The Jennings daily record. [volume] (Jennings, La.) 1900-1903, 1901-10-26
ECONOMICAL HINTS.
Home Talent. Properly Directed,
Might Reduce the Expenses of
Good Road Building,

highways, if suitable law were en-
acted, with certain rules and regula-
tions properly enforced by a compe-
tent oNerSeer or commits sioner of
every town, who should see that the
work to be done is done at a certain
tlme-hrst, the grading in the fall
or early spring by the inhabitants,
preparing it for the stone crushed
during the winter by some man who
owns traction engine. This stone
is to be delivered al a 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 liza Bile for highway tax
are, by teams and men, to place a
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. we'll as
demanding from every man who does
not own lands a certain number of
days for highway purposes. You will
see by this means the towns owning
their own crushcr and road leveling
machine, the matter of road building
could be done by the inha bitants. AS
to matters of stone drawing, every
one should be allowed per perch or
hA
it being credited as part of the tax.
Also the crushing should be done by
some man who owns a threshing en-
gine, 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 appropria ton a 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
a certain extent in building a certain
number of miles each year in each
| town 1t may seem too much to do,
especially to farmers, but when 1
know that district can turnpike
with plows and scrapers a mile (ordi-
narilv fair to begin with) in three or
four days, l see no reason why we
cannot have fair to good roads in a
! few years without imposing such
large sums as are now asked, which
are simply enormous, and only few
roads can be built by the eNtrava-
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. if he can see that it is 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
is simply an outline for road building
in the most economical way, and by
putting up a good turnpike and a
moderate quantity of broken stone
the first year, an added one next, and
so on each year, the roads can be
kept in fine order if only one
layer or track is put on the hrst year
and more added the next.
This work should be done on parts
of roads where most needed the hrst
wear, as saidcommissioner may in his
judgement think best. The act should
give the commissioner power to con-
struct and build or make sucfn grad
ings as viii level up and make such
highways as means in his power will
admit. In case the Commissioners
should unreasonably attempt toe
much in any one year and compliant
be entered against eXtraFa gance, such
= may be adjudged by the supervisor
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 5000 a mile after the
= first wear. the towns owning theli
own road machines and these oeIne
in charge of said commissioner as &c
storage and repairs; or he may con
tract for such work with rehaple
parties, they owning their own ma
chimes, and doing g part OF the Whole
AS to material. uncrushed stone OF
gravel must be put in. All materla
must be broken to a consistency
The roads should not be less than two
feet above the sidings, and once pu
I'D to this height and some stone
Ebroken) put OH each year. the eN
, pense of keeping the same wonlo p'
s very light You see, the $500 mile
. is mostly paid by the occupants OF
| x.o,l ma state and mlgh