The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-11-22

How 70 Get Good Roads.
Pomeroy. wash, Nov. "A. 1900.
To the Editor: Would you personally
approve OF our government continuing
our war revenue In the interests OF or
providing by any other means national
public road fund in which every state
and territory might share equally BY APP
proprjattng an equal amount and each
county ~ permitted 20 share equally by
appropriating an amount equal 70 such
apportionmens, for the purpose OF con-
strucftnG mAcadam public roads or any
other cheaper method Of constructing
permanent road that best can be devised?
beiscve that almost every state and ter
ritory could invest two millions annually
In maradam roads. and actually save 20
the people every dollars cost. They would
Nna II perpetual profitable Investment
ard the grea4sst advantagseto the mental
and social condition Of country people
possible. ALBERT LONG.
We agree entirely With Mr.. Longs ssti-
mate Of the value and importance Of good
roads. but cannot approve his suggestion.
There h too much reliance upon the fed
ersl government to promote ends that are
strictly local; too general a disposition to
load upon the federal treasury burdens
that belong properly to local communi-
Ties And THE b certainly = case IN point.
TIE Interest Of the nation. ~ such. in
rood country roads. Il general one. Just
an II Is Interested In having cities well
paved ana low-iying farms well drained.
30 IL its concern In having ample railroad
s~.~~~s.-S~~sa~. k.<~s~~.. a.. aaA~~~. -
TONS Yet no one suGs-sts on that ac-
count that the government should con-
struct railroads.
In those parts OF the United States
whore the good roads movement has made
most practical progress. as In New Jer-
ser. for instance. the unit OF effective ac-
tion II tho county. county. which matt
ursiiy supervisse road work within Its Inn
It's. provides for the construction Of GER
tain macsdasn highways. Just as rity
orders certain Of it, streets paved The
cost Of the work h assessed principally
upon the property Immediately benefited.
with such AND from the county treasury a.
the authorities deem proper. In every
case u has proved 10 be profitable ven-
tore. without considering the main aa-
vantage at all, which lies In the greater
ease and cheapnesx with which farmers
ret their products to market. the cos, OF
construction Is more than onse, by the
Increase IN farm values along the lines az
theee splendid new roads. The property
owner Ards his Investment returned to
him In this shape; while the comfort. con-
v~nisnee and saving In eosf Of road travel
consulate o total net gain.
In more spafseiy settled communities
like this state. q is prohahiy ont u the
question 10 r~ly wholly upon tho people 81
the counties. Except where there are
cities or an unusually ,hickty settled az
sieaisural country. the nr~t cosi 81 road
construction IL heavier than owners could
bear For u must ~ remembered thar
there IA only one kind Of road that -
worth having, and h Is tee best The
scientifically constructed maeaa2m hsEn-
Wss, ha1ls a. carefully nom foundation to
crcsu a. rity pavement, under the sa-
pefvsrion es a competent engineer. ~ rhAs
tho pahile neean. and anything ieas per-
VnansHs l. simply - much money threw q
asay This Involves 'he expenditure ~
several Thousand aaiiars per msl,. ara
the rozs % O. Il the disseuit pars ~ axe
reeslem
Ne believe that tae state ard tNc roan-
ii~s sMaala umasssake thi. week yesatly.
en- nens~has tAe sams piAa sasxxss,sa b
Mr. faae feF ea-spersslon between the
natiea sas thr slater Eara state ara
ssFgisavs sk0ala have law providing for
shs aag@lnsmrns " state rasa engineer.
aatnaslasd Ia sapsfTiss ths caasfrNtian
saa rsgaF % ea,alt slshwsve eetssss tae
itmsts q sacorpasstea elises. Il saaela -
ssSyassa that VIXEN sas sseaig rsusmss.
sse@ess - any ea@ssf ssaa apprvpriase
nes lsss shan exsa nlslran aHseaus for
shs spsss,ns q she ses; modern hsxssAys,
ghs State wrl esa;sia0is sa equal amaau,
frem ~ tamas tAs @ag& "a - asae uls.
ssg consFes 81 sae stafs caSiResr ans sah-
sees . Ass aRproyai se,ere aseepssnsv. IN
iAss way shs brat saAslsy 80 usAtsrlal an&
shs m2as anssexel mastA@ts ~eaas BE- a..
sassa tasssAes ~Hh uzissgsnatv 81 pss-
teen tArsaxAssst the ennassor wsalth AZ
M ssuAs sirse, sss rsst ~assa hs rsa1ssa
10 ias ssansy srs a stEsrr fsreuslve waesl
~ erwrsa 70 teSai inSsrsss ans lusii4tive
as ssaAs Y sAsr~ 10 any ether sohsr.s
~ A. w@sh sracslCSi trsrn~sanss 20 ear
people a. sns smaax all sAe matters wltA-
a iAs EAass AZ LEGISLATIVE sstloa. rhs