Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1895-07-17
Alssa'sttria @azettf,
WEDN EsDAY EVENING, JULY II, 1s' 5.
GOOD ROADS.

Good roads are sure index of pros
porous farmers and directly have a
large influence upon the growth snd
development of towns and cities. Com
mercial organizations in various parts
of the country are awakening to this
fact, and organized efforts are to be
made, particularly in the South and
Middle States, towards putting high
WAYS in better condition. Could it
be accurately calculated, the loss sus-
tanned by farmers in being obliged to
urge their horses with heavy loads
over poor roads, would be something
enormous. Good roads make good
markets and it frequently happens that
poor roads practically eat up the profit
of certain markets. As has been many
times demonstrated, the construction
of good roads will materially increase
the value of farms and country prop
erty, and act as stimulus and attrac-
ton for immigration. The first cost for
construction of good roads is apt, like
all other good things, to be high, but
there is no municipal or county
investment which will make as
good return for money expended. Con-
vict labor could be utilized to advan-
tage and large expense taken from
the State. Tramps could be forced in
to service ard made to earn living for
a few weeks, at least. In all of the
older States there are large sections
where the roads are in a frightful con-
dition, almost unsafe for man or beast.
Not only does this condition of affairs
exist but more deplorable fact is that
the people themselves seem to have no
ambition to have things different.
Much missionary work is yet necessary
to convince many of them that road
is something other than long narrow
strip of land with the stumps pulled up.
Boards of trade and commercial clubs
could hardly find a better or more
promising field for work that would
bring in direct returns than in pushing
along the campaign for better roads.
MISSISSIPPI FARMERS FIGHT.-A ter
rible tragedy is reported from Learned,
Miss, in which two men were shot to
death and half dozen more or less
dangerously wounded. 1t appeared
that an only family feud existed be-
tween the McRees and the Terrels.
AT church let Sunday one of the
Terrels ives Severely beaten by three
McRees. They were arrested, and a
trial was held in the magistrates court
at Learned yesterday. The belligerents
were not satisfied and adjourned to an
open field to fight it out with their fists,
but instead pistols were used. Forty
or fifty shots were fired.
Two men, Forest and Leavell Nc
Rec, were instantly killed, while three
others, two of the brothers McRee,
were seriously wounded, and it is
thought that one OF them will die. The
sheriff was telegraphed to come at once,
repaired to enforce peace, as further
trouble was expected.
Learned is village of 200 inhabi-
tants, and the excitement is so intense
that the telegraph operator cannot be
prevailed upon to stay in his Office long
enough to give full particulars. The
country round about is thickly settled
with old families of prosperous farmers,
most of whom are related by blood or
marriage, and it is feared that more
gore will flow before the row is settled.