The new enterprise. (Madison, Fla.) 1901-1908, 1902-08-21
Some Results From Good Roads.

OF the Flttest in the Way OF Good Roads.
ana The Journals recent editorial on
the same subject has put me to think.
ing again, Any one who travels the
public roads TO any extent can demon
strate, in language most convincing. 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 al.
dition TO the difference in the rate Of
travel We must take into consideration.
not only the wear and tear of vehicles.
but, also the dferencein the seryiceable
life Of the stock used in conveying these
loads from place to place.
When cost Of building good roads ad-
mits Of final profit and the costliness
OF bad roads lie plainly evident it can be
clearly seen that we, as a people, are
greatly inhuman IL we fail to take what.
ever steps we can in bettering the lot OF
our faithful friends the horse and mule.
It's beyond doubt folly to question
the adyisabilitY of good roads when we
zee the most prosperous sections Of the
country constructing highways on inn
proved modern methods.
In Rhode Island new law hse been
passed providing for the building Of
public roads. This law establishes
board called the road commission and
they will employ On expert engineer TO
determine the best methods Of proce
dure. The natural local materials will
be examined and everything will be
conducted on what might be called q
liberal economical plan. The roads thus
builded will be known as the state high.
ways and at first the work will he done
on the most important roadwsys leading
to the commercial centers, afterwards
extending TO the more isolated sections.
This lie q step that will resultin immeas-
urable benefit to the smallest state In
the union and lesson can be taken from
it by the larger states.
North Ca rolins Is far in the lead OF all
southern states in road making de-
spite it's hilly, mountainous nature and
we witness the outcome in the attraction
Of capital, 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 predominant factor In this work
and no one disputes their merit.
Taking the old countries into the
subject we might take France as an
example Of good roads. She is over.
ridden with debts, and tsxes are high,
but it 10 an established and famous fact
that Frenchmen themselves take every
dollar of national bonds issued. They
have wonderful faith 10 the country and
it lie conceded that the 275,62s miles OF
macsdamized roads IN France greatly
strengthens this faith, though the cost
is enormous compared to the cost in the
United States, beng about four times
as great
Going back hundreds Of years before
the white man came 70 the Americas the
inhsbitants Of Peru Of ancient times
puilded great AppiaD way and the
fame OF their work has iilumined their
existence down through the tight of
centuries and just for thIsreason above
all others they are regarded to-day AZ
the greatest of all nations Of their time
on the two continents. It seems that
good roads and civilization have always
been intimately connected.
II il we're not for good roads the grain
belt could never be developed and the
world would want for the staff Of life.
To this end it is well for Georgia to fall
In line in this good work as suggested
by The journal and it should do 50 at
once for the 4cow's tail' Of procession
never amounts TO much no matter how
great the procession is.
Coming down 10 Georgia we may take
Richmond, Columbia and McDufiie
counties in contrasting views.
The first named began matchmaking
its roads about fifty years ago under
the contract system and later il put its
convicts TO work on tine roads. In the
course 81 few years every mile Of its
public roads win be grayelled macada.
mixed roads and already It's highways
have attained such degree o. perfcc-
tion as to elicit praise from engineers
and other competent critics from all
pnrte of tho world.