The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1893-01-20
For Good Roads and Lower Taxes
THE DISTRICT ROAD PLAN APPROVED
What Farmers ana Business Men Say of the
Road Memorial Presented to the Com
miSsioners by the Deer Greek Fa rmers
Club.

The memorial published in last weeks 1fgis
with reference to the adoption of business
methods in road-mending was presented to
the County Commissioners last Monday, and
will no doubt receive their careful considera-
ton. The plan recommended is in brief as
follows:
That the General Road Supervisor of each
election district shall annually, on the LIST of
April, submit to the County Commissioners
his estimate Of the amount required for roads
and for bridges in his district, based, of course
upon his personal inspection of their condi-
ton and needs. This estimate NAV be accept
ed by the Commissioners or not, as they NAV
see fit, as they are to continue to hold the
purse strings. Each election district is to be
divided into road districts by the General Sup
ervisors, with the approval ofthe Commission
ers, and an overseer, foreman or assistant
supervisor placed in charge of each of such
subdivisions, who shall provide men and
tools to properly keep in order the roads i'll
his district or section, under the direction of
the General Supervisor of the election district
The latter will be required to take care that
no more than has been appropriated there
upon shall be expended in any road district
under his supervision, unless by special or
der of the Commissioners, upon his recon-
mendation. 1t is believed this change will
secure economy in road expenditures fix the
responsibility for the condition of roads on
persons living near them give employment
to all persons qualified to work the roads to
advantage prevent the increase of road-war-
rants without authority. and altogether give
the people of the county as good or better
roads than they have, with lower road tax.
The proposed change has met with the APP
proval of nearly every General Road Supervi-
sOr in the county the Farmers Convention
which met in Bel Air last Monday unanimous
ly endorsed it, and we give below the views of
a number of well-known citizens in its favor
WM. L. HANwAY, Third District believe
the proposed plan would work well for the
county 1t would lessen our taxes and would
be a relief to the County Commissioners by
placing responsibility for expenditure of our
road money where it belongs The Commits
soners ought to give it a trial the coming
spring
ARCHIBALD WILSON, Fifth District-You
may set me down as in favor of a change in
our system of road-mending and recommend
a trial of the plan proposed by the Deer Greek
Farmers Club.
EDISON III. FOAGD, Second District am in
favor of having one supervisor in each pre-
cinct. In our district, Hopewell. one man.
Mr.. John McGuigan, mends a great many
roads. He is thoroughly competent and our
roads have greatly improved. Ifthe plan pro-
posed were carried out all over the county
and men like Mr. McGugan appointed great
deal of money would be saved, taxes would
be lowered and our roads would all be better
FRANK b. MACATEE. of Fourth Distr:ct.-It
is move in the direction of economy in
mending roads and would like to see it tried |
AMENTIs I. PATTERSON, First Dir, rict i
would be glad to see the plan tried for one
year. If it works well it can be continued.
Ii not it can be improved or something else
tried
NELSON GILBERT, Fourth District am in
favor of any plan that promises to be an i'm
prOvement over the present method, which is
very poor one If stringent regulations |
were made and properly carried out by good
men the proposed change would save money !
and give us better roads.
CHARLES II. STREET.. Fourth Dstrict.-As |
| understand the proposed change | would be !
willing to see ii tried. There are many good. |
poor men now working roads and doing it |
well. whom | would like to see continued 1
II the new plan would not throw them out of |
employment | am in favor of it. The county !
could no doubt get more work for the same
money under the proposed change than under |
the existing system.
john W. GALBREATH. Fifth Distrcs-A |
campaign of education is going on with re
gard to road Improvement. The change pro |
posed, if it secures skilled men to work the /
roads, will accomplish good results. would |
advise the Commissioners to consider the plan !
carefully and if it cOmmends itself to their
Judgment | hope they will put it in operation |
.Iu1up VI II RAY Fifth district -.
favor of any change in our road system that |
will better it. The proposed system would |
break up the practice of over-working allow |
anccs for roads, and would effect a saving in |
that respect.
JACOB II. PLowMAN, ex-County Commits
sioner, First District approve of the plan
proposed To my knowledge the roads are |
not properly attended to. 4 great deal of |
money is spent that is of 30 benefit to the |
county. | would make it Unable ufTeuse to |
drag logs over a public road. The new plan |
will give the road-workers knowledge of the
character of each road and enable them to |
repair it to greater advantage.
j. $. RICHARDSON, Third Distrct-NO .
farmer can afford to mend roads. The roads +
ought 10 be put out by contract, each con
tractor to provide himself with proper nipple /
mcnts, or make each district responsible for .
its own roads and spend thereon its own
money. NochauEc could be made that would |
not he better than the present system.
THos. +. NACLE. Third District think I
the plan good one and would like to see it /
tried. 1t certainly would DE better than the
present way Of mcndiug roads.
WILLIAM 7 SAWYER. First District am
in favor of alFIys giving a good man u good /
deal OF road to work. This plan would give
us better roads for tie same amount of money /
now expended. | am fully in favor of the !
plan as | understand it.
p. +. CARROLL, Bel Air.--I was General
Road Supervisor of the first district for u
years. The county would save money by get
ting the work done by men who know how to
mend roads and will mend them at the right
time. The system of overworking warrants
is wrong. Road scrapers are good things
where the roads are wide enough to work
them and you can get suitable men to work
them. Money is wasted for want Of better
judgment in road-mending. 1t would be adj
visable for the Commissioners to try the new
plan.
j. THos WEBSTER, First District think
it very good plan, and would like to see it
tried. ROad-mending ought to he made
business of itself. With good men over each
section there would be great improvement
in our roads.
WI