The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-06-07
WILL THE LESSON BE NEEDED,
Whom tho Mud OF Winter Has Departed.
tho Farmor Forgcts It.

Whom tho Mud OF Winter Has Departed.
tho Farmor Forgcts IT.
The mud has dried up, and once moro
tho rural dwellcr omorges from his re-
ttrement and cheorfully drives to town
over roads now firm and smooth. Not
through any effort of bis, however, have
the highways boon changed from bog
holes and quagniros into paths of
ease" Tho rain foil and staid whore it
foil. because there was no provision
mado to got rid of 1t In any other way
than by evaporation. It would BIO In tho
rond yet but for tho genial spring sun,
and SO 1t has been and seo1ns likely to
be, for all tho farmer scoms to care.
Why not always travel in comfort, no
Why forget now that no longer ago than
April you could only with tho greatest
difficulty manage 10 traverse what was
and will be again dreory stretch of
mud?
VIII the experience of past years Of
toll and vexation, Of animals ruined, of
harness broken and wagons wrecked,
not suffice to awaken men to the bcne-
fits Of roadways constructed to with
stand tho frosts and SHOWS of winter
and present an unyielding surface to tho
heaviest rains of spring.
Ono of tho strongest arguments in fa-
vor Of maoadam, tolford or any paved
highways Is that In not single in
stance whero they havo boon tried would
tho residents of that locality return to
tho dirt road. In no community hos
there ever been q word but Of gratifica-
ton Mt tho changed conditions Their
benefits are so speedily realized and
their worth 80 carly apparent that
whilom detractors are fain to sing their
praise
Fear of cost in construction has no
doubt great deal to do with retarding
tho good roads movement But it has
been shown III almost every instance
that tho COST does not greatly exceed
that of the present slipshod and hap
hazard manner Of building and repair
ing country roads Roy Stone, in New
Roads and Road Laws" says Of Ontario
county, N. Y:
within tho last 30 years there have
boon expended on the highways in this
country over 81. goo per mile, and, with
tho exception Of o few miles In the town
OF Canandaigun. they arc no better than
they wero mt the beginning of that Pc
rod, and should tho same system be
continued for tho next 80 years like
sum would have been expended, and tho
condition of the highways would be Just
about the same us it is now. The few
miles referred to iii Canandnigua ore
crushed stone or macadHm roads, built
ut an expense TO tho town outside of the
regular highway tax As result they
have in thAt town 10 miles or more Of
| good rOods and 20 woll pleased are they
With the Improvement that they have
had special oct passed by the legisla-
ture, during the last session, empower
ing tho town to vote upon the question
Of expanding 81, 900 per year IN addi-
ton TO the 50, 900 already allowed by
low, IN building such roads- Those
roads arc just Us good In December or
March as they arc in July or September
They have increased tho value Of tho nd-
Joining farms many times the cost of the
roatls, and the subsequent cost of keep
ting them in good repair will be much
less than tho cost under tho ordinary
system OF keeping poor roads in poor TO-
pair.
| The question of COST therefore, is nc
argument against permanent stone
roads, M the money thus expended is re-
turned many times over, not alone in
enhanced property values, but in the
ability of the producer to sell his grain
or stock when prices suit, hcsno longer
being dependent upon condition OF
weather and roads to place them on the
market W. II. BAILINGER