Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1901-11-01
IMPROVE OUR ROADS.
Shall Arcadia Township Adopt the
Township Road System?
An Opportunity Will be Presented at
the Spring Election.


The failure on the part of the board of
supervisors to allow the people Of Ora.
tiot county to vote upon the adoption Of
the county road system, enables each
township to vote upon the question sep
arately. The law requires, If the town
ship board shall adopt resolutions TO that
effect, the clerk shall notify the electors
of such township by publication or hand
bills, at least two weeks before the
TOW nship election, and majority of the
votes cast may decide in favor or defeat
the proposition For the benefit of those
who are not acquainted with the system,
we make the following explanation.
The adoption of the township road
system does away with the present
method of road working by the farmer
and abolishes the office of pathmaster.
The highway tax levied shall not exceed
oue-half of one per cent, and is collected
the same as other taxes. A township
road commissioner is elected whose
duties shall be TO have charge of all re-
pairing and building of roads The
system is a benefit TO the farmer III
many ways The busy farmer has no
time TO work on roads. but If he has he
can secure employment from the COM
missioner at good pay and earn more
than enough TO pay his tax. Again un-
der this system the roads will be worked
in more uniform and systematic man
ner. No road can be made good with
out first having proper bed, well
drained. This can be done by compe.
tent man, or under his supervision
The township of Arcadia was assessed
$l4S7 highway tax this year, and with
all due respect to our pathmasters, it is
fact that not one. half of this was actual
ly worked out, and some who did, put
their time TO very pOoc advantage.
More fault is found with the pathmas-
ters by the farmers than any other
officer in the township Some men are
chosen who, when making il business |
to fix the roads, put the entire work on |
the particular piece Of road most bene- |
ficial to themselves, while some do |
scarcely anything and report to the high. |
way commissioner that the road tax is |
fully paid. On the other hand there are |
some districts where excellent work is
done and good roads are the result. The
farmer is the one that is benefited the
most by good roads. II he can draw a
full load TO market any time Of the year
he has the advantage over the one who
has to wallow through mud and sand
with one-fourth of load Again, the
farmer who lives on well kept, good
road can set a higher value on his prop
erty, and in case he wishes to sell, can
demand and receive from 81 TO $40 per
acre more than the farmer who lives on
a poor road
The government is also looking up the
road question. Mail routes will be
established on good roads only, and the
chances are that routes which have been
over poor roads and no dis
position towards bettering them is
shown, will be discontinued This alone ,
Is worth considerable TO the farmer.
Some farmers argue that good roads are
,nly a benefit TO the merchants in the .
own. This is unreasonable for the
merchant has nothing to draw to mar.
Iet. He can do his driving on paved
treets, while the farmer has the entire j.,
,roduct Of his farm 20 draw TO market
The farmers who lives in the vicinity of :.
he roads made by Mr. A. ". Wright
appreciate what good roads are especial. j.
y during beet drawing. Why can't
II the roads in Arcadia township be like
hese? Let us try it, and Arcadia will =
'e the first in this part OF the state 20
dopt the township road system, and by
0 doing become the banner township in
he county.