Evening journal., 1902-12-02
HOW 10 GET coon ROADS


Newark yesterday, the question OF
general system Of improvement Of
Delaware roads was The topic of dis
cussion. Most OF the addresses were
earnest and full Of practical sugges-
tions. There was much said regarding
the matter OF raising funds for the pur-
pose OF road improvement, but it is
probably true that the sums annually
appropriated IL properly expended,
would be almost sufficient for the con-
templated improvements.
There has been a great waste OF pub
lie funds in the past, and the prime eff
fort should be to avoid this In Kent
and Sussex a system OF road overseers
prevails. These men are appointed by
the respective Levy Courts, and their
places are held as political rewards.
They are farmers who may, or may
not, understand the first requirement
Of road making. Each overseer gets an
annual appropriation Of from SIS toI
5000, and this he proceeds TO work
OUT at his leisure.
This means that he selects that time
when his farm work is not pressing,
whether it is the suitable time for
working the roads or not. Those who
do not care to pay the road tax are al
lowed to furnish labor and teams, and
thus the money is exhausted i'm the
most unscientifc way imaginable It is
scattered over the whole county. and
used on roads that need Il badly, and
on those that could get along without
It. What is needed is a system which
shall allow some competent person to
expend such sums as seem necessary
on permanent improvements to those
stretches Of road which need it badly,
allowing the roads OF other districts to
await their turn.
In New Castle, under our system of
road commissioners. practically the
same conditions prevail, and year after
year, the people pay taxes that 80 for
naught.
And yet in all three counties in Della
ware. good roads should not be difficult
TO make and to maintain. 1t is true
that the problems are different in Nav
Castle from what they are in the I.
lower counties. In Kent and Sussex
the greatest difficulty is the sand
which makes travel heavy, but there
are no serious wash-Outs, since the
heavy rains do not form torrents, but
the water sinks into the SOIL The
country is perfectly level, and there
is no blasting Of rocks, no expensive
bridges to build. Il is a question Of
soils, and Of surfaeing, and the prob
lem could soon be solved by a compe-
tent engineer.
In this county, clay is the principal
soil with which our roadmakers have
to deal. In the summer this makes a
good roadbed but in winter and
spring. at times the roads are inn
passablo. But fortunately we have
rock. which If placed upon the roads in
proper manner, would make a vast
improvement We repeat, that there
are no great problems to solve, but the
difficulty is that in the past we have
not applied good business sense tC
I them.
To secure proper results, a oompe
s tent road engineer must be engaged fo
each county. The Office must not be
(. private snap for some political dere
4 lict; neither. should anyone he appoint
r ed whose only recommendations an
e honesty and popularity. What W
d must have if we wish good roads,
/ technical skill and we shall find whe
= we get 1t. that it is the cheapest thin
10 we have to consider in the matter.