The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1902-10-24
The Public Roads.

To THE LEGIS:
This communication is written in the hope
of directing attention. and by that means
eventually to lead to some practical action m
reference to an important part of the public
affairs OF the county, viz the public roads.
The opportunities of the writer for the past
several years have been such that his obServa-
ton of the administration of orr road system
has been necessarily close. The result is
that he has arrived at the conclusion that the
system now in vogue in this county. is ohso-
letc, Anticipated and untitled for the needs of
the public. Unless this is so either in its en-
tircty. or. at least. in large measure. this
communication is based upon erroneous
premises, and consequently. not entitled to
consideration. But if it is so. in whole in
part, then a remedy should be found, because
it is not the part of prudence or wisdom to
rest under burdens that can be wholly rcmov-
ed or in part, at least, rcmcdicd. However
applicable and sufficient for the public need
our road system, administered in the past
has proved our contention is that it is now out
worn and antiquatcd. The appointment of
road supervisors and the expenditure ofmoney
on the public roads in the mode and manner in
which heretofore and up to the present tmc
it has been done, is not productive of results
beneficial to the taxpayers in the measure in
tended, or that ought rightly to be expected
Not only this, but it is positively a waste of
money. Where does the fault lie? In the
system, or in its administration Decidedly
in large measure, if not altogether in the svs-
tenn itself. If i'll it's administration only the
fault was to be found, then the remedy would
logically be, to change the personnel of the
Board OF Commissioners. But this isnOt the
case. tits practically impossible for he mem
bcrs of any Board of commissioners particu-
larry now that the number is reduced to three
for the county, to maintain that close personal
oversight and direction of the public roads
that a prudent man would give to his private
business affairs. and which alone would en-
sure success. They are obliged to attend to
4 vast mass of other county business at the
sessions OF the board on one DAY only in each
week So, in order to regulate the puhIic,
roads attend to their preservation and re-
pairs, &c, supervisors, one or more for each
election district, are appointed and under
these supervisors, large array of employees
to do the actual work, until personal reSpon-
Sibillty in any shape for the condition of the
roads is frittered away to almost nothing
cycept-and this exception is n big item in
the total sum of the mattcr-the RESPONSE
bility OF the taxpayer for large damages by
reason OF the roads being ncgligcntlv suffered
to be out of repair. and consequently injuries
to travellers and passengers. The bills paid
for these damages are items worthy of serious
consideration, and, IN connection with the
Inconvenience. annoyance and positive loss
to farmers and Others arising from badly kept
roads, call loudly for redress in some shape
1t is not the fault, altogether at least of the
Commissioners that this is so. The limited
pay received by the Supervisors does not JUS
fifty them in devoting such time to the roads
as would interfere with their other ayoca-
tionS; consequently the roads receive lust so
much attention as can be spared from other
matters, and no more. Certainly also it is
not to be expected that under our present
system this is to work out otherwise than it
does. The county. no more than an indi-
Vidual, can expect to get something for moth
ing. Roads are neglected to be repaired and
holes left in bridges. until men, women and
children, and teams and other property are
wrecked or injured and the damages claimed
are Obliged to be paid. pcaceably if they can
be so adjusted, otherwise bya law suit, with
attendant coSts-the very time it takes in
prolonging Court sessions, pay ofiurors, &c.
to try the cases being inconsidcrable adj
ditional burden on the county. These things
ought not to be, or rather, to speak as prac-
tically as may be, ought to be reduced to a
minimum of occurrence. both on grounds of
economy and for the satisfaction and real
profit of our citizens in having good roads.
kept in proper repair. There is an era of
good roads already. or about to be- inaugu-
rated in nearly all of the States of this Union
and in most of the counties of this State
One of the initial roads according to the i'm
proved system of road making is already
nearly completed here. in the Churcllvlle and
Bel Air road enabled to he done by the bounty
of the late William Woolsey, with the assist
ance of the County Commissioners and the
road department of the State. And altho'
we cannot reasonably expect many instances
OF public generosity such as that of Mr.. Wool
Scy, to occur again, yet many ideas, and the
admirable large steam roller now owned by
the county and used in the building of the road
named. can be largely awaited of for many of
the other roads in the county. The advan-
tage of good roads to the public was only the
other day illustrated, when one of our CT tizcns,
an up-to-date farmer, who operates large
farm adjoining the Woolsey road hauled
with comparative ease aload of wheat TO the
Reckord Mills over that road approximating
to nearly twice the weight usually allotted by
him to the team employed.
The writer has mentioned this subject of
the care and oversight of the public roads by
the County Commissioners to that body and
to several intelligent citizens of practical
IDEAS together with the outlines of a plan for
bettcring the present system. 1t goes with
out saying almost, that in any plan their
management ought certainly to be divorced
from political jobs or temptation to such
methods. Also thorough business method,
with Just such responsibility for the outcome
as any business man ought and would expect
from his business agent or agents. ought to
attach to all employees about road matters.
If a hole in q road or bridge is left unrcpaircd
for weeks or until somebody gets hurt, some
body ought to be responsible to the Commits
sioncrs for the neglect. The writer thinks
that much or all of this can be brought about
by an economical and efficient plan involving
more or less change in the present method.
This plan he is ready to submit to any parties
interested, for exactly what it is worth. If
of no value it may vet stimulate some more
practicable suggestions from some citizen bet
ter qualified to deal intclligcntly with the
subject. If so, the purpose of the writer will
BE- fully subserved.
Finally we think if the matter is Insufficient
Importance, a conference meeting should he
held at some convenient time and place to
take it into earnest consideration, in the in
tcrest of all good citizens, or the matter at
tended to in some other shape that will be
productive of practical results If this sug-
pcstion proves of no avail, and, on the con-
trary the subject matter is not deemed
worthy of further noticc-well. so let it rest.