The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1897-04-10
BEST PUBLIC ROADS,
ElCYCL1STS AWARD THE pALa;
TO NEW JERSEY.
State Aid and Systematic Methods
Have Resulted in the Euildiur
OF Hundreds of Miles of
Smooth Highways.
Sh any experienced bicyclis1

x sk any experienced bicycles
IA where the best public roads
IN can be found, and the answe,
9 will invariably be-In New
Jersey. That State has concededly led
in systematic work Of improving it;
highways during the past few wears.
M.ln his last annual report Henry I,
Buad, State Commissioner of Public
Roads in New Jersey, says: "The
Sta:e aid law has stimulated the prop
erty holders OF many counties to
spend hundreds of thousands of dol.
lars upon their roads, to meet the
State appropriation"
Under this law the State has paid
since 1892 $4,000 for the improve
ment of the highways. which, added
to the amounts spent by countries and
Individuals. makes au aggregate ex.
pendlture within six years OF 81, AGO..
Oo0for permanentroads IN New Jersey.
There are 10000 miles of roads in tic
State, and about 500 miles of the most
irequented highways have been i'm.
proved permanently, Oh modern lines.
Temporary improvements are being
made in every county. Many good
roads leagues and associations have
been formed. Through the agitation
which they induce they have brought
forth money aud labor from their
respective communities.
Smooth, hard roads, beautifed by
trees and shrubbery, have developed
under the stimulus OF these local good
roads leagues. Foot paths and cycle
paths have been created, and the I'D.
pearence Of various communities has
been so changed that they have become
attractive centres OF settlement. "Too
much stress cannot be laid upon the
Importance OF these associations, .
says Commissioner Budd. s'Ehere is
no power SO useful as that which per.
suades each end every person or com
munity to do their best to help them.
selves by their own labor and contribu.
tons"
A novel feature Of the good roads
movement in New Jersey is the pro.
position to introduce instruction on
road building into the common schools
The need OF elementary instruction in
that direction is seen every day. The
State report says: "Tho ignorance
that prevails among the average rural
residents regarding the proper man.
ner Of repairing even the common
roads shows q striking necessity for
como kind Of technical instruction.
guided by which our ordinary town.
ship authorities will be able to make
tho best use Of the ever.prcsent ma.
terials for keeping the roads in proper
repair. In travelling over the country
we often see men repairing miry
roadway by throwing mud from the
bitches into the middle of the roadbed.
In all our communities it is common
practice to scrape tho vermont ma.
terial, that has been repeatedly washed
from the centre OF the road, back into
the middle Of the road, only to be
again washed out by tho rain or to be
waded through as deep sand. Up on
our macadam highways there is pre-
vai]ing spirit OF neglect; instead OF
Immediately repairing the little breaks,
our county officials leave them until
rods Of tho utone become unraveled.
necessitating, at times, the expenditure
OF several hundred dollars per mile for
repairs, where q few dollars would
have been sufficient.
Education is to be conducted along
the lines Of draining, and the prsycn.
ton of earth and water from mixing on
the roadbea; also to give knowledge
OF the proper admixturc of suitable
earth materials, clay, sand, ard gravel,
in the proportions that all make an i'm.
pervious roofing and form perfect
roadway for light traffic. People ore
to DO taught how to utilize the sea.
shore shells: and the shales and states
that abound in many sections.
Satisfied by the experience of the
past that no system Of permanent road
building can be uniformly successful
unless fostered by the State, Commits.
sioner Budd pleads for IN annual
State appropriation Of 100000. He
says: "Such an appropriation would
give to each county each year
healthy mileage, the taxation to meet
which would not be burdensome, prob.
ably no more on the average than one
eighth per cent on the rataSles, and
would result in an annual expenditure
Of more than 81. 000, 900 for improved
roads, rate that would soon place us
in position to attract millions OF
capital for investment and thousands
81 progressive citizens for permanent
residents. Improved highways give
new life to the country through which
hey pass, as they are often tbronged
with bicycles and other pleasure ye.
lic!cs."
Interesting phases a-e developed in
:he construction OF new ronds. For
Instance, Monmouth County is build.
Dg g road of bog ore four miles long.