Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1897-12-01
Early Results In Now Hampshire.


The old-fashioncd methods OF road
repairing in vogue in New Hampshire
como in for criticism from writer in
the New England Magazine, who
shows the advantages Of good roads
and advocates a State commission
similar to that of Massachusetts,.
In this connection it is interesting
to note some facts recently narrated in
communication to q Boston paper.
The writer learned them from a gen.
tleman who was member of the New
Hampshire House of Representatives
in 1872 and member Of its Commit
tee on Roads, Bridges and Canals.
He stated that m old stage driver
wanted him to assist him iu getting
the House to grant seven hundred
dollars to the Cherry Mountain, White
Mountain Notch and Profile Notch
roads, rs the towns through which
they ran were too poor to raise the
money. He had canyassea, he said, q
radius of forty miles, including Beth-
lehem, Jefferson, WhiteGeld, North
Conway, Franconia and Littleton, and
estimated that the summer tourists
spent fully S75, 900 in season. With
better roads lie expected that travel
would largely increase and far more
money be expended in the towns by
visitors.
Eighteen years later the gentleman
in question met the stage driver again,
and he told him that recent census
of the same district, counting only the
hotels and boarding-houses, and. ignor-
ing the boarders i'll farmhouses, indi-
Gated that the tourists had left sum
of money exceeding three millions of
dollars. "1'he success of the good
roads movement caused the building
of railroads, and it is estimated that
the expenditure by summer tourists in
New Hampshire exceeded ten millions
in 1895, and is constantly increasing" :"
Rural Postal Delivery and Good Ronds.
Discussing the benefits of rural
postal delivery, the Brooklyn Stand
ard Union has this to say: cit Sc
cures the prompt aud regular delivery
of mail matter to people who reside at
considerable distances from postofiices,
and who, by reason of being busy on
their farms or on account of the con-
dition of the roads, arc unable to
reach their postoffices except at great
inconvenience.
1t is doubtful if rural postal deliv-
ery can ever become entirely success
ful so long as the rural highways re-
main unimproved. There arc Sec
tions that have good roads and the
Government ought to give them the
preference in establishing the delivery
system in the country. Communities
not enterprising enough to build good
roads should not expect to be reward
ed for their inertness by having their
newspapers and letters brought to
their doors.
Perhaps the Government in expert
menting with the rural postal delivery
system might contribute materially to
the Good Roads movement by dis
eliminating, as suggested above, in
favor of those districts which have in
stituted reform on their highways.
By every possible means the necessity
for better roads should he impressed
upon the minds of that class of rural
residents and land owners that cannot
as yet be made to understand that
good roads will contribute to their
own we'll being, MS they would also to
that of all who have to use the roads.
Rural postal delivery is a desirable
improvement and in few years it
will prevail to lhrge extent through,
out tho country; but it is not to be
compared in value and importance to
good roads. There is no question be-
fore the American people to-day Of
such practical consequence to all the
people as the latter.-Rcchester IN.
W Democrat.