New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-10

rbere are committees in general charge OF Them
and the expense Of maintenance Is borne IRON
the rates There Is an inspector for every oN.-
sion of the county, and the roadmen are fespoi'''
BILE to him for keeping their sections III o'ue'
They are employed all the year rouhu III va"
work. and indeed do nothing else ohe ro"u"'""
will have a section OF two or three ""es w.
which he works summer and winter or so'"'
times two or three Of them will have longer
strip OF roadway - keep up together 1t is the
duty of the roadman to go over his section se'
eral times a week and to remove manure news
papers large stones and anything else mat &c
unsghtlv The road Is tidy because the ro""
man is an industrious scavenger with shoVei anu
barrow The road Is also in good repair BECAUSE
he Is a road-mender who Is not allowed to neglect
his business After a heavy rain he goes over
his section and If he sees signs anywhere OF tne
collection Of water In ruts or depress'ons' lie
takes warning and mends the breaks.
The material which he needs is close at hand
Here and there are collected supplies Of flint and
gravel from the fields for his use. and his bar
row ordinarily suflces for the purpose OF re-
newing the roadway and restoring the leVeh
He is held accountable for his section. ana neg
lect on his part does not escape Observation
ma ssed several of these road-menders on the way
TO Stonehenge and wondered what they couio
find to do when the highway was apparently IN
faultless condition; but their keen eyes had de
tected some bemiShes, ana they were reiheu9'hs
them without delay.
In some English countes-I think Wiltshire
is one Of them-prizes are offered FOR the sectloh
Of road which Is kept in the best order through
out the year There Is an honorable riVair!
among the road-masters for obtaining these
rewards and the winners are proud OF their dis
tinction as champion road-me nders. When all
the roads are pre-emnent for their excellence
II cannot be an easy matter for the most critical
committee to make the awards: but the erect
Of the competition Is TO put every man on MS
mette and 20 increase the efficiency OF the road
service. , -
How different are these methods and proc
esses from those which prevail in rural Amer
lea where highway commissioners draw their
salaries and set gangs OF labOrers at work rev
days before election, or where farmers IN inc
autumn when there is nothing else to do. unite
in weeks voluntary service as oad-menders.
CONTINUOUS WORK.
The care of the English road is intrusted to a
body OF trained workers. who are on the ground
from the beginning to the end of the year. and
who take pride in having their sections in the
best possible condition. II a tree falls by the
wayside, it is not allowed TO dishgure the road
but is speedily removed for firewood and the
stu,np rprooted Litter OF every sort Is col
lected and put out of sight. The rough places
are made smooth. and the holes are filed with
flint Sumner and winter the road Is cleaned
and grade and level are closely watched. There
is unceasng vigilance on the part OF roadmen
and inspectors and the public highway is al
ways in fautless order. How do we manage
TO have good roads in England" A practical
roadman would say, I'VE make them in the best
possible way and never allow them to run
down" That is perhaps the sum Of the whole
matter.
The English have reason to love their country
roads There is nothing lovelier in their rural
scenery. Let there be an exquisitely proper
toned cathedral at one end of the drive and an
archaeological marvel at the other it is still the
road that inspires unCeasng delight every mile
Of the way. There no ragged footpaths at
the sides: there is no litter of underbrush and
refuse: there is nothing unsightly at any turn
The road -menders might almost be landscape
gardeners. so neatly trimmed the hedges, so
the borders of turf. and so lovely are
the varied roadside effects. Americans can
never have such country roads until. like the
English. they have learned to love them better
than their houses their lawns. Then they
will insist upon having them we'll made and
Systematically cared for l. ~ T.