The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1894-06-16
COUNTRY ROADS.

we have, as far as practicable, made
inquiry into the discharge OF duty by
the road overseers of the county, and
mud that the public roads are in a
great majority of cases In most de-
plarshle condition, and that road
working as practlced in this county is
but farce, and that the great majori-
ty OF road overseers are derelIct in
duty, sor which, in measure, the
Board of Supervisors may be held re-
sponsible under Chapter 20, Section l,
Of The Annotated Code. 1t is required
that every road oversecr shall make
report TO the Board at their meetings
IN March and September. and failing
SO TO do the Board is required to i'm
pose iiue of $50 upon each one who
fails to report. Yet out of 81 over
seers in the county only one made the
March report, aud there is no evidence
OF tinc being imposed upon the de-
linquent so, as appears upon their
records
This is an extract from the report
OF the grand jury impaneled for the
May term of Circuit Court. Ii could
not well be made more clear and com
prehensible- The roads of the Delta
country arc proverbialy bad. In
winter, when heavy hauling is done,
the stiff buckshot is cut iuto deep
holes, aud the loss In mules and wagons
Is SO great that It is one of the most
serious aud discouraging items in the
planters calculations. With the dry
season these holes and ruts harden
into almost rocklike firmness, aud the
public roads are succession d
mounds aud gullies almost as ruinou'
to loaded vehicle as the mud of win
ter Every facility Is given road over
secrs BY law for the regular and effect
ual working ct the lines allotted /,
them. They have practically unlimit
cd resources and authority at ibei
command. Apparently the will to OK
ocute the function for The performanc
OF which they are installed in Office
the only barrier 10 as good a system
of public roads as the natural coud
tions willadmit. The secret of tolers
Bile roads in this country would seer
to be drainage. The buckshot soil, q
stated, hardens almost to the consist
cncy OF rock. 1t Is impossible to IL
sure a good condition as long as th
roadbcd Is leyel with the surroundin
country. bitches, no matter how dee
can avail but little while the surfat
Of the road is level with their edge
D The dirt should be systematlcall
thrown from the sides 10 the cent?
until an oval slope is obtained,
4 which the moisture drains constant
I away from the elevated middle of Il
road. A fiat and level road looks We
enough, but throughout the wint'
! season It Is saturated with water, an
!. naturally becomes mere mud.ho
+ after month or two of use. III
y failure of tho system of Hat roads al
! the advantage OF those elevated
' above suggested is most apparent |
}. comparing the streets of Greenvill
Q where the latter plan is followed, wi
Z the country roads adjacent 10 Il
town. There Is no natural diiferen
/, between the streets aud the count
n roads. They are formed of the san
+ dirt. Indeed, the country roads shou
+ have the advantage, the streets beil
y very much more constantly used. La
d winter, even in February and Marc
b there was no time at which the stree
! of Grecnville were not 10 fair hauliI
If condition, aud at present, under u
y care of au active and intelligent supt
G. visor, there is but little left to dcsi
Z The streets of Greenvillc are cited
= proof that the claim that good roa
N are impossible in this country is
T. fallacy. Ii it is possible to place al
+ keep The streets in passablc condlti
II j, the same thing Is possible of the pub
<. roads. The purchase Of a road n
At chine for each Supervisors distri
ID aud its enforced aud intelligent u
i. y would, in year or two, create We
great aud welcome change in the &C
nj dition of the county thoroughfal
ne and convince the Board of Super
sors of the wisdom and economy
the investment.
Source of Possible tjOmplicaff0u.