The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-12-21
rHR HIGHWAYS or MARYLANp.l
The Commission Created by the LegisIa-
ture Makes Some Suggestions.


ture Makes Some Suggestions.
The act OF 1898, Chapter 453, creat-
ing the commission to investigate the
highways of Maryland, requires the
commission to make a report to
the Legislal ure at the session of 1900
upon the condition of the roads, the
best method OF improving, construc-
! ting and maintaining the same with
| estimates OF costs, expenses and
| plans. This report the commission
has had prepared by DR.. William Bull
! lock Clark, superintendent of the
| survey, and his corps of expert ass
| sistants. The report consists Of Il
volume of over 450 pages. This book,
| properly distributed throughout the
State-and copy should be sent to
| each one of the county commission
ers of the various counties-ou
do much to arouse public interest ,and
create sentiment in favor of goou
highways, without which it is useless
| to attempt any reform. Such a senti-
ment existed 60 years ago, and a
movement for good roads began
which would have speedily produced
/ great results. But before much prog
ress had been made steam railroads
| ItlNl 'pCCll lbNSIltO, anu lIOul blldl
time almost down to the present the
energies and capital of the people
have been devoted to railroad build
ing, and almost every city, town,
State and county has from time to
time taxed it's inhabitants for railroad
subscriptions.
That movement has worn itself out,
and the the people of Maryland are
/ 10, Il -
wagon roads. When the farmers
generally take the matter in hand
something will be done. There are
already encouraging signs of this.
The Vansville and the Patuxent
| Farmers Clubs, in Prince Georges s
county, have taken hold of the mat
! ter, and it would be we'll for farmers
in other counties to organize in time
to press some action upon the Legis-
lature. The first thing is to convince
the county taxpayers that it costs
more to haul and drive over bad
roads than it does to build good ones.
This service the report of the High
ways Commission should perform
Another thing is to satify the county
commissioners that it requires a
skilled engineer to make a road.
| Three plans have been suggested:
First. To make the main thor
Oughfares of each of the counties,
estimated by the commission to be
! about 1000 miles, by concentrating
upon them half of the road appro-
| priations for, say, ten years, the State
to contribute an equal amount. The
cost of making these roads is estima-
! ted at about $S,000,000.
Second. To have the Highways
| Commission construct one mile of
| road in each county to serve as Il
model for general road construction,
each model to be por.iep Of q Nriqs
cipal highway.
Third. To have the Highways De-
! partment maintained as an advisory
| board to make suggestions and give
engineering aid to the counties, many
of which cannot afford the entire
expense of a competent civil engineer.
The first plan, that of State aid to
| the highways, has been adopted by
New Jersey and, we believe, other
States, and the result has been an
enormous improvement in the value
of property and the prosperity of the
rural portions of the States.
The cost of the mile of model road
in each county, twenty-three miles in
! all, is estimated at 100000, which
could be covered by an appropriation
of $50,000 year for two years.
AS to the third proposition, the
Highways Department has already
been useful as an advisory board in a
number of instances, and has selected
between road material in cases where
one kind was worth twice as much for
the purpose as the other.
1t is to be hoped that this great
subject, than which none of more
real and vital Importance is likely to
come before the Legislature, will be
taken up early in the session and
receive intelligent consideration.
Krug.
Miss Augusta Welch spent Sunday
with her sister, Mrs. John Brown, in
Friendsville.
Mr.. Adam Schlossnagle. of Friends.
vile, has moved into the house vaca-
ted by Mr.. j. B. Wagner.
Miss Kate Umble, of Markleysburg,
Pa, is spending a few days with Mrs
Bert Laraway.
Mr.. Lloyd. ..Vansickle spent Satur-
day and Sunday at North Avenue,
w. Va, as the guest of Mr.. Charles
Vansickles family.
Mr.. Joe Shultz, of Selbysport, was
in town Monday ON business.
Our school is progressing nicely
under the management of Mr.. Hiram
Frantz, who reports over forty pupils
enrolled.
Miss Bertha Fike was calling on
friends at Blooming Rose Sunday.
Miss Kate Hughes, of West Vir.
ginia, is visiting her sister, Mrs. Lar.
away.
Mrs. Emma Fike, of FriendsviIle,
was visiting her father Monday.
Mr.. Arthur Dixon is smiling all over
because it is a great 12-pound boy.
Mrs. Belle Wray, of Selbysport, is
staying with Brown Livingston
family.
A large number of our boys are at
tending the revival services at KeeleI
Glade nearly every night
Mr.. Knife, of Pittsburg, is employed
as clerk in the Krug store.
Mr.. John Phelin has gone to house
keeping in small cottage east of the
railroad.
Mr.. VIM. Savage spent Sunday in
Friendsville.
Mr.. Ephraim Vansickle spent Sat
urday and Sunday at Sang Run.
Mr.. and Mrs. Adam Schlossnagle