The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1902-05-08

better And does he like to swelter
along in the baking sun when he need
not? 1t seems to me it is far more to
the interest of the poor man than the
rich TO have the roads good and well
shaded.
Let us take, for moments coDsid-
GRAFTON, the road to Boiling Spring.
Are there not many here tonight who
have a lively remembrance of the
heat and dust and general misery of
the first mile or two after crossing the
railroad of that road on a sun baking
August day and are there not many
here who also remember the sigh of
relief, almost joy, with which they
passed beyond the foot of Observa-
tory Hill into the delicious cool dark
green shade of those fine old big
trees? And aren't you sorry to see
them go? If so speak up and let us
hear from you!
Now for my part l am not so I'M
reasonable as to ask any man not to
go on with his lumber business Just
because like to see his big trees and
to walk or drive under the shade of
them. but can't help thinking that
if it was all put to him like this he
would probably feel just the same
way himself and be quite willing to
leave dozen feet or SO on each side of
the road bed undisturbed. A good
lumber man has generally real pride
in a fine tree and have known men
in the Maine mountains who were as
proud when you admired one of their
great trees as if you admired one of
their children.
At any rate any one who owns
property on the road sides about this
country on which trees or even scrub
foliage is growing has it in his power
to confer real blessing on the COM
munity by letting it grow, and l
would like to suggest that the mem
bers of the society promise that they
will not cut down or allow cut down
their road side trees or bushes with
out at least first consulting with a
committee of three appointed each
year by the President who shall make
it their business to do all they can to
help to encourage shady roads.
Even as far away as this mountain
place of America you have probably
all heard of the Devon hedge rows
and yet, if you let Nature alone for a
dozen feet on each side of your roads,
you would have lanes quite as beauti-
full as any Devon can offer. OF course
where farm runs to the road side it
is unreasonable to ask a farmer to
leave 12 feet of tangle as a border to
his well cared for field, but he would
not much hurt his field and he would
greatly help the road if he would
spare any good trees he has along the
road ways where it does not actually
interfere and outside the fences.
In many States there is law that
no trees can be cut by anyone outside
of fence lines that all timber on either
side of road within 90 feet of the
center of the road bed belongs to the
road, not to the bordering property
owners and can only be cut by order
of the chief road commissioner and
only then when it is proven to be in
the way of traffic. Again in other
States the wayside trees belongs to
the bordering property owners and
can be cut by no one save their own
ers, unless dangerous | should like
to know the local law here upon the
subject, but whatever it may be the
true safety of the trees lies in the in
terest Of the people of the place and
if you all unite in an effort to have
shady roads | am very sure that
shady roads you would have and soon
too, though if you planted one it
would be 100 years before an oak tree
would be big enough to be called fine.
n.