Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1897-04-14

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approaches very close to $4,000 per year
Fhis money is raised by direct taxation
on real estate, personal property and a
share of the hotel license fees. Tax pay.
ers are given the right by law to work
out their taxes.
III Is very conservative statement
that nine tenths of this money is wasted.
by little figuring we see that in twenty
years, at the same rate, the cost of road
making in Springfield will reach the
sum of $l2O,OOO. A waste of 80 per cent.
would be waste of $lOS,OOO and bene-
mt OF $4,000. In so years the amount
spent would be $4SO,OOO; the loss would
reach the enormous sum of $4,000, while
the benefits should show $4,000 worth of
improvements.
These figures reach such gigantic pro-
portions that you may feel inclined to
doubt them, butth estimate is much
more liberal one than that given by
Judge Thayer, of Iowa, who says that
"this country contributes annually to
the mud tiend $25O,OOO of which amount
Iowa pays at least $s,OOO,OOO. A total loss.
Francis V. Green in an address to the
students Of Union College, referring to
the prevailing system of road making,
says: at is not too much to say that the
greater part Of this sum, produced no
useful results, and was wholly wasted"
Governor Hastings in his message but
two months ago just as earnestly con-
demns our system of making roads and
the waste attending it, and calls the at
tention of the Legislature to the neces-
sity Of change in the laws.
The Cumberland road was built over
80 years ago, and the Hon. Martin Dodge,
President Of the Ohio State Highway
Commission, says of it: "This road was
well built by the general Government,
and is in fair state of preservation for
the most part" While the old Roman
roads are fairly preserved, without
special repair, after the laps Of 1000.
The above estimates are probably as
nearly correct as they can be attained,
and would ask any one familiar with
our roads If they show more than $4,000
worth Of improvement But IL my figures
should show an exaggeration of one half
they would still show a shocking waste
of money; to which add the waste of
time, the discomforts endured, the wear
and tear of horses, wagons and persons,
the loss resulting from an inability of
reaching the markets at the proper time
and to say nothing Of the profanity ex-
pended in use of these roads, and your
hair will stand on end before you get
half through.
The money value of good roads is an
interesting subject, which our limited
time allows us merely to touch upon.
State Commissioner of Public Roads Ed
ward Burroughs. of New Jersey. in his
report says: "Union County has bor-
rowed $445,000 at per cent on $40 bonds.
and covered the county with complete
system of Telford and Macadam roads.
Essex County has built 200 miles and
Passaic County 65 miles and with the
interest of the bonds added to the tax
levy, the rate Of taxation is lower than
before the building of the roads," and
the value of the property along the roads
has increased 80 to 50 per cent.
"By actual test, t,"says President Greene,
"it has been proven that the same force
which draws one ton on muddy earth
road, will draw four tons on solid mae
adam road. On the improved roads in
New Jersey loads OF to 5 tons are habi-
tually drawn by two horse team"
BY way of a very simple illustration
let us suppose that there are 60 families
i'll Springtown, which use on an average
tons of coal in winter. A team will
deliver the coal from the nearest station
on the L. V. r. r. for 81 50 per ton, one
ton being a fair two horse load. The
transportation would cost $3.50. Now il
the same team in the same time and with
the same effort could haul four tons, the
cost would be just one fourth of $500 or
$50; saving Of 500 on our winters coal.
Why the present cost of delivering the
coal from the station above alluded to
is equal to the cost of mining the coal
and transporting by railroad to the sta
ton. How are We to prosper when the
cost of the transportation of freight for |
or ten miles to or from a station, equals
railroad freight for distance of 400
miles?
The making of good roads in this Sec
ton would be neither difficult nor ex-
pensive, but as there are "none so blind |
as those that will not see," it unfortu-
nately can not be seen by enough of our
people. Nature has literally endowed
us with the best road building material, |
and has so conveniently placed it, that |
the great cost Of roads is eliminated |
The only roads that have stood the test
OF time and wear are stone roads, and |
they are the cheapest and only practica-
bio roads for us to make. Perhaps one |
half the roads in this township and prin- !
cipally those most used have a telford |
foundation, upon which should be placed |
layer of about six inches of coarsely |
crushed stone. These should be strongly |
rolled until perfectly solid. Upon this
should be placed an additional layer of |
or 4 inches OF more finely crushed stone,
with finishing binder of stone dust or |
earth barely sufficient to bind the loose |
stone, and then rolled until the surface |
becomes so solid as to be impervious to
water and the action of horses hoofs. |
The road bed thus made should be no
less than 10 feet wide, sufficiently raised |
in the middle to allow surface water to |
flow off. The sides, to the edge of the |
road may be of earth, also well rolled,
and sloping gently toward the gutter. II |
there be too much top dressing Of earth,
ruts will form, the horses hoofs will |