Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-08-18

Asst year ! furnished The Journal
an article under the title: The
Survival Of the Fittest in the Way
Of Good Roads and The Journal
recent editorial on the same subject has
put me to thinking again Any one who
travels the public roads to any extent can
demonstrate, in language most convinc-
ing, the superiority of the good road over
the common road. Much more effective
is the statement Of the man who hauls
loads over both classes Of roads. In adj
dition TO the difference In the rate or
travel we must take into consideration,
not only the wear and tear Of vehicles,
but also the difference In the servicable
life of the stock used in conveying these
loads from place to place.
When cost Of building good roads admits
Of final profit and the costliness Of bad
roads is plainly evident It can be clearly
seen that we, as a people, are greatly in
human If we fail to take whatever steps
we can IN lettering the lot OF our faithful
friends-the horse and mule.
1t is beyond doubt a folly to question the
advisability OF good roads when we see
the most prosperous sections Of the coun-
try constructing highways on improved
modern methods.
In Rhode Island a new law mas been
passed providing for the building Of public
roads. This law establishes board called
the road commission and they will employ
an expert engineer TO determine the best
methods of procedure. The natural local
materials will be examined and everything
will be conducted on what might be called
a liberal economical plan. The roads thus
builded will be known as the state high
ways and at first the work will be done
on the most important roadways leading
to the commercial centers afterwards ex-
tending to the more Isolated sections.
e efa hat NIL n g..
urable benefit to the smallest state in the
union and a lesson can be taken from 1t
by the larger states.
North Carolina is far in the lead Of all
southern states in road-making despite
its billy, mountainous nature and we wit
ness the outcome in the attraction of capt.
tai in building up industries of all kinds
and all this points out the value of good
roads. Nearly everybody there recognizes
the fact that good roads is the pre-domi-
nant factor in this work and no one dis
putes their merit.
Taking the old countries into the sub
ject we might take France as an example
of good roads. She is over-ridden with
debts and taxes are high, but IL is an es-
tablished and famous fact that French
men themselves take every dollar Of ma
tional bonds issued. They have wonder
full faith in the country and 1t is conced-
ed that the 275,62S miles Of macadamized
roads in France greatly strengthens this
faith, though the cost is enormous COM
pared to the cost in the United States.
being about four times as great.
Going back hundreds of years before the
white man came to the Americas the In
habitants OF Peru OF ancient times build
ed a great Appian way and the fame Of
their work has illumined their existence
down through the fight Of centuries and
Just for this reason above all others they
are regarded today as the greatest OF all
nations Of their time on the two CONT
nents It seems that good roads and CIV
ilization has always been intimately con-
nected.
II IT were not for good roads the grain
belt could never be developed and the
world would want for the staff Of life.
To this end II Is well for Georgia TO fall
in line in this good work as suggested by
The Journal and II should do so at once
for the "cow's tail'' Of a procession never
amounts to much no matter how great the
procession is.
Coming down to Georgia we may take
Richmond, Columbia and McDufhe coun-
ties in contrasting views.
The first >named began matchmaking It's
roads about fifty years ago under the con-
tract system and later 1t put its convicts
to work on the roads. In the course OF
a few years every mile of its public roads
will be graYelled macaQaInlzeQ TOdQS| anu
already it's highways have attained such
a degree of perfection as to elicit praise
from engineers and other competent crit
ics from all parts OF the world.
Take Columbia county: Some years
back the short term convicts were placed
at work on the public roads and in short
time improvements were manifest on all
sides, but the number Of convicts soon
became small and the work was abandon
ed. Since that time the roads have been
getting worse and return to the convict
system will probably be made next year.
Ten years ago McDufae county began
working convicts on its roads and has
stuck to the system. Today all its roads
or good Enterprises of all kinds are
springing up and the county is daily grow
ing richer. Is good roads factor? These
three counties join each other, what else
can be the cause?
What we need to make the good roads
movement a permanent one is TO have
state law on the same and ger every man
of common sense enlisted in the cause.
Then we shall see period Of progress IN
paraIeled in the history Of Georgia.
Appling, Ca, Aug. II.