The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1898-02-25
GOOd Roads Advocated.

UOOu ItOduS AutOCtUcu.
Ell. DEMOCRAT: l see nothing
Of late on this topic and suppose
since the groun hog seen his shal-
ow that all the advocates of Good
Roads have gone within the walls
of their )stly mansions and wait.
ing for Sol to dig the mud and
smoothe the ruts ere they will ven
ture out ag ,ir, and well it is for
them II they can 30 afford to do at
this time, for never in the memory
Of our citizens have our roads been
so dangerously bad as at this Inc.
Will our people never arouse to the
proper sense OF road making and
get this impoi tant pnblic improve
ment on a proper system and save
such ruthless expenditure of funds
with not the slightest Improvement
nor will there ever be unless some.
thing better is adopted ard far
better too.
Can 1t be possible that after these
many years Of dragging in the same
mud with little new each year
that we still continue to d. the
same thing and at the same cost
and nothing to show when the year
is up that any betterment is had
However this is the fact in general
and in many places the hills are
sleeper than years ago and the clay
shows o1t more plainly and the
mud is worse to pull through, still
we repe 1t the old story of the worst
make sniff of road working con-
ceivable. Let us strive to do some.
thing that v hen done is not an un-
deniab' e curse hen we consider
the waste of money, time and labor,
and turn our better judgement to
some real account and when done
we will see there is some reward
A few suggestions would certainly
come in order, then the first step
would be careful survey of the
roads with an eye single to get the
best grade and suitable grounds
along the ronte to be made; second
good and sufficient grading and
drainage; third an ample stone
ballast dressed with crushed lime.
stone or good gravel. Come what
may when we have done this jud.
iciously we can expect to 60 to mill
and market any time and no fear.
ing that we will swamp and must
have another team or two to pull
us out of the mire and besides we
could take a creditable load o
whatever we have to haul and &C
along very pleasantly avoiding the
dread saving the wear and tear ol
teams, wagons harness and no pay
as our load does not now justify
going nor the wear and tear much
less Iay. Many claim we are TOT
poor and that it would cost entirely
too much aad thousand and on,
other excuses many Of which seen
too true TO oppose but can we afforC
to do so much worse in the enc
and at last we must do just wha
we now oppose or ever drag along
the old rut deeper and deeper il
the mire more and more dreadin,
the idea of having to go anywher'
In the muddy season and but littl,
pleasure at best.
But where is the money to com
from to do this is the point in ques
tion and shall we sell bonds or hoy
eIse? If there 10 any conceivabl
way to do this without selling bond
and certainly there are other ways
for by special levy we might rails
several thousand dollars and us
this each year as far as funds An,
donation woull go at least donatio
OF labor and by commencing on
few OF our thoroughfares and eA
tend these across the county n. {
L. and w. and then the others 4
order OF their use and importanc,
The time would not be far distar
when we could say, now we hav
good roads and away we would e
, II much happier people. We coul
have regular force of road builC
ers flour criminals were so emplo!
} ed just where they should be an
r each county should take care of h,
own which would give us a hon
market for such things as foo
: rainment and etc,and more impor
, ant this would put II stop to crimin
J labor coming In contact with hone