The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1894-01-19

UOVU 1NV0USe
Very much discussion has taken
place on this subject of late and yet
the roads are by no means perfect.
will therefore make suggestion on
the subject. My idea is that the best
way to solve the problem is by
HONEST HARD WORK
by the people. It almost seems as If
this idea had been largely overlooked
by large number. To obtain good
roads, without much of our work, or
to have someone else pay for them
seems to be favorite idea. The pro-
ceedings of the late state road conven-
ton shows much of this. One man
wanted the State to raise the money
and loan it to the people at very
low rate of interest. Others wanted
the general government to furnish the
funds. So among a number OF good
ideas which were suggested, it seems
as if there were number of impractl-
cable plans, which were voted down
almost as fast as they were brought
up. A few years ago the suggestion
was made to bond this county to OBJ
tain money to spend on the roads:
Surprising this had been done, and
during these hard times we were
obliged to pay extra taxes, for the in
terests on these bonds and for sink
ing fund to pay the principal, how
heavy burden it wonld be.
If we expect good roads, we must
not calculate that the general govern
ment Or any one else now, or in the
future, will build them, but we must
do it, not by Sinking, but by working
Some people too seem to have the
idea that when they work on the road
they can get off with what would not
be days work any where else. Over
fifteen years ago was sent out to
work my road taxes, by the supervisor
and one other man was to be my com
panion. l was at the appointed place
sometime before he arrived, and when
he came he did not seem to be very
anxious to work. At last he said tc
me "yOu do not seem to know how tC
work the roads here. We do not pre-
tend to get to work until nine o'clock
Then we work until ten and sit down
and rest half an hour. Then we work
another hour until half past eleven
and call it noon time. We noon
until half past one, and work another
hour, then rest and talk another hal
half and work an hour, until four, ant
call it quitting time" So four hours
was considered a days work. This
was probably an extreme case and YET
there are many men, who think tina
when only eight hours is a days work
yet, if they get to work nine or hal
past, it is all right. Then they com
plain about the bad roads.
Some try to get out of work entirely
Many time have l been sent on thu
road by the supervisor from ten tt
twenty years ago, alone, to work as
thought best. One day when thu
working, one man in passing sai(
"you seem to be the only man wht
ever does any work on the road
around here" This was not LITERAL,
true, and yet it did seem as if yer!
little work was done in comparison
with the number of men in the region
Then these men who shirked out o
work somehow complained of the mis-
cradle roads.
If all the men turned out and pu
as hard, honest, faithful labor on tn,
roads as men do in a logging camp,
imagine that the roads would be mucl
better.
Honest, faithful road supervisor
too are needed. One man in the re
cent road convention wanted every
road master to pass all examination
before a state professor of road en-
cheering, as to knowledge of roat
engineering. I venture to sugges
that if we have honest, faithful super
visors they will not need such an ex-
animation. There are plenty OF men
in every neighborhood who know
enough for practical purposes at pre-
sent in regard to our roads, if they
can only be had.
Sometimes it seems as if men were
chosen or appointed for this Office
who were of so little account thai
they had little else to do. Some men
are chosen, who would not be trusted
with money by their neighbors, and
whose word in money matters would
not be considered good.
Of course when such men are in
charge, they manage it SO as to get al
possible out of it for themselves, with
but little care for the roads. Some
good men, when asked if they will be
road supervisors, reply that they ART
too busy. They ought to remember
that to have good roads is part O
their business. If good men, wher
wanted, decline this position, anG
poorer ones squander some of the roac
funds, they ought not to complain o
poor roads.
am sometimes reminded in thi
connection of the story of the bird.
in the wheat field. The old one knew
it was about time for the wheat to bt
cut, and charged the little ones to lis
ten to what the farmer said. The,
were frightened when they heard hin
say that on one day his neighbo
would come and help him cut it. an(