The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1902-03-11
PIE MATER OF TIE ROADS

PBE MATER OF TIE RO ADS.
Referring to the fact that the farmers
of Catawba county are kept at their
homes by the condition of the roads,
The Newton Enterprise says move
ment ought to be started 10 improve
them and that its information Is that
there is practically no opposition III the
county to the issue OF bonds to lnaugu-
rate some systematic plan OF road lm-
provsment, though there is some IN the
towns. Then the towns are standing
very much in their own light; they
have more to gain, if possible, from
good roads than the county. Our con
temporary believes that this opposition
swould be abandoned if the plan OF
grading, draining and covering with
burnt clay were adopted, instead OF the
slower and more expensive macadamlz-
ing system" 1t places the cost OF this
treatment at the low figure of $500 a
mile. We do not know anything ABOUT
the efficiency Of this system, but II
North Carolina needs anything more
than the banishment of ignorance, 1t Is
to get out of the mud, and it is pleas
have taken hold Of this problem IN
practical way and are to vote on the
issue of road Improvement bonds. There
are two avenues of hope for the i'm
provement of the public roads, and
only two. One is through the abandon
ment of farming by the penitentiary
and the putting Of all able-bodied con-
victs, excepting those under sentence
t)r the gravest felonies, at work on the
roads: the other is the issue OF bonds
To maintain chain-gang large enough
to be effective is more expensive tnan
to maintain an interest account, and
bonds provide means by which the
roads may be improved more rapidly
than by the other method. 1t is the
more practicable plan but our counties
will have to come to one or the other
unless the roads are to 60 from bad to
worse.-Charlotte Observer.
What is true in North Carolina is
true here. We believe we need more
"to get out of the mud" than we need
the banishment of ignorance, for if we
were out of the mud in the sense here
meant we would soon Danish the igno-
rance which hangs over US. In fact
good roads would be the happy solution
of many of the problems which now
confront US. The only way to secure
good roads is by taxation and then
have them built by contract. We have
always been an advocate of putting the
convicts upon the public roads and We
still believe that much good could be
accomplished in this way if the con-
victs were properly handled, but if we
are to be governed by the practical re-
suits in those counties where convicts
have been tried we would conclude that
this system is failure, except to go
over the roads and build a few bitches
and this has to be done after each rain.
The best investment the people OF
this county could make, and for that
matter the people OF any county in this
State, would be to vote for an issue OF
about half million dollars of bonds, the
money to be used in building some good
roads. It seems to US that any one who
travels only occasionally the roads Of
this State would hesitate long time
before he would oppose such a forward
and progressive movement and we do
not believe any taxpayer in this county
would oppose the expenditure of public
money for the improvement of the pub
lie roads. ...
It would be a good investment from
any viewpoint. The increased value of
property would amply repay the in
vestment. Then there comes the saw
ing in the wear and tear of vehicles
and horses not to speak of the saving
in time and the increase in the amount
that could be conveyed by the same
vehicles and horses. Then there is to
be considered the increased'desirability
of the country as place of residence
Each county should start good roads
movement and the sooner the better.