Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1900-11-23
|6666d Roads R66tss
A Canadians Views.

r N view OF the eApelie"
past wet year in the matter VI
roads, or rather the want OF them;
l. I venture to suggest that TINS ID
an opportune time to discuss matters
concerning the failure of the ola sys,
tenn and the substitution for 1t OIL soine
more efficient method, writes L. D:
Coilyer. in the Farmers Advocate Vi
Canada. For those living from nj
teen to twenty miles from the railway
az some of us do, there is no otnet
question concerning our business Vi
such moment =,
The statute labor system, copleu'
believe, largely from that in force IA
Ontario. while it may have affordea'
in the old days, the only practicaDie
method of filling mud hole or pridg'
ing creek, has, for reasons Wen
known to your readers, certainly
nassed its days Of usefulness
The Territorial Government, faiilng
TO proft by our experience, few years
ago instituted a statute labor system
there, which, while superior to ours
in several particulars, has already Deeh
found wanting, as may be seen Iron'
comments in the local papers, ana pro-
vision has even been made for the SUD-
stitution of a cash system When the
majority of ratepayers i'll a district
usually a township, l belieyc) so de-
sire it. a.
Most of our progressive munIcipall'
ties have. understand, abandoned lhe
old system and now collect varying
amounts of cash in lieu thereon anu
the results of the change, In some OF
them at least, have been most graft
fying. For instance, the CLERK OIL
Brittle Municipality informs me that
in the two years during which they
have collected 50 per quarter-section
they have done more work than they
did in the previous fourteen under the
old regime, and.I may state that III our
own Municipality (Archie) the au.
mitted value of the improvements
done under the old system only reaches
six ner cent. of the nominal cost.
AS to the expenditure of the cash;
when it is collected, there is diner
ence of opinion as to the merits OF the
"day labor" and contract systems
some UNFOLD the contract system
considering that it is not safe ana l
am sorry to say the fear is sometimes
instified-to allow reeves and couH
cilcrs to hire their neighbors; but l
boy, heard of dishonest practices III
'awa, ding contracts, through only noti
fving favored parties. AS far as my
experience goes land l must admit II
is not great the contract system MAJ
not proved a success. Owing TO the
necessity of hunting scrapers, etc. ana
the frequent inexperience OF the ten
derers. who, naturally, do not wish 10
lose money on the job, the prices paio
are frequently very high, 80, 3d. ana
even So per day for man ana team
being not uncommon rates or pay. VII
the other hand, day labor for SNORT
terms is frequently unsatisfactory, as
neither men nor teams are. OF much use
until they become acquainted with the
work. which was a frequent cause
of failure under the old system even
when the men were willing to WORK.
and the tool and inspection troubles
were ever present. AS solution OF
the problem, l would suggest the fol
lowing plan, which, as far as an
aware. is untried but would, | think
overcome the difficulty without any
great outlay in initial cost: Select 4
well-principled, Woodworking man as
working foreman, with or without q
team as the number of men to worR
under his direction would be SINAI
or great. He should preferably, nave
prior knowledge of the work, which
should be previously laid out by
surveyor If the municipal authorities
are incapable of doing it, and II.
should be paid a good salary, placed
under bonds, and hired TO- as long
season as is considered advisable. Thel
all residents desiring to work on TIL
roads should be required to Civ
notice, by q given date, OF the lengtl
of time they wish to work on the road
and the date and locality in Wh1cl
they would prefer to put in the time
those selected would work under tn
direction of the foreman, who III turl
would be under the general super
vision of the reeve and councillor o
the ward. This plan would neceSs
tate but little loss of time throug
moving, as the townships could d
taken in rotation and the outfit Woul
only need to be moved when the MOI
ey allotted had been expended
1t would probably effect a saving /
: wages, as cost of living would be les
If a caboose was provided, Which
besides affording accommodation fo
} the men, would also contain sma
tools, horse feed, etc. AS regard
stonework for culverts, ETC., it woul
! perhaps be advisable to have thu
done by qualified stone mason, as til
3 dry stone walls and poplar stringel
so frequently built last but a shol
! time, and frequently fall shortly ate
! erection, through unskilled workman
G ship. AS cement is now procurable
, So per barrel, and even less in quaint
ties, It would, think, be advisable
q have all walls over two feet in he!gl
e laid in cement mortar, with f1ankin
: walls, at least on the upper side,
prevent the earth being washed CT
. behind the stonework.