The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-12-18

why not have good roads?
Good roads would help the farmer.
Good roads would save money for the
Good roads would help tbs city mer-
Good roads would be good for the
whecimen.
GOOD roads would benefit everybody.
mart nobody: why not have good roads,
The good roads convention. which is TO
be held IN tizis city on December zs. prom
isss to De well attended The interest
manifested IN this matter is already very
great. and mo road question formed the
eSbject OF q good many discussions yes
farcay.
II was admitted on ali sides that good
ROADS are absolutely essential 10 the best
Interests Of this section. The county com
missfonsrs. who exercise gensrai super
vision over tbs roads of this county. are
deeply interested ia the matter. and mink
that It y a move In the night direction.
They are well informed as 10 the neesis OF
tho county. 80 far as roads are concerned.
and give tEs movement their cordial In
dorsainent Chairman Fred Gasch. OF nhe
board Of county commissioners. la speak
ang OF the convention yesterday. said:
II think that this convention Is just
the thing We want. AS matter o, fact.
II lfif Ul4U VINO fA1NkE1 TIE tftVtttffffiAf
gave Mr.. Hart the ideas, and he picked
them up and brought thena before the
State Dairy Association. where TREY we're
adopted. My idea Is that the present zys-
tam OF road supervisors should bs done
eWay with. and that ia lieu 81 them all
. the authority In relation 10 road matters
should be placed Ia the hands Of some one
man who fully understands tbs art Of road
building. / want the authority taken
fEfz4s n
err and 30 let the man who has charge
Of tho roads have full controI over tife
road and bridge funds. / believe that IN
this way much more elective and durable
roads would to- bnAt thaA. under the pres
ent system. Astiln road fand IS at pres
ent utilized. Il h selttered al over tho
cou4y. and as Result there IL conasae4a-
eon6tructed. BIZ a expert. the work would
be- boee ina more substantial and work
mshs!ks nlAntsr. and would be much more
saq1actSy tad thorough than Il IL al
.sNo. ado no& believe that It would DO a
good plan TO efppioy the county prisoners
at the work ofsgoadhuilding. Ia the flrss
place they woulfshage TO be shackled. and
, shen a howl would - up from the human
4tariAns that this MAS brutal. Guards 10
Look after the PRISONERS would have TO be
employed az 50 much per day besides
xhis tho prisoners would have 20 De trans
ported from tho county Jaii 20 the point
at which they were working on the roads,
and this would cost something the
guards would have 10 be armed with guns
and they might have to shoot an escaping
prisoner occasionally. No. the plan Of en-
ploying prisoners at roadouildng Is not
feasible for the reason that thu cost would
be more than their work would DE worth.
iii tell you what ] am Ia favor Of, and
that 10 putting thu prisoners 70 work
breaking rock. but II they did THIS It ought
20 be bohlnd high walls over which they
could not sscRpo.
County Commissioners Il. o. Nlckerson
said: II think the iesa OF holding a good
roads convention 10 an sxeallent one. 1
am sure that some improvement on the
present system can be devised. and GER
tain that something OF rusl value VIII re-
suit from che convention. Tho question
o. providing good roads IL one That re-
quires thoughtful attention. l do not Ike
Tne present system or small funds, "a *
scatters the efforts towards good roads.
aud the result tlas not been at all salts
factory In brief / belisve Il would be-
advantageous to tho county 30 have one
consolidated fund instead OF many funds
IN the several districts, as - the case A.
present New the road fund IN each dis
trlet n under the control 81 supervisor.
whom are netghbors. and as canse-
qnenee the work Il gisen To these friends
and neighbors without much attention be-
ing given to their ftness fer the WuFN in
Rand Politics cu1 mere ct less figure IN
sho hestowai OF this road patronage In
de- such circumstances p0oF read work -
often done.
Il have felt that IL some competent man
was given fun authority IN the matter q
road building IN the county, removing the
snaster AZ far as possible from politics.
che result would be better roads. This
man shOg1d De selected solely Ter his ca
yacity in the matter OF road building. and
De should De allowed 10 say where and
when thg highways should Re binlt Above
oil. he Should build permanent roads With
heavy foundations or stene. The roads
constructed at present in the county are
net suitable for this climate. TAe road
t. first graded ami then thin film %
gravel II placed on the grade. The ground
that supports the grave. = Vet foy SIX
months IN the year and when Il raEea The
ground becomes very saFt. When a RsEon
OF any wetghi PASSES over It the wheels
cut tarough. ana thc wagon II soQa tnired.
What Il eaated "a heavier raasis Whea
.he roadway = graded II should b nllea
with a foot ar tgo c1 hroken rock. aal
then the whcols would not pass shrpagh te
soft nWd ard the roaa wo0ia be psssaeia
a. ell times IN tie YEAR. let Eoct roads
or THE ktsd be nuil,. even 81 we csa oniy
construct . few miles each year. In my
opinion. Il MOULD Re better than Co con.
ssrnct many mites of poor roadway thss
ere only passahle during the 6ry seAEon.
and. therefore. closed 20 travel for SIX
months m the year r. better roats ar
built Il VIII be more satisfactory to both
fhe taxpayer AMI these Who usa the
TcasSs.
"fr ave could De PASSED directing 8hat
rrlaeners conid he put 20 uork GA ths
roads. snt they cscl3 "a taken % any nart
OF The eeanty without any gfess a3Bt~
tiauai cost 20 Ire eouBty, vNg8 be sa
favor or working tire rE.soaevs oa t}e
roads. bat there - lae ce3t - 81 conFi e.
cred would not care 90 hsvs rlttrfercrs
srs nlsn e snat stamp aiken eas o. - thar
kira az work. as Il wond afford TEEN tna
sr.any chances for ~seaHn ,, weu.9 he a.
rtght for ttase SENTENCED Tor sWaH terms.
end for hoAOs. ! know f tae Fr.sovvss
were put II work ca fae reads it Wou'a
lessen the number Of PRISONERS that NE