St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1901-10-26
EcoNoM1cAL HINTS.

ECONOMICAL HINTS.
| Home Talent, Properly Directed,
Might Reduce the Expenses OF
Good Road building.
All this expense in building im-
proved roads, I claim, can be borne
mostly by the people living on the
highways, if suitable law were en-
acted. with certain rules and regula-
lions properly enforced BY compe-
tent overseer or commits sioner Of
every town, who should see that tho
work to be done 10 done at . certain
time-frst, the grading in the fall
or early spring by the Inhabitants,
preparing 1t for the stone crushed
during the winter by some man who
owns traction engine. This stone
is to be delivered at q certain point
convenient for crushing and CENTRAL
taken off from the farms and roads,
thus cleaning the roads Of all loose
stone and the farms also. When not
to be had from farms, then from
quarries, already crushed, or taken
whole and crushed at . point which
said commissioner may name. Then,
as the time comes for the stone to
be put ON the turnpike or grading,
all who are liable for highway tax
are, by teams and men, to place .
certain amount on the grading, thus
working out their tax in this way.
The said commissioner shall have
the power to build so many miles
each year, apportioning the amount
of work to the value Of land as taken
from the assessment rolls, as well as
demanding from every man who does
not own lands Z certain number OF
days for highway purposes. You will
see by this means the towns owning
their own crusher and road leyeling
machine, the matter of road building
could be done by the inhabitants. Al
to matters Of stone drawing, every
one should be allowed per perch or
yard stipulated sum for the same.
it being credited as part of the tax.
Also the crushing should be done by
some man who owns threshing enc
CINE, thus helping thresher men in
their maintaining and pay of ma.
chimes and families.
To aid this idea Of building roads
by the people the state may pay out
of an appropriation certain amount
. mile, which would do much toward
encouraging the people in carrying
out the modified way Of accomplish
ing the desired result. This idea
must be in the form Of law that has
force in it, making it compulsory to
q certain extent in building = certain
number Of miles each year in each
town. It may seem too much to do.
especially to farmers, but when I
know that q district can turnpike
with plows and scrapers mile (ordi-
narily fair to begin with) in three or
four days, see no reason why va
cannot have fair to good roads in .
few years without imposing such
large sums as are now asked, which
are simply enormous, and only few
roads can be built by the extrava-
CANT proposals now before the peo~
pie.
Many a farmer and owner would
readily deliver stone on roads to be
crushed on the grading prepared in
spring, before the ground gets too
dry, il he can see that it il to be cred.
tied to him, under the law governing
roads, which must be special, not only
for farmers, but for all living on or
owning property in any district.
Men who are only subject to poll tax
could build culverts or suice ways
when not too large-this at the dis
cretion Of said commissioner. This
IL simply an outline for road building
In the most economical way, and by
putting up = good turnpike and .
moderate quantity Of broken stone
the first year, an added one next, and
so on each year, the roads can b
kept in fine order If only one
layer or track is put on the first year
and more added the next.
This work should be done on parts
Of roads where most needed the first
year, a. said commissioner may in his
Judgment think best. The act should
give the commissioner power to con-
struct and build or make such grad.
ings as will level up and make such
highways as means in his power win
admit. In case the commissioners
should unreasonably attempt too
much in any one year and complaint
be entered against extravaganza. such
may be adjudged by the supervisors
and one or two Of the most reliable
men Of the town. By this mode !
believe roads can be built at an aver.
age not over $500 . mile after tho
first year, the towns owning their
own road machines and these being
in charge Of said commissioner as to
storage and repairs; or he may COM
tract for such work with reliable
parties, they owning their own ma
chimes, and doing part Of the whole.
Al to material, uncrushed stone or
gravel must be put in. All material
must be broken to q consistency.
The roads should not be less than two
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