New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-12-18
WESTCHESTER'S BAD ROADS.
PROSPERITY OF THE COUNTY RETARDED
BY THEIR CONDITION.
ONLY TWO HIGHWAYS WORTHY OF THE NAME
THE TOWNSHIP SYSTEM or MAINTENANCE
IrRE-IMPRovEMENTs TO BE MADE
IF THE STATE WILL HELP.

r,;u TOWNSHIP SYSTEM or MAINTENANCE A
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. TO BE MADE
IF THE STATE WILL HELP
Tho natural attractions Of Wcstcheser County
are manifold Its pleasing variety Of hill and val
ley its inland views OF surprising ana eVer-chah"-
ing beauty: with the Hudson River at Its greatest
width forming Its western boundary and the shores
of Long Island Sound. indented with many n pct
uresaue bay. marking its southern limit all co"-
bine TO make It a delightful place for the nome
seeker. the tourist awhcel. afoot. looking Tor
a change Of scenery. the artist seeking an III
SEPARATION for his cai.vas. In addition TO these az"
vantaCes the county Is thlckly Sprinklcd with
prosperous well-ordered villages and attractive
rural settlements. Besides these features OF IL Hill"
terial character the county has history "i iho''
than ordinary interest that dates back to tn"
earliest times 1t Is rich in traditions OF 'he o'u
manor days of the Dutch settlers. and In many o'
fla villages still linger tales of the Revolution whe
cowboy" and 'skinncr' alternately ravaged its
farms and pillaged It's settlements. wh''e IN he'"
ture Irving and Cooper and host oil other wr'e,
have clothed OF it's localities with n roman'c
interest that nothing but the pen OF genius can
give BY its location tho county IL the natural site
for the country homes OF the thousands OF New
York City people who can AFFORD sucn es'a"is"-
mcnts either permanently or during 'he Hu'''"e'
months Already portion Of the county mas pe
come legally part OF the metropolis uhu e'c.!
he
ward into the county at steadily increasing rate
Iyb,e tho scenery of Westminster Is beyond crit
icisrn TO outsiders its system of highways tna'
form the means of communication between i's ".'
fercnt parts is in deporable state bes'ucS '''o
highways there are four railroads that run through
the county. The Hudson River. the harien anu
the New.York and Putnam. all parts OF the New
York Central and the New Haven Railroad. lhese
railroads furnish the rapid transit facilities oe-
tween the various villages and Ncw-ior Wy
and OF late years ali Of the villages borderihs "po"
these line. have increased greatly In population
and wealth. and some have assumed the RANK anu
dignity Of cities Besides the railroads there are
several trolley lines but az yet the Westminster
svs,em of electric railways is In its infancy win
tho exception Of the trolley lines in the lower por
ton OF the county. the partly compieted "n'e
Plains and Tarrytown line ana the S's ''s
trolley which latter line Is confined IN us ope'
a,ions entirely within the limits OF that village
the highways furnish the sole means o' ''o'S
county intercommuncation
Outside tho broad bouevards in Southern west
chester the Boston Post road. the oid-time
mail route running to the East. ana tho Albany
Post road. once the mail and coach route 10 ,"e
North these highways not in good condition
beyond tho boundaries OF the villages thro"eh
which they run. As rule. the other roads or the
county lack diroctness: they seem and actually do
take the wayfarer from one village 10 anothcr 10y
the longest way around and up and down the
s,cenes, grades To tho vcricst novice the lack OF
system or OF anything like engineering skii or iofe
thought IA AT once apparent. In the MAIN Inv o'
es,ahlshcd roads in the interior are simply ampli-
fed cowpaths and old-tme farm lanes, st'ii MAIN
,o,,,,, ofter after more than century OF us".
IN. ancient twists and turnings OF the Original 'ra
through primitive woods And when IL " co"S'u-
cred that the cost o. macadamizing roa"s u 's'-
mated AZ so much a mile. and that many OF '"e
wes,choster thoroughfares. In their winnings ana
In or
suffice. It Is evident. as matter o. punhc econ
orov Z, building as well keeping In repair 10
say nothing OF distance and time. that th'y h'en
the attention OF the surveyor ana engineer III VIII
A. the practical roadnaker
zach TOWN RUNNING IT'S OWN ROADS
Excepting the old mail routes ana oouc'"'os
already mentioned the roads or me county H
their origin were projected and worked by inc
Iucbwav Commissioners OF the particular town
through which they ran. and haV" since p'"h kept
In repair by the authority. cach Town A''p''s
ia own highways In order according 10 It's abili'S
or Interest. The amount OF money eSpeh''" Nv
the towns upon the highways within their pouh"'
arle. unlcss AT times when special appropriations
mr.. voted Is never sufficient to properly perform
tho work and all over the county the annual re-
nairs 10 a large proportion OF the highways con
sis simply in scooping last years deposit OF muh
out OF the cutters and placing IT back on the crown
OF the road. 10 be washed again mo NE son,n ny
Within the corporate limits Of me yillagcs ,ne
roads taken care OF on dincrsn, syr as IA
ing but all TOO frequently II II found upon io'low
ing them out beyond the slasc limits ,nao ,he
town. that they end III HuouS i'N''' "'" ""
out and stony ascens , , . e..., s,.e,o,o
Recognizing the utter lack OF any genera sSs,om
of roads throughout the county. and the dis)ointc
manner Ia which those that are IN existence ate
of BY BE r Of Nol
last session OF the Board OF supervis9rs miro gro
tenn. in accordance with Chapter 2S Laws OF ~"
IMPROVEMENTS CONTEMPLATED
Tb. resolution was prefaced by the assertion that
"the tov OF a good market IL couded by the grief
OF a poor road and contemplated the building Of
n system OF macadam or gravel roadbcds on ROADS
running from the cities OF Yonkers and Mount
Vernon and the villages OF Port chester. Hye.
Mamaroneck ew-RocheIle. Pelham Hastings.
Dobbs Ferry Irvngton and Tarrytown to the
county seat: also including the two principal roads
running north and south; ono on the east ana one
on the west side of the county, namely; Inc one
on the east side beginning at the northeriy Inc OF
the village OF White Plains. running through the
villages OF Kensico and Armonk. and continuing In
a northerlv direction until II reaches the putnam
county line Tho one the west side beginning
AT the northerly line OF the city OF Yonkers and
running along the Saw Mil River road, through
the towns OF Grecnburg. Mount Pleasant. Ossning.
New Castle Cortland and Yorktown nnd ,h IL
roads running from cast to west. az follows firsf.
! villages OF BanksviIlc. Armonk and Pleasantvie
| TO Sing Sing: second beginning AT me state line.
and running through the villages OF Lewisboro.
! Poundrdgc Bedford and Mount kiscO 10 Sing
/ Sing: third. beginning at the state line. and run
/ ming through the towns OF North Salem Somers.
/ Yorktown and Cortland TO Peckskill.
In support Of this project II WAS alleged that II
would so improve and increase the value OF prop
erty throughout the entire county that the bonds
issued TO raise money to pay Tor such Improve
| ments would be paid without imposing any extra
burden upon the taxpayers: hut. on the contrary,
would tend to decrease the taxes In the near
| future and through all time.
HELD UP WAITING FOR STATE AID.
Tho proect introduced by Mr.. See was laid over
nv the Board for consideration. and at later
meeting was laid upon the table on Mr. Sees