The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1899-12-22
The Highways OF Maryland.

editorial columns of the Balfl
Z more sun of the l9Jh inst;
The Act of 1898. Chapter 454
creating the commission to inveS
;icate the highways Of Maryland
re0uiye< the commission to max,
a report to the Legislature at thl
session Of 1900 upon the condi
tlou of the roads. the best met he'd
Of improving. constructing anC
maintaining the same. with eSti
mates of costs. expenses and
plans This report the commits
sion has had prepared by DR..
William Bullock Clark. superin,
;endent of the survey. and his
corps of expert assistants. The
report consists Of a volume of over
$50 pages. which has already
been described in the san. This
book. properly distributed
throughout tie State-and "A copy
should be sent To each one of the
county commissioners of the var
iouS countieS-ought TO do much
10 arouse public interest and ere.
ate a sentiment in favor of good
highways. without which it is
useless TO attempt any reform.
Such a sentiment existed 90 Years
ago. and a movement for good
roads began which would have
speedily produced great results.
But before much progress had
been made steam railroads were
invented. and fiom that time al
most down 10 the present the en-
ergies and capital OF the people
have been devoted 10 railroad
building, and almost every city,
town, State and county has from
time 10 time taxed its inhabitants
for railroad subscriptions.
That movement has worn itself
out, and the people of Maryland
are again thinking about improv
ing their wagon roads. When
the farmers generally take the
natter in hand something will he
done. There are already encour-
aging signs Of this. The Vans,
vile and the PatdXent Farmers
Clubs. in Prince Georges county,
have taken hold of the matter.
and it would he we'll for farmers
in other counties TO organize in
time TO press some action upon
the Legislature, The first thing
Is to convince the county taXpaN-
er> that ii costs more to haul and
drive over bad roads than it does
to build good ones. This service
the report of the Highways Com
mission should perform. Another
thing is to satisfy the county
commissioners that it requires
skilled engineer 10 make IA road.
Tire plans have been suggest
ed
FlrSt-TO make the main thor
oughfarcS Of each of The counties,
estimated by the commission 10
be about 1000 miles, by concen
trating lpon them half 81 the
road appropriations for, say, ten
years, the State to contribute an
equal amount. The cost Of maxi
ing these roads is estimated at
about 5000, 900.
Second-To have the Highways
Commission construct one mile of
road i'll each county to serve as
model for general road conStruc-
ton, each model TO be a portion
of a principal highway.
Third--Io have the Highways
Department maintained as an ad.
viSory board to make suggestions
and give engineering aid to the
counties, many Of which cannot
afford the entire expense of a com
petent civil engineer.
The first plan, that Of State aid
to the highways, has been adopt
ed by New Jersey and, we believe,
other States, and the result has
been an enormous improvement
all 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, % miles in
all, is estimated at 500. 600.
which could be covered by an ap
preparation of $50, 900 a year for
two years.
AS to the third proposition, the
Highways Department has al
ready been useful as an advisory
board in 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 like
ly to come before the Legislature.
will be taken up early in the SEES
sion and receive intelligent CON
Sideration.
Three Men On Four TNboo1e