Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1901-04-03


wisely emphasizes the desir-
ability Of system In road
building. He would have the
old State roads reopened and others
constructed, so that the improved
highways would form continuous
lines, trayerslng county after county
throughout the whole extent of the
State. Such roads would, of course,
connect the principal cities and large
towns Of the various counties and cor
respond somewhat TO trunk lines of
railroad, giving good travelling from
town to town and from county to
county, and each would greatly con-
duce to the Development of the COM
munities along it's route and to the
founding of new ones. The Governor
seems to think 1t appropriate that the
State itself should take the initiative
in the bailding of such roads, because
they will serve general and not merely
local interests, and it is probably de-
sirabIe that they should be constructed
first of all
Such roads, however, will not as the
Governor makes plain, answer the
whole need. There must be a multi
plicity Of cross roads and side roads
connecting different parts Of the same
towns and villages, and these are no
less important that the others. All
the people do not live on the main
roads by any means. Many man
will drive over a side road to the vii
lage, or from one part Of the town to
another, ahundred times for every sin
gle time when he will drive to the next
town or the next county on the main
highway. 1t would be most illogical
and unjust to say that while inter-
county and intertown traffic shall have
good roads intracounty and intra-
town traffic shall continue to wallow
in dust and mud. This latter system
of local roads Is therefore rs essential
as. the former But, unlike the for
mer. it may properly, and indeed
should, be left 10 local initiative and di-
rection.
We should e;Sthen. two distinct
yet connected and harmonious sEs-
TENS of roads. One would comprise
such great highways as the old AL
bany Post Road, along the eastern
bank Of the Hudson River, and fine
Boston Post Road, skirting the Sound.
The other would consist Of intersect-
ing roads, gridironing each county
and town. The State roads might we'll
be made Of extra width and be con-
structed of trap rock. which is proba-
bly, the best road metal in the world.
after the most approved plan of Tel
ford and Macadam. There Is enough
trap in the talus of the Palisades and
in the quarrles of Rockland County
to build such roads from Montauk
Point to Niagara Falls. and the dis
tribution Of it to nearly all points
would be cheap and easy. Granite,
however, might also be used. eSpe-
cially In combination with limestone.
The local roads might largely he
constructed of local material at much
less cost and yet be practically as SER
viceable as the others. Limestone,
which is so widely distributed through
out the State, makes an admirable
road If properly used. some preferring
1t to trap OF granite because 1t is soft
er and therefore easier for the horses
hoofs. Some villages in Westchester
County have provided themselves with
capital roads by using the refuse chips
and dust from the marble and lime
stone quarries of that region. Again,
deposits lof powders and gravel are to
be found in almost every county, and
road built of broken powders with
a top-dressing of selected gravel comes
pretty close to the best standard.
But. whatever the material. all the
roads of both systems should be built
according to we'll devised and consist
ent plans, so that we shall be spared
the sight, now too often visible. Of a
fine bit Of road mile or two long run
ming "from nowhere to nowhere" OF
from slough to slough.-New York
Tribune.