The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1894-11-22
OUR COUNTRY ROADS.

The ST. taa. Pioneer Press, in review
ing an article in The Forum by John
Wesley Bookwalter. says: While MI.
Bookwalter is right in ascribing much OF
the tendency of population to move from
the country to the city to the isolation OF
farm life. and while his plan of having
farm lands 80 surveyed that there would
be a village in the center of each section
where all the families might live has ex-
cellent features, we think that he has
scarcely given due weight to the evil
effects of our country roads in creating
and enforcing almost absolute secluslon
for country jewellers.
THE worst difficulty about rural life is
not the distance that separates one habl-
tation from another; it is the fact that
this distance to be traversed is barrier
during certain seasons of the year, al
most as impossible as mountain range
or swollen torrent. Farmers, as a
rule, are well supplied with vehicles and
horses. They are not welded to LIE
of solitude. but love cheer and sociability
even better than other fol!,s. They find
these denied to them by the condition OF
the country roads during large portion
of the year. This is less marked In our
prairie country than it is in sections at
the east and south, where the soil
changes, under the influence of rainfall.
to tenacious mud that practically
negatives all locomotion. But even here
there is a considerable portion OF the
year when a drive of from three to ten
miles is anything but Il pleasant under
taking. In the most unfavorably stu
ated communities there are fully six
months when neighborhood intercourse
is denied to all but pedestrians. This is
the great sacrifice which he must make
who decides to try country life in the
United States.
ut is hardly doubtful that a large share
of the average Englishman's passion for
residing in the country. and a still larger
share of his fondness for long walks and
rides, is due to the fact that he does not
know what a poor road is. Such high
way anywhere in Great Britain as the
best of our country roads would provoke
the natives to an instruction. From one
end of the island to the other the tray
eler finds everywhere the same beauA-
full, even surface for driving, equal in
comfort and very like in appearance to
our asphalt streets. though it is only a
superior macadam. Over this the heavy
English carriages, which horse could
hardly move in this country, bowl mer-
rily up hill and down dale. On one side
is the graveled footpath for walking peo-
pie, on the other the dirt bridlepath for
those on horseback. And between them
the ideal highway stretches its glistening
length, free from mud or stones or dust
at all seasons of the year. 1t is small
wonder that people love the country,
and that short distances do not deter
them or compel them to live secluded
where the facilities for travel are such
as these.
"Yet the difference between the coun-
try roads of Great Britain and those OF
the United States is rather one of intelli-
gent interest and painstaking than one
of expense. The Englishman has simply
learned how to goabout roadmaking. He
prepares the surface with almost or quite
rs much care as we do for laying pave
ment Then, when the macadam is laid
on, he sees to 1t that it has constant at.
tention. A little break, slowly form.
ing depression is not allowed to ruin the
roadway Stocks of finely broken stone
are ready prepared everywhere, and the
slightest defect is repaired Immediately.
We think it can be proved that in many
Of the older communities of this country
the people have actually paid out more
money for highway construction and re.
pair per mile than it has cost the Eng
lish to create and maintain their almost
perfect system of roads. A good deal OF
the money has been wasted by political
spoilsmen. Most of the remainder has
been applied unintelligently, slot of men
digging deep bitches on either side of the
the highway, throwing the earth from
these into the center and thinking that
this convex surface of newly dug mold
could be called road and this process
road mending.
There are signs of an awakening of in.
telligent interest in the subject in some
quarters. Professorships have even been
established in some of the colleges to
teach the art Of roadmaking, and people
are beginning to understand the fright
full economic loss of putting an embargo
on travel during good portion Of the
year. or else compelling all beasts Of
burden to consume vital force and ex
haust themselves unnecessarily. 1t will
be a saving to be counted by millions Of
dollars annually and it will be marvel
ous gain socially and morally as well az
Iadustrially, when we shall have such
scientific roadmaking in the United
States that the rural dweller will possess
so far as private conveyance is concerned
the same advantages that are enjoyed by
the residents Of cities"