Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1903-04-06
TWO CENTS
MORE ABOUT GOOD RO ADS,
A Very Timely Suggestion from
Thinking man.
He has Practical Ideas and Wants to
see Them Used-The Only war to
Have good Roads is to go at It Prop
o the Editor Of the Nnw DonrNros.


erly.
To the Editor of the New DOMINION.
There is no drawback to the bust.
ness interests OF this county, and to
the individual farmer that compares
with that Of the condition OF cur
public roads. This condition, in eff
feet, places an embargo upon the bus
mess OF the county for seven months
Of the year.
We all concede this We have been
conceding it for many years. We are
all in favor Of improving the roads,
but the majority OF our people are
like the temperance reformer who was
In favor Of prohibition, "but furninst
its enforcement. Z"
However, II the present agitation
proves an exception and results In
something II we can have a general
revolution in road building In this
county, it will mark the most import
ant epoch in the history OF Mon0nga-
LA, and we will erect monument to
Mr.. Goodwin, or any other man who
leads such forlorn hope to success
full contamination.
There are three suggestions that
the writer wants TO INTERCEPT into this
movement at the very start. We don't
care how much agitation there is on
road Improvement, but we are . fur
ninst turning up clod, or breaking
a stone on any public road until
competent road engineer is employed
to supervise 1t. Ii we need any one
thing in this county more than anoth-
er, it is road engineer.
In the second place, we are "fur-
ninst improving, or attempting to
improve, many, or even any, OF our
presolt roads on lines and grades upon
which they are now laid out. That
Is to say, we are opposed to making
permanent improvements on lines OF
roaos that were originally laid out on
raoiit trails, over almost perpendicu-
lar grades, and over the largest dis
tances between two points. There is
nothing so ridiculous as the lines. and
courses and grades OF our public roads.
We don't want ts make these perma-
nent, we want TO abolish them. We
want an engineer who would laugh
the county out of countenance on this
matter. We are furninst " the ex.
penditure of dollar on any road until
an engineer has determined that it Is
the best location for the people whom
1t serves. Take, for example, theionly
road which the county has undertaken
to improve ia scientific way-the
road leading to Granville. That is
the one road which serves the entire
population OF the northern boundary
OF the county for reaching the county
seat. Instead of following the river
from Granville up TO the suspension
bridge on a natural and easy grade, 1t
strikes up over the hills AMI hollows,
hither and thither over rough
aud PERCEPTIONS grades, frem one
quarter to half mile farther TO reach
town.
What in thunder does anybody want
10 improve that road for But that
Is sample of what would be done
an engineer TO first pass upon
Improvements.
In the third place, and as first
step to any improvement, we ought
light now, before putting another dol
ar In the mud, and as an earnest of
)ur purpose to proceed to business, we
ought right now to adopt and put into
practical operation the only efficient
Dad law that was ever put upon the
statute books Of West Virginia. We
efer to what is known as the sAlter-
tate Road Law, and which any coun-
" or district can put into operation
It its option. This Is the road law
nat mas been taken from states where
hey have good roads, and which has
proved itself effective, and.which has
or that reason been deal better on
he statute books of West Virginia
Except in very few localities.
We would like to comment on the
eatures OF this law, but cannot for
want OF space. The salient features
i 1T simply are, that every year the
,ublic roads are sold out at auction to
he lowest bidders in sections OF from
ne to five miles. The purchasers en-
er into bond TO keep the road in a
set forth 10 specifications In
orporated in his contract, and the
ounty engineer supervises aud deter
nines whether he has complied with
lis contract.
When tho county court has thus
old out 4 roads at the beginning OF
he year, Hey know that the roads
1ill be good condition for that
ear; tb know exactly what it will
ost, anG ley know they will have
ood roads OF they will have nothing
0 pay.
Let MIR. Goodwin secure the adop-
ion of the Alternate Road Law as
be first step in his campaign and IL
e can't do this, we advise him to
brow up the sponge and become an
dyocate for more mud. There are
1me things that are very bad that
amt be cured until they are worse.
AN OTn CAMpATuNrp