads in
this county (about $4,000 is treated primarily
rs a fund to pass into the hands exclusively q
the political supporters OF the party in power,
to be expended and worked out by them-these
beneficiaries. supervisors. OF by whatever name
you please to call them, having been selected
more with reference to political services rem
dered or to be rendered than to their knowledge
of or fitness for the duties they should per-
form. This is true of both parties, and until
this is remedied there is no hope for better
things. The old and present system Of PATCH
signed forever to the past. and none but
permanent work be allowed on the pub
lie roads. 1 decidedly Of the opin-
ion that plan for working the public
roads, which would place them all in a
county, under the control OF a skilled and
practical engineer or road builder with power
to employ Puch labor and materials as, in his
Judgment. was necessary, subject to such wise
restrictions as to amount to be expended Is the
only practical way of ever getting good. per-
manent roads. The paw Of this officer should
be good and he should in nowise be dependent
or look to political power for his place. How
be should be selected. DC, is a matter for care
full and serious thought. II takes brains,
knowledge and honesty to construct and repair
pubic roads. just as much so as to build a
house. There is no subject so vital to our mate
rial prosperity as good public roads. They
enter into all the affairs of country life and
prosperity, so much SO in nv Judgment that it
is a question. il assured proper person would
control their management, whether it would
not be wise to raise, by bond or otherwise,
sum Of money, the interest on which would be
equivalent to One-half that now annually levied
ndexpended for road and expend this large sum
propOrtionately in the different road districts
of the country on permanent hard-bed roads.
and leave only the one-half now annually levied
for ordinary repairs, and even these should be
permanent as far as possible"
Mr.. I. NJ. CLANCY said I'm my opinion there
ought to be general road law. competent
engineer paid by the state should lay off all of
the most important roads in the state, connect
ing county seats, and leading to railroad sta
tons and steamboat wharves. Instruction
should be given in the public shoots on road
buildings; also upon the social, moral and
pecuniary advantages OF good roads. SO that
neighbors could communicate easily with each
other. and clubs and societies, schools and
churches, villages and city markets would be
accessible at all seasons OF the year.
THE COMMANDER LOST RIS LIFE.
Repu1se Of an Attack on a British Out