The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1901-01-08

l venture to suggest that this is
an opportune time to discuss matters
concerning the failure of the old sys-
TEN and the substitution for it of some
more efficient method. writes L. ].
Collyer, in the Farmers Advocate, OF
Canada. For those living from fiji.
teen - twenty miles from the railway,
rs some of us do. there is no other
question concerning our business OF
such moment.
The statute labor system. copied. I
believe. largely from that in force in
Ontario, while 1t may have afforded,
in the old days. the only practicable
method of filling n mud hole or bridg.
ing Il creek. has, for reasons we'll
known to your readers. certainly
passed its days of usefulness.
The Territorial Government, failing
to profit by our experience, few years
ago instituted statute labor system
there, which. while superior to ours
in several particulars. has already beer
found wanting. as may be seen from
comments i'm the local papers and pro
vision has even been made for the sub
stitution of n cash system when the
majority of ratepaycrS i'm Il district
usually n township, l beleve) so de,
sire it.
Most If our progressive municipali.
ties have. l understand, abandoned the
old system and now collect varying
amounts of cash in lieu thereof, and
the results of the change in some of
them at least, have been most graft.
flying. For instance, the Clerk of
Brittle Municipality informs me that
in the two years during which they
have collected 81 per Quartcr-sectiou
they have done more work than they
did in the previous fourteen under the
old regime, and l may state that in our
own Municipality CArchicl the al.
mitted value of the improvements
done under the old system only reaches
six per cent. of the nominal cost
AS to the expenditure of the cash;
when it is. collected, there is Il differ
ence of opinion as to the merits of the
day labor" and contract" systems
Some uphold the contract system.
considering that it is not safe ana
am sorry to say the fear is sometimes
justned-to allow reeves and counF
have heard of dishonest practices I'm
awarding contracts, through only mott.
flying favored parties. AS far as my
experience goes (and ] must admit 1t
is not great the contract" system has
not proved success. Owing to the
necessity of hunting scrapers, etc, and
the frequent ineXpcriencc of the ten.
derers, who, naturally, do not wish to
lose money on the job, the prices paid
are frequently very high, s., SO, and
even IS per day for a man and team
being not uncommon rates of pay. ON
the other hand. day labor for short
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. MS far as / am
aware, is untried but would, l think,
overcome the difficulty without any
great outlay I'm initial cost: Select a
well-prncipled, Woodworking man as
working foreman, with or without n
team rs the number of men to work
under his direction would be small
or great. He should, preferably, have
n prior knowledge of the work. which
should be previously laid out by
surveyor IL the municipal authorities
are incapable of doing it. and he
should be paid n good salary, placed
under bonds, and hired TO- as long
season MS is considered advisable Then
all residents desiring to work on the
roads should he required to give
notice, by n given date. of the length
of time they wish to work on the roads
ana the date and locality I'm which
they would prefer to put in the time;
those selected would work under tho
direction of the foreman, who i'm turn
would he under the general super.
vision of the reeve and councillor OF
the ward. This plan would neccssi.
tate but little loss of time through
moving, as the townships could DO
taken i'm rotation and the outfit would
only need TO he moved when the mon.
oy allotted bad been expended.
II would probably effect n saving I'm
wages, as cost Of living would be- less
If caboose was provided which.
besides affording accommodation fos
the men, would also contain small
tools, horse feed, etc As regards
stoneworll for culverts. etc. II would
perhaps be advisable TO have that
done by qualified stone mason. as tho
dry stone walls and poplar stringers
so frequently built last but short
time, and frequently fall shortly after
erection. through unskilcd workman.
ship. As cement is now procurablc at
S3 per barrel and even less I'm quaint.
ties. it would 1 think. bee advisable tn
havo all walls over two feet in height
laid I'm cement mortar with nankine
wallis ut least ON the upper side. to
prevent the earth being washed cut
behind the sl0uowOrk
Very Good Reason.
One reason why the boards OF trads
and the commercial bodies in tho
United States arc getting Interested iu