The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1894-11-09
FARM AND GARDEN.
TRoLLEys AND ROADS.
why Car rraeks should he Kept On I'm.
proved 1Iig hwnys.


Why Car Tracks should he Kept On Inn.
proved Highways.
For several years past there has
been a jealous agitation in favor OF
the Improvement Of country roads A
pointed out from time To time IN TINS
paper. this agitation. this movement,
il now resulting in practical better
ment Of the highways IN many local.
ties, and general discussion OF ways
and means to such ends in almost
every enlightened ncig hborhood in tho
country.
| hut the rond-improvers and the
makers Of road laws need to be on
their guard. for 1t has teen demon
stratcd time and again in the near
neighborhood Of large cities that so
soon rs country roads in populous
neighborhoods or between prosperous
villages have been graded and paved.
the builders of trolley railroads pounce
upon them and divert them almost
completely from the purpose for when
they we're intended. The extension OF
trolley lines into the country should
be encouraged in oil proper ways. but
the public authorities. the lawmakers
and the people should insist that these
trolleys should be located In proper
places. Such proper places are not
upon paved roadbeds. nor yet on tho
spaces between the pavements and the
bitches.
The pavement OF . mncadamized
roadway is meant to drive on; II is In
iured very seriously by having horse
car track on il; for driving purposes u
Is ruined by having trolley track
upon it-ruined us completely as
though an ordinary railroad track were
nlacea overthe pavement Nor should
the spaces between the pavement ana
, the bitches be used for railway tracks,
, for these spaces are admirable driving
: roads more than halfthe time. ana the
, rest of the time are needed for drain
/. nge purposes in taking the rainfall
: from the pavement 10 the bitches. a
/. railway track OF any kind would In
!. terrupt this drainage. which is OF th'
creates. possible Importance, as tn
\ macadam pavement is. after all,
!, much in the nature OF roof as any
!, thing else. The inventor of this sys
!, tenn Of road-building maintained ina
!. IL road-bed were made dry by drain
. age, aud kept dry by an imperviou
!. covering. it would carry any load thu
could be place upon it. And the e1
~ perience of four generations ha
- proyed that Macadam was right In n
. theory. But il we break this roof Il
= = railway track, or IL we interrupt til
= surface flow OF water by raiiwa
= track on the side. then the whole pu
=, pose Of the road construction M
\ been defeated.
1t is desira BILE. however, that trolls
!, lines should be located near TO II
- roads. for then they are easily access
bic. The natural place for them IS
- the roadside beyond the bitches. In
- location involves the expense OF era
- ing for the railway roadbed. al
y hence the builders of trolleys endeav
II to secure permission to put their I'm
on the roadb bed. where everything n
been prepared in advance. 4his Is
% wrong as it can be, for such locatio
not only ruin the roadway, but ma
IN II dangerous t. life. There should
~" INCORPORATED in every road law IN
nc no permission should be given to pla
IN = railroad on the roadway without
P' ferring the question to the popu
vote Of the township. and requiri
en- that the railroad should then pay
- rental OF not less than ten per &c
IN per annum on the first cost OF
sno roadway. Such q provision OF the
sus would compel trolley roads to seek
find other locations for their lines, q
vs. would leave the common roads for
ing uninterrupted use for which they :"
'r" intended.
ers- When the railroad came into e.
the tence, two generations ago. tho en-
tion TO secure good common roads IN An
len was abandoned, because it was
the cied that with the development OF
.all- railroad the common road would
lie be needed. Hut experience has she
urn- that the greater the travel on the
and roads the greater the travel on
,ccn common roads, and hence that the
they ter are really greater necessity Z
.cpt- ever. And we will learn the same
son from the extension OF the tro
pos system, for travel begets travel. !
mes unwise il will be, therefore. jus
ac- we are on the eve Of securing Tor
spc- selves and our children good sys
r. or of country highways. to give y
sent over to these private corporations
It by \ use quite foreign to that for vi