The Opelousas courier., 1903-06-06
0 g
9 RO z D S.

WORKINGS of the State Aid Law,


roads convention of the repre-
sentatives of the boards of SUI
pervisors Of this State, held
at Albany, is full of the usual photo
graphs showing stretches of very bad
and miry country roads, the same roads
while under constructive operations at
the hands of the State Engineer, and
again after the new road has been conf
pleted. OF course the difference be-
tween the "before" and the latter" in
each case is that between barbarlsm
and civilization. There are in the State
of New York 1887 miles Of dirt roads,
a great proportion Of which are mere
rutted tracks across the c~ountry-not
really roads, but merely reserved strips
of land upon which roads must some
time be built if the State fullills its I'M
piled pledge to civilization. In dry
weather these roads are beds of dust,
in wet weather of mud.
Of course we cannot be at all proud
of the fact that our State aid to a
law has been in operation since 1898
only. In 1899 the State Of New YORK
managed to construct five miles Of good
road. In 1900 it multiplied this figure
by seven. In the next year only TWEEN
tv miles of State road were built, but
in 1902 the mileage constructed rose to
12G, So that we now have a total mile
age of completed improved roads OF
1876. against these 1851 miles of just
plain mud-and-dust country roads.
To give these figures in juxtapOsition
is to present an argument in favor OF
liberal State appropriations for i'm
proved roads. Evidently the people
have seen the point of argument; they
want the good roads. Forty-six coun-
ties in the State have petitioned for
2414 miles of improved roads. No coun-
ty has ever had any road built in it by
the State Engineer without asking for
more.
In creating this demand for addition,
al goodhoad construction tbs State aid
law has accomplished a very consider
able hare OF its work. The main pur,
pose of the law was to make the peo'
pie disconnected with their dirt roads,
and inclinethep to be willing to bear
their share # the CUE Of constructing
better. The State should stand ready
to construct the improved roads which
are now demanded in a rapidly increas'
ing ratio. Everybody in authority, We
believe, favors the general plan. al
the forces Of progress are ranged Oh
the side of improved roads.
The only question is whether the
State shall Immediately proceed to Dor
row money IN a large scale for THO
wholesale construction or roads. Il
may be that it can afford to do this
We should say, however, that a better
way would be to continue and develop
the method of appropriation which has
been pursued up to date. Twenty
seven counties have in the last year ap
propriated more than 100000 as thel
half of the cost Of constructing Az
miles of road in the coming year. Th'
State should stand ready to appropriate
an equal amount as it's half of the cost
This will represent a great gain upol
last year, and it is possible that a SINH
lar gain will be practicable for the yea
next ensuing. 1t has been estimate'
by the standing committee Of the ST
pervisors' good roads conference tina
it will require the building Of $50
miles Of highway by the State to in
prove the main market roads, the thol
oughfares. This would be ten per cent
of the highway mileage of the State
Every mile at least Of this 1900 shout
eventually be improved. But If a Pc
Rod of ten years is taken for the col
struction of this extent Of roads II
large bonding scheme will be nece:
sary, and a p%rodigious step in advanc
will have been taken.
BY the time this work Is done the pet
pie will have been so thoroughly edt
Gated in the science Of road building
and put so completely out Of conce
with the old dirt roads that they will
by their own labor and willing expe1
diture, redeem thousands Of miles c
subsidiary roads.-New York Mail an
Express.
, Good Roads Appreciated.