The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1893-01-12
A ROAD CONGRESS.

The matter of improved roads IS t
receiving unusual attention in the |
country at large and in North caro- +
lima. too, is b-ing seriously consid-
cred.
Gov. Holt, it is said, has decided
to call a State Road Congress to
meet in Raleigh about january -,
to discuss matters pertaining to the
Improvement of the public roads in
North Carolina. All the boards of
county commissioners have btt n
asked to appoint hree delegates to
each county. The commissioners
were to appoint Delegates at their
january meetings. The mayors of
towns are also expected to appoint
delegates
One OF the prime agitators in this
important movement is DR.. IL. u.
Battle, director OF the North Caro-
lima Experiment Station, and his
faithful efforts are being rewarded as
Governor Hollis decision proves.
The Chamber OF Commerce of Raleigh
has taken hold of the matter and
appointed d committee to memorial
lie the General Assembly to call the
Road Congress.
TUE SENTINEL is heartily in favor
of this movement. 1t should receive
immediate attention. 1t thinks how
! ever that the Congress should not
be held in Raleigh, but in Greensboro,
the most accessible and central rail-
road point in North Carolina. 1t
is true that if it should be held in
/ Raleigh, some of the enthusiasm and
earnestness of the delegates might
be infused into the legislature and
| aid materially in advantageous road
| legislation. However there might be
a serious lack of enthused delegates,
if the Congress be not held at an
easily reached point. The time des-
ignated by the Governor cannot be
objected to as it will give an oppor-
tunity for the legislature to consider
the action of the Congress.
1t would be well for the Congress,
if held, to consider a pamphlet OF
Colonel A. A. Pope, OF Wagon
/ Roads as Feeders to Railways =
| TIE SENTINEL has not seen the
pamphlet in full but an exchange
s4ys:
"Colonpl Pope suggests eDlisting
the railroads of all the States in 20
/ operating with the farmers in max
ing good roads to railway freight
/ stations. This proposition he has
forwarded to d large number of rail-
road presidents and other influential
| officials, aud has received from them
replies apr owing ofthe project The
method of help Varies with the writ
RS. Some suggest that be Railroad
taxes paid To the State be applied To
the beUterment OF the country roads;
others toat the railroads transport
stone and the machinery for break
ing and compacting the roaus, to-
get her with the usual TOadmak king
implements, free of charge to the
roads it is designed to improve. AL
express their Willingness to co-ope-
raie in one way or another :
i The Baltimore Sun tells of i'm
provement in the roads around Rich
field Springs, New York watering
place, on the co operative principle.
! "The farmers would do nothing,
but the members of bicycle club
raised first fund among themselves,
then obtained all the money the
supervisors of roads We're entitled GO
spend under the law, and finally they
sought and obtaiued subscriptions
| from every hotel and boarding house
keeper and from the merchants O
rhe village, aud with the funds thus
acquired they enlisted the services q