The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-02-11
THE AGITATION FOR COOP ROADS

The Romans were pioneers among the
ancients as road builders: in fact, it may
be said they were the first road builders
in any systematic and substantial way.
Some of their work has survived the de-
teriorations OF. time, the same surface
being still used as roads even to the pres
ent day. One peculiarly was that their
roads ran straight from one point to an
other without turning aside to avoid nat
ural Obstacles. The Romans built roads
more to facilitate the movement of their
legions than to aid travel or commerce.
The roads of England were bad as late
as until about hundred years ago, and
no improvement was made until there
was statutory compulsion. Napoleon,
when not at war, often built roads to
keep the people employed, and then sold
them for toll roads and used the money
in building others.
This country early authorized individ-
uals to build roads and gave power to the
builders to collect pay for travel on them.
The government itself built roads and
collected tolls to obtain the means of
keeping them in repair and to regain the
| money expended in their construction.
NhCH eilc runway was tile OHlv avenue
of commerce and hauling was for long
distances, more interest than latterly was
taken in roads and more effort made
to have good ones.
In some of the states the system OF road
building and reparation is very complete.
The country is laid off into small districts
and an officer elected who has charge of
the construction and repair of roads and
bridges, and is responsible for injury
resulting from his negligence The poll
tax is made road fund which can be
worked out or paid in money, and the
money so paid is expended on the roads
in his district. The officer is also en-
powered to call upon the residents of the
district to repair roads and bridges when
ever they become dangerous to travel.
If the poll tax does not supply what is
necessary to keep the roads and bridges
in proper condition, or more expensive
improvement is necessary, the township
or county makes contribution. Such a
! system assures good roads.
Since railroads have become so numer-
Gus, less attention has been given to
wagon roads, and for the reason that there
is comparatively little hauling for long
distances. Good roads, therefore, are not
as important as before the railway era.
People nowadays do not haul as much
in carriages and wagons as they did
generation ago.
California is large state, with great
deal of broken or uneven surface. To
maintain good roads is more difficult than
in states whose surface is level or less
broken. There are large sections where
population has been sparse, and hence to
put the work of building and repairing
roads upon the people of small and thinly
settled districts would be very onerous.
For that reason it is presumable the work
has been committed to the boards of su-
pervisors, and the expense paid out of
the county funds. In counties large in
territory the labor of the Supervisors is
very great, and it is difficult, indeed, al
most impossible for them to do the work
well. The people of every locality urge
extension and improvement of roads in
their vicinity and if what is done is not
to their satisfaction they are censorious.
The fact is, there will be better roads if
the responsibility is placed upon local
officer.
1t would seem to be wise to have our
counties divided into small districts and
road officer elected in each one of them,
that the poll tax in each district be APP
piled to road purposes, and in meritori-
GUS cases that the supervisors of the
county be empowered to render such pc
cuniary help as they may deem neces-
sary. The matter of laying out new roads
should be left to the surveyor of the coun-
ty, with the approval of the county super
visors. Money economically expended
upon roads cannot be invested more prof
itably to community. To permit those
liable to poll tax to work it out on the
roads in their respective district would
be generosity to many, and as they
would have an interest in common with
their neighbors in the character of the
roads their labor would result in the best
return to the public.