The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-05-14

correspondence Of The Progressive Farmer.
DR.. Blacknall's statement TO the
moonshiner that President Cleve-
land did not object to his running a
free still, but would prefer to have
it located a little further back from
the road, so it wouldn't disturb the
people, may well be repeated as
sound advice in connection with the
location of wagon roads with refer
ence to the railroads-just keep
them a little further away so the
trains won't scare the horses.
1t is a common thing in middle
and upper Carolina for the wagon
road to run along within a few yards
of the railroad, and to cross it ATTIRE
quent intervals, both on the anne
level, and consequently serious acct
dents, resulting in the loss of life
and property, occur in this region
either from actual collisions at these
crossings or from teams becoming
frightened by the passing trains
the larger portion of which accidents
are as unnecessary as they are IN
fortunate.
The remedy is easily suggested
and in most cases easily avoided by
the following two simple rules ~
Keep the wagon road at least 100
yards distant from the railroad, ex-
cept when in the opinion of a com
petent engineer, for a short distance,
the character of the country makes
this impracticable (2) A wagon road
should never cross a railroad except
where necessary, and in all such
cases the two should cross as nearly
as possible at right angles and at
different levels, the wagon road
whenever practicable going either
under or over the railroad.
Both the wagon road and the rail
way were located as they are &C
cording to law, and it is not a ques-
ton as TO who is responsible for the
existing state of affairs, but as to how
this may be remedied. The railroad
has usually been located after the
most careful surveys of the region
have been made by trained engineers,
whereas, our wagon roads have had
their location selected originally in
some by cattle Oh horses, in
other cases by farmers, doctors, ar
| montana N~ 1Nr.aonhnrC 4. or in G@J1I nfhnT
cases by a jury of persons that may
have belonged to any known profess
sion except the engineering profess
sion. And in any or all these S
the reason or basis upon which the
location of our public roads were
really selected have been so care
fully withheld from the public that
there is much mystery about the
matter. But as to n point we are
all agreed and that is, that in all
plans for the betterment Of our pub
lie roads the first step in this import
ant work is to have them relocated
by competent engineers. And when
this is being done it is usually as
easy as is is important to keep them
them away from the railroads in the
manner indicated above.
What we want as a standard is not
only a road over which n horse
can pull a load of a ton any day of
the year, but also a road upon which
a woman or d child a drive with
out the risk of being run over by a
train at these frequent crossings or
killed by a frightened horse. And
unless some such rules as these men
toned above are adopted these dan,
gers increase as the roads are i'm
proved, for the reason that the mod
ern improved road is more extensive
ly travelled and the railroad is in
places located on entertainments or in
cuts anu generally has bitches along
side thus making it impossible to
drive a frightened horse off into a
field as a train is passing. But such
should not be the case. As we i'm
prove the facilities for travel on the
public highways, instead of increas-
ing we mast in every way diminish
conditions which endarger the life
and property of the ira geller. This
principle is so manifestly correct
shat even it's bare statement seems
unnecessary. And yet The man who
travels much in either of the Caro-
linas sees daily cases where the peo-
pies road taxes are being expended
in thOuGhtleSs violation Of it.