The Red Cloud chief., 1901-03-08

wisely emphasizes the desir-
ability Of system In road
building. He would have the
old State roads reopened and others
constructed. so that the improved
highways would form continuous
liaee, traversing county after county
throughout the whole extent Of the
State. Such roads would. Of course.
connect the principal cities and large
towns Of the various counties and cor-
respond somewhat to trunk lines Of
railroad. giving good travelling from
town to town and from county to
county. and each would greatly con-
duce to the development of the com.
munttles along Its route aud to the
founding of new ones. The Governor
seems to think II appropriate that the
State itself should take the initiative
In the building Of such roads, because
they will serve general and not merely
local interests, and II Ia probably de.
sirsbie that they should be constructed
first Of all.
Such roads. however. will not, as the
Governor makes plain. answer the
whole need. There must be a multi
plicity of cross roads and side roads
connecting different parts Of the same
towns and villages. and these are no
less important that the others. All
the people do not live on the main
roads by any means. Many a man
will drive e a side road to the vii
lage, or from n part Of the town to
another. ahundred times for every sim
gle time when he will drive to the next
town or the next county on the main
highway. 1t would be most illogical
ana unjust to say that while inter.
county and intertown traffic shall have
good roads intracounty and intra.
town traffic shall continue to wallow
in dust and mud. This latter system
Of local roads Is therefore as essential
as the former. But. unlike the for.
mer, it may properly. and indeed
should, be left to local initiative and d.
rection.
We should have. then. two distinct
yet connected and harmonious sys-
tens Of roads. One would comprise
such great highways as the old Al
bany Post Rad. along the eastern
bank of the Hudson River. and the
Boston Post Road. skirting the Sound.
| The other would consist Of intersect.
ing roads, gridironing each county
and town. The State roads might well
be made Of extra width anil be con
| structed of trap rock. which Is proba.
bly, the best road metal in the world,
after the most approved plan Of Tel.
ford and Macadam. There Is enough
trap In the talus Of the Palisades and
in the quarries Of Rockland County
to build such roads from Montauk
Point to Niagara Falls. and the dis
tribution Of II to Learly all points
would be cheap and easy. Granite
however, might also be used. espe
cially In combination with limestone.
The local roads might largely bt
constructed of local material at much
less cost and yet be practically as ser
viceable as the others. Limestone
which is so widely distributed through
out the State, makes an admirabl,
road IL properly used. some preferrinl
it to trap or granite because 1t is soft
er and therefore easier for the horses
hoofs. Some villages in Westchestel
County have provided themselves witt
capital roads by using the refuse chip
and dust from the marble and lime
stone quarries Of that region. Again
deposits OF powders and gravel are I,
be found in almost every county. an,
a road built of broken powders Will
a top-dressing Of selected gravel come
pretty close to the best standard
But, whatever the material. all tn
roads Of both systems should he bull
according to well devised and consist
ent plans. SO that we shall he spare,
the sight, now too often visible, Of
} fne bit Of road a mile or two long rur
ming from nowhere TO nowhere" q
from a slough TO a slough.-New Yor
Tribune.