The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1902-08-12
cor sooD ROADS MOVEMENT IN NORTH
CAROLINA.
+. of The Progressive Farmer.

During the past two decades the
rood roads movement in North Caro-
Ina has taken more definite shape
than at any previous period of our
history. The varying fortunes of pol
iieians have been staked on the out
come of this issue, and regulations
have been won and lost by adherents
70 the belief that the people desired
this public improvement. Recent de-
velopments, however, point to the
gratifying result that many of the
people who in its earlier stages resis-
ted the advancement of this crying
need, are now its most earnest advo-
Gates, because, like other public neces-
stiles it has proven, beyond theory or
cavil, that it is absolutely essential to
the best progress of a nation, a State
or even a local community.
1t is a matter of congratulation that
the people of our State have already
passed through the stage of education
as to the benefits" resulting from
good roads and the ~desirability of hav-
ing them in every locality. Probably
no person within our borders now
would for a moment contend that bet
ter public roads fail to promote every
phase of human happiness, and that
the degrees of happiness thereby at
tanned is measured by the state of per-
fiction to which our public highways
are improved. 1t is therefore useless
to employ arguments upon that part
of the controversy, because it has I'M
mistakably been settled in the minds
of the citizens of North Carolina.
Their present great interest in public
road building and the desire manifest
ed in all portions of the State for in
formation upon the subject, evidence
their determination to reap the bene-
fits of good roads which past expe-
rience has brought to the more
wealthy and progressive centers of
civilization.
Having settled this most important
fact in the progress of the campaign
for better roads, our people are now
confronted with the probably more
difficult problem of determining the
wisest and most practicable name
of arriving at a system of road build
ing which will be suitable to our con-
ditions as a people and our progress
as a State. The most reliable and ex-
perienced road builders agree with one
accord that a crushed stone Cor ma
cadam) road is the most economical
In the end and the most satisfactory
at all times, and yet the great cost of
construction will prevent a large ma
jority of our counties from attempt
ing this method at present. Gravel
roads are less expensive and relatively
less durable, while earth roads or COM
mon dirt roads are the cheapest and
naturally the least satisfactory. How
ever, in the progress which our people
are to make in road improvement,
there must be a gradual improvement
from the least expensive roads to a
system which will be substantial and
which the public sentiment will de-
mand, as the resources of our COM
munities will allow.
But we must not lose sight of the
fact that earth roads or common dirt
roads can be brought to a high degree
of perfection and be made to yield
surprisingly satisfactory results if
proper care and attention are given to
their location, drainage and repair.
"a child must crawl before it can
learn to walk seems to apply with
some force to the present road situa-
ton in North Carolina. While, of
course, some of our wealthier
ties are spending thousands of dollars
yearly for building and maintaining
public roads and are "past masters"
in the art of road building, yet the in
lection has not become general IN n
State, and out of our 81 counties, this
intelligent modern road improvement
is carried on in probably not more
than a dozen sections. A person has
only to visit Asheville, or Winston, or
Charlotte, or Raleigh, or Wilmington,
to discover that in n section in
North Carolina, from the lowlands
bordering the ocean, through the more
elevated middle section, to the rugged,
mountainous counties, road improve
ment to a high state of perfection is