Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1896-07-31
In Relation to PublIo Roads.

FOREST LAKE, July "a, 1895.
Editor PRESS Your excellent editorial
on roads and public highways in the July
3rd issue of the paper, calls attention to facts
that should interest everyone who resides
within the limits of the State of Pennsyl-
vania, whether he be q resident of the
country or city, villager or farmer. 1
have reason to believe, that good wagon
roads have been longed for earnestly by the
people of the county which your paper re-
presents for the past many years, but the
ways and means to obtain them are the
grave questions they have been unable to
so I've. To illustrate the spirit of the peo-
pie, we have only to turn attention to the
road on the Delaware river from the Mata-
moras to the Monroe county line. This
road is as good as can be found in any part
of the State however prosperous that part
may be. The reason for this is that the
means of making it has been within the
power of the people of the district. The
natural grade of the road is easy and the
material for construction and repairs are
everywhere along by the wayside, and also
the neighborhoOds through which it passes
are quite populous.
The other parts of the County are not so
fortunate in this respect, the ways lead over
high noun tains, through swamps, over
rocks and large brooks, and miles Of scrub
by forest, almost uninhabited where materi-
al for construction and repairs are not con-
venient but must be hauled for consider
able distances. These obstacles and diff
culties put it quite out of the reach and
power of the local residents to furnish good
and acceptable roads for the wouldbe ira
vellers through these out of the way re-
gions. Mr.. Howard Kirkham, one of the
supervisors in Lackawaxen township,
writes me, that he has in his distract, "a
very rough and mountainous one, )thirty-
one miles Of road to keep in repair for the
year 1895, and only $39S.S5, with which to
do it. This is little more than $1,000 per
mile. A very small sum for the condi-
tions expected.
The Forest Lake Association OF Pike
county expends nearly, II not quite that
sum, In its roads yearly, and has not more
than one-third Of that mileage to keep in
repair and yet they are not what they
should be, and besides they are in great
measure protected from heavy traffic when
they are in soft condition.
The advantages Of good roads are every
where conceded in civilized communities.
Our National Agricultural reports have
shown year after year in figures, the great
economic value Of such to the public
whether they are used either for pleasure
or business and they also show thereby,
too, an increase of property value to the
commonwealth, point that should not be
overlooked by those who are urgent In the
maintainance of good highways through
all parts of this State. These figures may
In general way be true theoretically, but
not altogether SO practically. There may
be rich and desirable lands throughout
this, and other States that have been
greatly enhanced in value by good roads.
But they have not been proportionly 80 In
the rough and stony lands of Pike county
nor In any other such places. Should this
section OF the country be Obliged TO bear
the expense under the present regime of
the roads called for In these reports, the
property along their lines would be CON
tiscated to the State or county as the case
might be. As TO the lessening the ex-
pense Of haulage Of merchandise, or
farm products In these regions. there is so
little Of it, 1t need not enter into caleula-
ton. During the last s5 years there have
been many suggestions advanced looking
towards the Improvement Of highways, by
those who have acquired summer homes in
the country, and latterly, by the so-called
wheelmen. All since the turnpikes and
toll-gates have been given up. and the
burden OF road repairing has fallen upon
the local residents. Among these that
have taken form are the following: First,
that the road-building and repairing
should be taken charge Of by the different
State governments under the direction Of
the State engineers, and the expenses of
such become, consequently, a burden on
the TREASURES Of the commonwealth.