The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1899-05-27
Good Roads and Rural Mails.

Good Roads and Rural Mails.
The action of Congress in increas-
ing the appropriation for the free de-
livery Of mail in rural districts from
$3.50, 900 to $685. 900 q year and the
reports to the department concerning
she results of the experiments tried
ast year ought to operate as strong
stimulus TO good roads legislation in
The various States.
The increase in the annual appro-
priation may be regarded as evidence
that this novel branch of the postal
service is success and that it is TO
be o permanent institution. The ex-
periments in the Middle and Western
States have been satisfactory to the
officials and to the people aAd have
seemingly justified the furthor extern
sion of its benefits. That rural de-
livery is a success is also shown by
she manifestations Of appreciation
received by the department from
farmers who reside in the limits of the
experimental districts. Contrary to the
predictions of those who opposed the
scheme, il is also noted that in nine
put of ten districts in which it has
been'introduced it pays its way, while
In some OF them it yields profit.
The particular feature of the re-
ports that should have special interest
for the farmers of Illinois, however,
Is that which shows that bad roads
are the great impediment to the extern
sion of the service in this State. The
regulations of the department require
that one horse shah cover a route of
from twenty to twenty-five miles
day. Even with letter boxes placed
at the crossings of highways, it has
been found impossible to lay out
routes of the prescribed length in one
section of Illinois on account of muddy
and impossible roads.
A satisfactory good roads bill is
now before the Legislature at Spring
field. It provides for State engineer
to supervise construction of State
highways and for the payment by the
State of fifty per cent. of the cost of
all roads that may be built under the
law. The county in which the road is
constructed is required TO pay thirty
five per cent. and the property owners
who petition for the road fifteen per
cent.
The principle of State and county
aid, embodied in the bill, represents
the only practical and satisfactory
method of securing permanent sys-
tenn of well-constructed rural high
ways. The farmers who oppose it
are standing against their own in
terests. Chicago Times Herald.
Missouri Highway Commission Bill.
At the Good Roads and Public I'M
provement Convention, held at st.
| Louis, Mo-, in November, 1898, bill
was unanimously adopted, copies of
which were sent to all the States for
Legislative consideration. 1t is hoped
that the bill will be enacted in the
Fortieth General Assembly Of Mis-
souri,.
The bill states that the Governor
shall appoint Missouri Highway
Commission" to consist of three
members, their several terms being
six, four and two years. They are to
gather information from all sections
of the State as to the manner and cost
of the present methods of street re-
pairing. Plans for repairing, build
ing and draining roads, and OF bridges,
culverts, etc., are to be drawn.
The commission is to examine all
laws on or pertaining to highway
work, segregate all Ineffective ones,
and do all in it's power to lead to the
attainment of permanent road sys-
tenn. In this way practical work viii,
it is hoped, be done on the highways
by practical men, and road improve
ment in Missouri become an actu@i
fact.