The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-12-25
THE GOOD ROADS MOVEMENT.

Seattle. Dec. -. 1896
To the Editor; There is hardly any
deviation OF opinion thar good roads are
very desirable and thar something ought
70 be done 20 change the present deplora-
BILE state our county roads are in. The
coming road convention on the 2Sth inst.
viii no doubt fully discuss the question
and bring Il into some practical shape. so
ulat a bill can be presented TO our next
legislature, whose business II viii be 10
further discuss and inquire into the just
complaints OF the people. and IL possible
70 have some remedy applied.
The Qucs ion most difficult TO solve is
What kind % organization is necessary
and what steps should ne taken Ia order
20 build The right kind Of roads and in the
right places? We may for that purpose
look about and nnd out how do other
countries DO 1t. and can We copy or mod
ify any system used somewhere else. We
need only go over % British Columbia
where the government builds and main
tains all roads and bridges. The beauti-
tul drives around Victoria on iirst-class
roads have done a great deal toward the
good name end reputation that beautiful
city has. Nor are the isolated outlying
districts neglected In British Columbia
10 takes only a handful of settlers. any
place 70 have roads as we'll - a school
house bullt by the government. X seems
10 me that a department OF public works
ought to be organized BY cur state. To
the same might belong the building Of GER
tain roads and bridges. bat also dykiBg
and irrigatine. II such De carried out. or
only controlled and supervised by the
state. II may be new departure, but
nevertheless possibly a step IN the right
Girection, as 10 seems thai the idea OF 4
psiernai government * making more and
more Roadway. and objections found 20
corporations. IL seems a pity THAI large
WITH the valuable cultivated farms now
existing ike on the Ia Conner fats and
olympic marsh. should be left 70 The msr-
cy OF the elements Cor the want Of suffi-
Client financial strength Of the dyk king dis
triet. That Irrigation districts should be-
formed Tor che corporations 10 carry out
such Improvements on government land,
ls hardly necessary. wt3en the state can 10
such work az minimum cost and sell or
rens 90 farmers.
First Of all. the question Of a proper
road system should be taken Up by the
department % public works which 10
doubt would be assisted In the same by
suggestions from The different counties
ami l9dsvldusls - vel as a general dis
cusslon in re press
Taa msin arteries ~ roads such as
across the Cascade mountains. could not
he undertaken hy other than the state.
Main roads going tkraHe1 and connecting
several counties bgtt ay combined eg-
forts of counties snd VITA STATE subsidy
should be haiit unter. state control. untH
.urued over 90 the respective C1uatles
Purely county raada shaald De- under
ccuaty officers county ehEiueersb control
The task of planning a proper system -
reads for the 81 aola state is no snall mat
ter eae buisiinT Ct TEe same Cf sta
greater magnitude Hut SIS &c Is work
no. 60 be performed ia 8 year or Two. hnt
mere tor rs generation ar two, e is not
90 be supposed tbat money SHOULD ba
found for mare than "a snaN ginning
Tr7e selection OF the -iE1t locality esus-
ctaiy for she main ar turnpike roads IS -
rne greattst tTportslsf' TIE location . nA
surveying cE she same shoula ae carried
on something iike IN the same way as
ra -soad location ana minimum gea.ses oh
tsl-ed as muCh as poss s9.e- TIE prlncteies
~ r.st5 making are simple enough ike
eVtfEtt.aE else. s37 escse that know BOW
8. IS tae business ~ tsse nrseti-al engineer
to apply tne same IN 8at reid according 10
ttTerTut rfrrfsrssf sncss- ~ esterD ana
Eastern WasAinEteE Being Ntfelv diner
rng cllUs -aeaAy ana geosrar1iesl g.. tfe
engineer wsuid k1aw aew % avatx ms
knowledge scoor1sHgIs. \ rrS.-class rsaaa
costs sots 0f mw1ey. huI Il iocase,l ln the
rlEht place usav 81 3aaprovc8 ard extend
81 from eaae go UzEe. uarA in tae sane
sav as we Est some 81 oar streets .a So
&ggse - risat perfection IN course az .sne
!. ". GRAFT. Civ. Engineer.