Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1899-03-02
Improvement OF ROADS.
c. Benton Conner Enters a Protest
Against the EicheIberger Plain.


e Against the EicheIberger Plain.
Editor SPECTATOR:-With your per.
mission l will give few reasons why
plan, endorsed by Mr.. Gray, of main.
tanning and macadamizing our roads in
Augusta county.
am opposed to his plan, because it
: is out of date, impolitic and inpracti
cable, As the n!d adage is, doctors
Will differ, " SO farmers will differ on
the great problem of good roads, not
withstanding Que of them has the en-.
dorsement of "a lawyer
L have been associated with the Road
Board of South River district as d.
rector, ever since our present system
of working our roads has beeu in Oper-
alton. / do not claim to be an expert,
but l know more about the business
than did ten years ago. Our Board
has always worked together harmo-
niously and successfully. Our Commits
siOners have been good, sensible, con-
scientiOus and practical men, and with
all due Difference to Messrs. Eichelber-
ger and Gray, assert that our roads
in South River district have been
greatly improved, and If let alone will
continue to do SO under our present
System.
| l admit that our roads are very mud
dy at this time, because everything
that is calculated to make them SO has
united In one supreme effort, entirely
out of the ordinary; but we should be
patient, for ere long We will have good
roads again, with some extra cost.
Mr.. Eichelberger's first objection to
our present system is, that politics
never did work the roads, and that
1--WE should abolish popular elections,
adopt his plan, then put them under
civil service" say that we must not
be afraid of the vCters, who furnish
the money-the all-important necessl-
| ty-tO make good roads l assert that
Mr.. Eichelberger's plan. Instead of TAX
ing the working of the roads out of
politics, would make it ten times
worse. Suppose his plan was to go in
to operation next July, what effect |
would it have upon our Spring cleo
ton? Just think of it, every district,
with one or more candidates for cOun-
ty Superintendent of roads, who
must be an expert, and of course COM
mand a big salary; candidates in ev-
dent, experts also, with good pay; ev-
cry community that has road lead
ing to the numerous shipping points in |
the county wanting that road macada-
mixed first, with candidate for Su-
pervisor favorable to their wishes. |
Ny, my, to be elected a Supervisor one
would have to be an expert in person
al solicitation. We can do without |
experts; what we want. land we have |
some in South River district) is men |
with good, practical sense and plenty |
of muscle, who are not afraid to ex-
pend some of it upon a good road ma |
chine, with six strong horses and a
driver who will make them pull, to
put up" our road in proper man.
ner, and after that is done to go over
them with few hands to put in new |
bridges or culvertS where necessary.
repair the old ones, remove loose rock,
etc. III
Mr.. Eichelberger's second objection
is, that large portion of our road
fund is spent indirectly on new roads,
relocation, etc, jumping from one
mud-hole to another" and asks why 1,
is this? His remedy is, grade the
roads, make them stationary and ma
cadamize them " | admit the case &
bad one, but new roads are necessity
for shortening the distance to ship
ping point, or market, and to improve
the grade, a re location is often the !
proper thing to do. My friend could
appreciate this fact if lis farm was 80
situated, as many are. that his road to
market was a round about way, or
with steep hills over which to haul his
product, when new road would
shorten the distance by one-half, or
re location would improve the grade
materially.
| In this particular oar present law !
would be improved, believe, by an
amendment, and much of the expense !
could be saved, lie. when a petition
for new road, or change of location is !
referred to the road Board, let their |
report be final, unless the court, after
hearing the reasons for the Boards
conclusion think it proper to grant
new commission.
| Third. 'sIn that the roads are work
ed spasmodically, or enthusiastically
there little, there little, and no
South River district, deny the charge;
business men; they have worked the
|
most approved manner, and have
spent the money given them judicious-
". So much for Mr.. Eichelberger's
objections. Now for his remedy:
| First. 1.-The abolition of the present
maintenance of public roads by popu-
lar elections" 1--WE have better way
in South River district). Then place
them in the hands of the Supervisors,
who will exercise supervision over
them, to make such rules and regula-
| lions and pass such ordinances for
| their maintenance and matchmaking
as provided by law" He is rather in
definite as to the law, unless he means
his plan, which will never be enacted
into law,
Second. He refers US to the Cheasa-
peak and Ohio railroad as an example
as to how we should maintain our
roads. My reply is, that that would
be impolitic.
Third. He says, taxes should be
uniform and equal in the several dis
tricts, because the use is general" l
submit that because the use is general
and not uniform; the tax should be
local l believe the roads should be
maintained entirely by district taxa
ItiOn, the nearer home one gets the bet
u ter are the wants and necessities
known. A general or county fund is
calculated to lead to extravaganza. If
one district received an appropriation
for local necessity, it is natural for
the representatives of the other dis.
tricts to urge like sum for their dis
tricts.
| Again he says, there is scarcely a
day that the farmers do not use the
} roads of their own, or some other dis.
trict, and particularly is this true in
regards to districts surrounding mar
ket places" What Mr.. Eichelberger
means by "districts surrounding mar
ket Places" am not sure. There are
a number of market places in every
+ township. We have eight in South,
R'v"r district, and each mile OF road
gazing to them is the most important
one. to one or more farmers; but if he
means township Surrounding a par
ticular market place." it is 'the milk
} in the same old c0coanut"-a county
fox 90 do, ha dc LOADING