Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1900-10-06

Working Out Taxes Unpopulnr
Then as Now.
The history of road building in the
United States parallels in but few par
ticulars the road history of the other
great civilized nations of the world,
and in many respects our highways
bear but slight resemblance to those
of the older countries, says Maurice
Eldridgc, acting director of the office
of public road inquiries.
The BritOnS neglected the roads
which had been made by the Romans,
and, failing to build new ones, their
country for centuries was provided
with only bride paths or at most with
narrow highways for small carts.
These highways were, except in dry
weather, practically impossible, and
in the sparsely settled districts much
Of the travel had to be carried on by
means of pack animals. The ida of
central control of road systems, which
is the only means by which any extend
ed work in this direction has ever been
accomplished, had died out in the mid
die ages and had not at this time been
revived. For these reasons the tradi-
lions relative to the construction and
management of roads which followed
the first settlers to this country were
practically valueless.
The first great American road which
the historian tells anything about was
LOT MT in 1711 anH from Now
York to Philadelphia. Its antiquity
and the fact that it connected these
two cities gave it the name of the "Old
Post road" The opening of roads
was an important affair in those days.
Money was more scarce than 1t Is now,
and doubtless it was more of an I'M
dertaking to construct roads than it is
to build railways today. BY studying
the history of the Old Post road we at
once realize the potency of the adage
that 1.-THE history of roads is the his
tory of civilization" The Indian trail,
the blaZcd trees and the footpath, fol-
lowed by the bride road for pack
trains and the rough road for carts
and wagons, which were subsequently
graded and paved, making a more
easy means of transportation, are all
stepping stones to higher degrees Of
civilization.
In the early colonial days the roads
were at first built and maintained prin-
cipally by the use of volunteer aid or
free LAHORE. Each town or settlement
had what was called village green"
and in this open place the citizens as
sembled to discuss matters of public
import. At these meetings the care of
the poor, the infirm, the deaf mutes,
etc, was discussed. The opening Of
new and the maintenance of the old
roads were also among the most inter
esting subjects of discussion. The
citizens would here offer their services
free of charge to the community or
town for building or maintaining the
roads running through or by their
lands. These offers to maintain the
roads free of charge soon became SO
limited, however, that the towns were
forced to pass ordinances compelling
oil ablcbOdied men to work the road"
a specified number of days or in lieu
of such labor to pay monthly tax
to the pathmaster or road Ovcrseer.
1t is easy to trace progress in all those
matters which were discussed on the
"village green" save one, and that is
the forced labor" system of working
roads, which exists in most of the
states to this day.
The following extract, relating to
the early methods of locating and
building roads, is copied from a let
ter, dated Nov. 80, 17S5, written by
George Washington to Patrick Henry,
then governor of Virginia.:
Do you think, my dear sir, that the credit, the
saving and convenience of this country all re.
quire that our great roads leading from one place
to another should be Strengthened, shortened and
established by law and the power in the county
courts to alter them be withdrawn? To me these
things seem indispensably necessary, and it is my
opinion they will take place in time. The lon
ger, therefore, they are delayed the people
will be injured by the alterations when they hap
pen 1t is equally clear to that, putting the
lowest valuation upon the labor Of the people
who work upon the roads under the existing law
and the customs Of the present day, the repairs
of them by way of contract, to be paid by an as
sessmcnt a certain district until the period
be established, would be infinitely less burden
some to the community than the present mode.
In this case the contractor would meet no favor
Every man in the district would give information
OF neglect, whereas negligence under the present
system is winked at by the only people who
know the particulars can inform against the
oversecrs, for strangers had rather encounter the
inconvenience Of bad roads than the trouble of an
information. and 20 away prejudiced against the
country for the polity of it.
This system of working out" the
tax was as unsatisfactory in the days
of Washington as it is now. Much de-
lay and Inconvenience were caused by
the dcplOrable condition of the main
roads. The ruts were deep, the hills
steep and full of gullies, and when
stagecOachcs were first used travellers
We're often compelled to get out and
assist the driver in pulling the vehicle
out of thesmud. Even the roads run
ming out of the large cities and towns
were no exception TO the general rule
They were often in such wretched
condition that passage was rendered
difficult and sometimes dangerous. 1t
was no uncommon sight to see the
horses houndering in mud up to their
launches.
York road, running out of Philadel-
phia, was a quagmire of black mud for
nine months of the year, and on this
road long lines of wagons were every
day TO be met with drawn up near
LOgan's hill, where the wagOners I'M
hitched their teams to assist each 9TH
er in pulling through the deep slOughs.