Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1900-09-07
OUR ROAD HISTORY.
OLD HIGHWAY BETWEEN NEW YORK
AND PHILADELPHIA
system of Construction and Mainte-
nance In Early Colonial Days.
Working Out Taxes Unpopular
Then as Now.

nance In Early Colonial Days.
Working Out Taxes Unpopular
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
Eldridge, acting director of the office
OF public road inquiries
The Britons neglected the roads
which had been made by the Romans,
and, falling 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 idea of a
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 Gld had not at this time been
revived For these reasons the tradi-
! tions 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
| laid out in iii and ran from New
| York to Philadelphia. Its antiquity
and the fact. that 1t connected these
| two cities gave 1t 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 II was more of an un-
| dcrtaking 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 "the history OF roads is the his
tory of civilization" The Indian trail,
the Llazed 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 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 labor. 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 nfirm, 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
all ablebodicd men to work the road"
specified number of days or in lieu
| Of such labor to pay monthly tax
to the pathmaster or road overseer.
1t is easy to trace progress In all those
matters which We're 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 let
ter, dated Nov. 80, 1855, 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 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 indspensably necessary, and 1t Is my
opinion they will take place in time. The lon
| ger, therefore. they delayed the more people
will be injured by the alterations when they hap
pen. 1t is equally clear to me 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 as.
| sessment on certain district until the period
| shall arrive when turnpikes may with propriety
| 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 wnked at by the only people who
tpfnr tba
| overseers for strangers had rather encounter the
| inconvenience of bad roads than the trouble Of an
information and go away prejudced against the
country for the pofity 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 deplorable condition Of the main
roads. The ruts were deep, the hills
steep and full of gullles, and when
stagecoaches were first used travellers
were often compelled to get out and
assist the driver in pulling the vehicle
out of the mud. 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 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 un-
hitched their teams to assist each 9TH
er in pulling through the deep sloughs.