The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-05-23


Of course, be no satisfactory Improvement
IN highway construction under such great
sub division OF management as this and
Il is entirely unnecessary that there
should be a highway surveyor or superin-
tendent to each 1-3 miles of highway.
Another hindrance to the successful con-
struction and repair of roads in many
parts OF the State Is the law which
permits the working out OF highway
taxes. When this method is adopted, the
farmers naturally do their work when II
is most convenient for them, without
regard as 10 whsther it Is the best season
OF the year, or whether the roads are in
the best condition to be repaired; and
here again comes in the element of lack
Of experience in road building. A former
Governor in his annual message to the
New York State Legislature says:
IL am thoroughly convinced that
The prosperity of our own State and es-
pially the Interests of it's agricultural
sections, demand prompt and effective
efforts to improve the condition of our
highways. There can be no sub
stantial improvement in the coun-
try roads of this State so long as
the law compels the continuance of
the present system OF sub division into
minute road districts, averaging scarcely
more than mile each in length. Whether
the repairing OF the road in such district
be done by actual labor OF the inhabi-
tauts thereof, or by employees paid by
money compensation for such labor, the
unsatisfactory result will be substantially
the same"
The total mum Der OF miles Of highways
in this State is about 2420. The length OF
macadam is about 24S miles and Of gravel
roads 3l2, all as returned by the various
town and city clerks. Deducting from
the length of macadamized roads those in
the cities Of Providence, Woonsocket,
Pawtucket, and Newport, there
are left only about 20 miles dis
tributed among the other towns OF
the State, and the larger part of this
amount will be found in very few towns.
OF the 3l2 miles of good gravel roads men,
toned in the returns of the town and city
clerks, all but very few miles are dis
tributed among eight towns OF the State.
Of the 2420 miles OF highways Of the State
615 are in the compact parts of the various
towns, leaving 1906 as the length OF su-
burban or country roads. As the larger
proportion OF the macadamized and gravel
roads lie within the compact parts Of the
towns and cities, it will be seen that a
very small percentage Of the country roads
are what might be called good roads.
In the committees opinion, then, the
poor condition of the highways in a large
portion of the State is mainly tracea BILE
to four causes.
The first is the insufficient appropria-
tion on the part of the town for con-
or in explanation of this, the
poverty OF many OF the towns is urged,
and the limited amount of taxable prop
erty within their borders. II the town
has any natural advantages to be devel-
oped, its poverty will be to q greater
extent cured by improving its highways
than in any other way, for II the theory
Of the value OF good roads
as an agency In building up
q community is correct, any expenditures
made for that purpose will be paid many
fold by the increase in taxable property
consequent upon tho development of
these advantages and by the saving to the
individual taxpayers in time, and In the
wear and tear OF their wagons and horses.
III the town has no such
natural advantages then no expen-
ditures for highways, or for
anything else, will make 1t thriving and
prosperous community, for the reason
that you cannot make something out OF
nothing.
Among natural advantages may be
cited undeveloped water power, or shores
upon navigsble tide water, or soil which
Is peculiarly adapted to the raising of sue h
crops as will find ready market within
the State.
II an annual appropriation sufficient to
construct some good roadway in each
year, in addition to doing the necessary
repairs upon such highways as the town
has, will make too great a tax upon the
citizens, let the town 60 In debt, provided
1t has anything within its limits to be
developed. Every city and every
town In this State which has good
roads has had to do so, and
any town which is to have them, will
have TO do the same. 1t is just, also, to
do this, for highways 40 built are practi-
cally permanent construction, on which
only slight annual repair will be re-
quired. They will last for years, and
many generations will benefit from their
existence, and the whole cost OF such i'm
provement should not be borne by the
present generation.
State aid to a town in the matter OF
taking care of its own concerns is not
proper or justifiable. AS matter Of po-
litical economy, every town must justify
its existence by being able to maintain
itself, just as in the case Of the individ-
ual, aud, in the end, charity will be just
as demoralizing to the one as to the
other. What is needed is that citizens OF
the town should appreciate the advan-