The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1895-07-12
Deer Creek Farmers Club.

Interesting anu hit tie IcSi-
dcncr of Mr.. ID. e. W. Smith OH Saturday. Mr..
Smith is Il charming host and all his guests
spoke in highest terms of his hos itality. His
place is certainly one of the loyelest, If not the
loveicst in Hartford county and as Mr.. r.. Har-
ris Archer aptly said 1T shows the expendi-
tIIre of brains as well as money"
The members present were John MoOres, w.
Beatty Harlan, John b. Wysong, X. Harris
Archer, c. Louis Ellicott, w. Il. Hopkins, :. A.
| Williams, james +. Kcnly, Robert +. Hanna,
John $. Webster, T. Edward SwartZ. The visi-
tors being General Roy Stone, special engineer
and commissioner of roads of the United States
| Christopher Wilson. A. +. Gubreath Charles
| H. Street,, j. Ross scarborough.
| The subject selected by the host, Il very time
| " one was Have local road leagues benefited
our public roads, aud how can that system be
| improved"
Mr. Smith, the host, said that the main idea
was the value OF road leagues and how can
| they be improved. He thought that the i'm
provement of roads dated back to the time of
| Adam, and if leagues had been formed then it
| would have been OF vast benefit to the present
| generation The origin oil leagues III narford
| dates back to the organization at Darlington
| This village had been noted for number of
| wears for its bad roads. A few of the leading
| citizens got together and asked the County
| Commissioners 10 give them tine regular appro-
| priatiUn allotted to roads in that vicinity to he
| expended III an united effort. Tins WAS grant
| ed by the authorities and the Darlington Road
| League was started. The success of the organ
| zaiion is shown today 10y the great improve
| ment OF all the highways committed to its care.
| The idea is to take roads out of politics and
| have someone 10 SupcrinteHd as many miles OF
nuendiug rs possible. If County Commission
| rrs were to give encouragement t 10 any person
| building the best section OF road i'll the county
| and all the leagues get together to further this
| scheme As an example of this the PpnnSylva-
mia Railroad, one OF the best managed corpora
| lions i'll the United States, offers Il premium TO
the foreman of the best kept section of its rail
road. No one would object to this system
| our roads, and the reward earned could be
| used to make some permanent improvements:
His idea was TO increase the amount allotted
the successful leagues 20 or 80 per cent As
an example of well mended road he would
mention the Level road, i'll charge OF Mr..
| Michigan. He is a road league i'll himself.
Mr.. Smith would take great pleasure i'll cOntri-
| buting to 4 substantial testimonial TO Mr.. Nc
| Gulgan.
r. Harris Archer could not say what advan-
tage road leagues were, not having had Suff-
Gent experience. The Churchville organiZa
ton had been under peculiar disadvantages on
account of not being able to get repairs for the
| road machine at the proper time He was al
ways in favor of roads being allotted in sec
lions, as the best work can be obtained in that
way.
John S. Webster favored road leagues. He
thought they had done much benefit to the
highways of the county.
w. b. Hopkins stated that there was no road
leagues in his section of the county, but he
thought they We're good thing. He had no
tIceu Il decided ana permanent Improvement
in tn G roads in the village of Darlington.
a Finney Galbreath is a road league man.
As an example see what il has done for OAR
lington and vicinity. Before any organization
money was spent as cheerfully as now, but the
result is much better One thing MIR. Smith
omitted was that in our league man was
out the rain was over to open
the drains. No farmer could afford to do this,
especially in harvest time. Another thing. we
train the supervisor to be member OF the
league and try to do more this year than last,
in the way of improving the roads. The Com
missioners should, in conjunction with our
road leagues, urge the use of broad tires for
our road wagons.
Christopher Wilson had been member of
the Darlington Road League since its organiZa-
ton, and was acquainted with all its principles.
He believed IL league could do more than indi.
viduals separately, and that better roads could
be accomplished by united efforts, rs money
will be spent more carefully.
james +. Kenly favored road leagues and
would use all his efforts to effect an organZa
ton in his neighbOrhood. He thought leagues
could mend the roads best
I. Edward Swartz said it was plain to be
seen the help road leagues are to our county
roads. OF course the Darlington organization
easily takes the lead, the others being in their
infancy as compared TO 1t.
s. A. Williams had been impressed with Il
number of different aspects the question pre-
scented. In the first place road leagues take up
existing conditions. They don wait for some
miracle to come about, but at once arouse
public interest. With them the question is
how much work we can get done for the money
while it used to he how much money can we
make out of the work. Leagues are valuable
to the County Commissioners, AS through them
they get more effective work for the money
Hugh j. Jewett said the Darlington league
had wonderfully improved the roads in that
vicinity, and he would do anything to advance
the good cause. 1t is Il we'll known fact that
an association of men can do better than each
individual could do separately. This applies
with particular force TO road leagues. He
urged all The organizations to get together and
have the fan amount of the county road money
pSsipllpI Them ! uiAy Duptt to be united Ill
der to h" more effective.
w H. Harlan said there We're different
phases OF The. road problem. An effective
league seems to be IL practical solution of road
mendng. 1t is always better to concentrate
responsibility. Leagues doaway with pension
ing and tax payers get more work Tor the
money.
John Moores thought leagues got up more
interest i'll our roads and they were thereby
much improved. This interest will continue to
grow. The only thing is tn get II good supervi-
sor. and the good of concentrated work will be
felt.
C. Louis Elcott was very much interested
in road leagues and though they had done good
work.
robert f. Hanna saw the Improvement in
roads after the leagues had been organized,
and he believed this Improvement will con-
tinue.
among road builders. He had organized State
and National Leagues, but he believed the
people of Hartford county had taken hold the
right end. The organization is the right step.
In this direction he Thought Hartford ahead OF
almost any county in the United States Some
mention had Leen made of the old stone roads.
An excellent solution of this question is to
pillow up half and crush the stones thus giving
an excellent turnpike for the other half.
Roads like this have been made in New York
for 5000 IL mile. General Stone favored COIL
Wet labor on the public roads. North Caro-
lima has been doing this for sometime with
marked success. Near Charlotte, where they
have heretofore haulded bales of cotton at
load they can now haul ten.
In reply to il question General Stone stated
it was bad idea to throw sod or grass into the
public road, as it always caused mud hole.
The best way to do is to run Il pillow lightly in
the gutter first and take the sod of. Then fol-
low with the Scrapcr.
James Lee. Edward H. Hall and Harry Sill
yer were proposed for membership.
1t was resolved not to make any exhibit at
the coming county fair. Instead of that the
club will offer IL special premium 1t has not
yet been decided what it will be offered for.
The next meeting of the club will be held at
Mr.. .IOhn Il. WNSOng's ON August Sd.