The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-06

interest in this most important need and
means of civilization, as to appoint compe-
tent commissioners to investigate this sub
Ject, and make a sensible report TO their
respective bodies? The commission should
not be composed of men who have other
axes to grind, or men who are blind to
the interests of the farmer and of the
whole community in every part of their
state. There are yet competent men to
be found and it is TO be hoped the interest
OF the people. and not party, will be so
far considered in the selection of commits
sioners that the work assigned them may
be We'll done. 1t happens on account of
prejudice and fear of eXorbitant taxation,
that many farmers are still opposed to a
law which will virtually place the road
making in the hands of state authorities
although with their consent. lest some
thing should be done which should be un-
fair to them; all this feeling will be entire
ly removed if they study into the effect
OF good roads upon all their interests.
There is no class of people who are so
much benefited by these improvements as
the farmer, and there is no other class
more lightly taxed for the purpose if the
proper laws are enacted The proof of
this statement is found in the fact that
wherever good roads have been made by
taxation at the request of the farmer,
they have in many cases been willing to
have their taxes increased still further to
secure more good roads Good roads al
ways gain favor for themselves, and when
once their value is known they must be
had and kept in repair even if it does cost
some money. The considerate farmer
sees that it is money well applied ana not
wasted.
The chief difficulty is in getting to work
in earnest Since 1888, there has been in
force in the state of Illinois, a road la
which gives sufficient authority to farm
To-, -
for themselves good roads; but ii seems to
have been generally inert, until in the
spring of 92. five years ago a complete
blockade in and around the town of Mon
mouth, in Warren county. moved the good
people to action They were stuck in the
mud, and they sensibly felt the necessity
of getting out i'm some way or other.
The inert law was looked up and inves>
tigated and found to be just the thing
they needed. 1t gave them the authority
to levy tax not exceeding 81 on each 800
valuation of all the taxable property, in
Guiding railroads in the township or road
district, for the purpose of making hard
roads.
This plan was at once set in motion
under the terms of this law, and a large
majority of farmers and all voted for the
assessment, and in a short time the work
was commenced.
Two kinds of road were experimental
with, stone road and a brick road. THESE
experiments were thought of sufficient i'm
portance to the public by the agricultural
department at Washington to have col
lected the details as 10 the manner of con-
struction and what has been accomplished
with a liberal outlay of money. These
details have been published in circular
%, issued from the department.
The stone road cost at the rate of 70
cents per linear foot at width of eight
or nine feet.
The road constructed and paved with
brick cost after the construction of the
road bed, 80 cents per running foot for n
paved surface of brick seven feet wide,
curbed with 2x6 inch plank with a bank
ing of two feet of broken stone on each
side; making in ALL road eleven feet
wide. Whether this cost includes the
broken stone is not clearly stated, but
proba bly, it includes all. This is a very
expensive road for a country road, and
whilst it may please the citizens of Mon
mouth, it is certainly too expensive for or
binary purposes through the country. The
country road must be a stone and not a
brick road, especially if it can be built
much cheaper, and of a reasonably good
quality