The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1893-04-28


Committee of the Hartford Road League met
in Bel Air on Monday. Mr.. d. C. Whar-
ton Smith was In the chair with Mr.. j..
Wilson Moore, Secretary. Others present
were Messrs. VIM. L. Amoss, William T. Saw
yer, John Moores, William Z. Robinson, James
T. Kenly, William P Trimble, and General
Road Supervisors John Dalton, Samuel S.
James and John Haviland.
Messrs. Hugh A. Jones having declined to
serve on the committee for the fifth district,
Mr.. Charles A. Andrew was appointed in his
place. The designations of Messrs. Charles
w. Baker and William c. Wilson, Of the sec
ond district, were also received and accepted
and Messrs. William s. Bowman, Sr.; and
Henry A. Osborn were appointed in their
stead. 1t was stated that these gentlemen
were in sympathy and accord with the move
ment for better roads and greater enOnomy in
road expenditures but could not spare time
for the work.
1t was stated that misapprehension exists
in some quarters with regard to the object of
the Road League and the committees in the
several districts. The chairman explained
that the League was intended to cooperate
with the authorities in their efforts to reduce
road expenditures and secure the best possible
results from the money levied for public roads.
The prizes contemplated for road work, he
said, were intended, if the money can be rails
ed, to be given to those supervisors who ac-
complish the best results with the sums al
lotted to them.
Mr.. Amoss objected to the prizes and
thought the funds in the treasury of the Road
League could be more effectively used in try
ing experiments in road mending, in order to
ascertain the best methods. He also favored
the issuing of instructions by the Commission
ers to each supervisor, telling him how he
should mend the section of road entrusted to
his care.
Mr.. Haviland thought the prizes might in
cite rivalry among the road-menders, each
of whom would try to get as much money as
possible on his section. lie said that in the
first district, of which he is a supervisor, the
progress made under the new system has real
ly been better than he had anticipated. He
has IA sub-superyisors, whereas before he had
35 in the district. Each supervisor has from
to 10 miles under his charge, with instruc-
tions to retain part of the road money for
work next fall. One supervisor whose allow
ance was $40 has repaired his roads for $S5
and holds the remainder for emergencies.
John Dalton, General Supervisor of the
fourth district, said the system is in shape
and working well in his district. The main
roads will be worked first. There are 10 sub
supervisors in place of las last year. Mr..
William A. Wiley, sub-supervisor of Norris
vile, has provided himself with yoke of oxen
and a pair of heavy mules and will employ
other teams from farmers along his roads.
His section is the largest in the district. He
said it is a mistake to put too much dirt at a
time on the roads with road scrapers He
strongly advised the use Of heavy rollers on
roads TO pack them and keep them from wash
ing after being newly mended.
The committee determined to recommend
to the County Commissioners to purchase a
three or four-ton horse roller to use as an ex-
pertinent.
Samuel S. James, General Supervisor of the
fifth district, said the new method is getting
He will have in his district 16 or II sub-super-
visors. Formerly there were over 100 He
said he would like to have it explained to the
public that the object of the district commit
tees is not to spy upon the road workers but
to encourage and aid them in every possible
way He said a stone crusher is needed in
the fifth district.
Mr.. VIM p Trimble said the impression
was that the Road League is simply an enter
ing wedge to bonded debt for roads and a
county engineer and he would like to see this
erroneous impression corrected.
The subject of breaks on hills was discussed
and their use condemned in the following re-
solution
Resolved, That il is the sense Of the Execu-
tive Committee OF the Road League that a re-
form is needed in the method generally pur
sued in constructing breaks on public roads
Wherever break is needed, which is Of rare
occurrence, 1t should be made slanting, broad
and shallow. The committee thinks the at
tention of supervisors should be especially
called to this subject.