The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-01-02

3


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"" HE agreeable report Is cur
rent that an extensive sys.
TEN Of good roads will pres
ently be constructed in West
chester County. comprising at least
sixty miles Of maeadam. Such work
IS to be commended anywhere. but It
Is particularly praiseworthy in such
region as Wesfchester County, all Of
which is suburban and most Of which
is possessed Of singular beauty ana OF
exceptional atfractiveness as a place
Of residence. Despite these latter con-
ditions. that county has IN some re-
spects been strangely neglected. It's
railroad facilities have not been all
they might have been. while its com
mon roads. with a few fine exceptions.
have been little short Of a disgrace to
any community within a thousand
miles Of civilization The result has
been a serious retardment Of ifs
growth. It Is safe to say that in the
last twenty or thirty years scores Of
thousands Of persons have settled IN
the nearby counties Of New Jersey
who would have settled Ii Westchester
County. and It is noteworthy that
wherever these exist there Is a rapid
growth Of population and OF wealth.
Such Is the case along the Hudson as
far as Sing Sing, along the Sound to
Port Chester and around Mount YER
non and White Plains But the Bronx
Valley above Mount Vernon. the
sprain Brook Valley and the upper
part of the sawmill River Valley have
been almost entirely neglected. al
though they comprise some Of the
loyeilest parts Of the county and lie
at the very doors Of New York City
As for the bulk Of the upper part Of
the county. north Of White Plains, it
Is still almost entirely devoid Of good
roads save in a few places where pri-
Yate muniacence has supplied them or
where the city of New York has built
the great smain travelled roads, such
as the Bedford road. the somerstown
turnpike and the roads around ANA.
walk and Lake Waccabpc. are still IN
primitive condition. They run
through some Of the most beautiful
country IN the world but it remains
unsettled and largely unknown simply
for lack Of decent means Of travel and
transportation.
The good roads movement is there.
fore 10 be hailed with joy But Il
Is well 10 bear n mind that It VIII be
equally necessary 70 guard the roads
after they are built. There are many
trolley schemes wen formulated, hu,
held In allegiance until these roads are
built. and then 20 be rushed forward
for the seizure and practical destruo-
ton Of the roads. More than one ex'
ample of such rapacity has been seen
Ia the lower part Of the county. Trol
ley companies have waited until the
roads were graded aud macadamized
and have then taken possession oi
them. sometimes illegally and forcibly
and made them almost worthless foi
any purpose save their own. They
are planning 10 10 the same with these
other roads as soon as they shall hl
built Against all such schemes It Il
desirable to guard the roads IN ad
vance. There might wen be provi
slons inserted IN the bills for the con
structlon Of the roads prohibiting th'
building 81 trolley lines upon them
That would not be 10 exclude TROLLEY
lines from the country altogether
These can be built on other roads thar
those which are THUS improved. Le
the trolley people grade and improvl
roads for themselves at their own *
pense II they want them. when a roas
d built Tor driving purposes II Is 20
outrage TO divert & to railroad uses
In course II time Wostchester Coun
Is win probably Be covered with
network of electric roads as indeed o.
suburban regions WIN BE-. n win also
let us hope. De- covered with 9 stil
closer network Of fine macadamlze'
roads for the use % horses and auto
mobile vehicles and bicycles ans
these latter should De forever kept fre
from the encumbrance 81 the trolleyl
Each system viii serve its own eool
purpose. and each should be restricted
to is own purpose. There IS q leagn
for promoting the building 81 goo
roads which has done a valuable worA
Whether or not b league Is needed 10