The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1900-04-05
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! GOOD ROADS NOTES, S
Road Mending.

VIZ IluluR anu uIlNluk StHbOU,
Y V and especially with the
reappearance Of bicycles,
we shall hear much of good roads. II
is wished that in this country wo
might SEQ as much MS we hear of them.
Where the highways are improved
they are valued. aud people who use
them are never again willing TO 60
back to the kind of trough of sand
and mud that passes for o turnpike in
many parts OF this country. The
good roads movement has not ceased
from moving, and cheering newe
comes, every now and again, of the
laying of asphalt in cities and OF mac.
adam in the country, yet so little is
done in proportion to what ought tc
be done, and must be done, that one
loses heart, now and again, and fears
that for tho next century this country
is doomed to traTel over almost the
worst roads in all the world. A trav.
oler who has just reached the East,
on his return from q wheeling tour OF
nearly three years around the world,
reports that ho found the roads ip
Illinois worse than those in China.
which were heretofore supposed to be
the meanest that could be found in
any land that had roads at ell.
One Of the chief causes Of the slow.
ness with which reform progresses
will probably be found in the fact that
in our country districts the farmers
discover that good roads do not stay
good forever. They appear to think
that their whole duty is done when a
proper foundation is laid and it is
smoothed by roller. They do not
think in this wise of their houses or
their churches or their farms. They
know that buildings need repair; they
know that trees need trimming they
know that fields need plowing, and
they gather the stones aud stumps out
OF them every now and then; yet the
road that passes their doors and is
used by hundreds OF thousands of
persons, is buried in snow in winter,
is scored by rain and pierced by frost,
receives no attention from them what.
ever. They do these things better
abroad. They first make n road with
clean, broad, properly graded sur
face, then they appoint men whose
daily business it 10 to go over it and
make repairs.
Queens County has spent millions
of dollars for macadam, and it has So
cured the best roads in the State of
New York. Ii they are allowed to go
to ruin the work will all have to be
done over again at tremendous ex.
pensc. A road monder can keep at
least couple of miles repaired; and
his pay will not be more than q couple
OF dollars day, unless he is in poll
tics. 1t is wiser to pay this sum than
to have u bill of thousands OF dollars
to meet at tho end of some years. In
Europe the menders watch tho high.
ways just as track walkers watch tho
railroads. Whenever q heavy rain has
started little channel in the pave.
ment it will widen aud deepen with
every succeeding rainfall until that
part of the pavement is torn beyond
repair. A little tamping with gravel,
Il stone put in the channel, shovel
ful OF earth here aud there, q cart rut
obliterated, loose stone thrown aside
now and then will keep the road in
serviceable condition for life time.
The way not to do it is finely illus
trated in Prospect Park, where
couple Of mon of intelligence and
little more diligence than wo SEQ in
public service would mako farther re-
pairs needless; but absolute neglect
follows the surfacing OF every path
and drive. The stitch in time that
saves nine is never applied. 1t is not
sufficient 10 make good roads. 1t is
just as important to keep them good.
New York Mail and Express.