The Washington times., 1903-06-21
Movement for Better Thor
oughfareS Spreads to All
Sections-TaXpayerS Ask
ed to Back Up the Com
missionerS.
Condition of Many of the
Main Highways Leading
Into Washington Is No
Better Than When CITY
Was Founded.

Was Founded.
The good roads movement has struck
the District of Columbia broadside 1t
has been slow in coming. but has finally
arrived.
Improvement associations in all The
Washington suburbs and farmers insti-
tutes have taken up the agitation. Dis
trict of Columbia roads are practically
the same they were nifty years ago.
While Massachusetts. Illinois. and many
of the States in the far West and south
have been constructing good roads the
Nations Capital has stood still
Most Of the roads leading into Wash
ington are almost impossible in winter.
because of mud. and are so rough and
dusty in summer that travel over them
is uncomfortable and dangerous
Congress finds money for expensive
improvements in the districts OF infuen-
tial politicians. but the Washington peo-
pie 20 begging and have little better
highways than those which the founder
OF the city travelled over with such greet
diHcrlty more than roo yssrs ago
ss5 9osds Spsci5,d.
IA tce northwest section ~ tnr Dis
tr.vt toe s0o0 gosds noveuruj b. =spz-
cialiy strong. Inc Citizens Northwest
Suburban Association has resented the
failure Of the Commissioners to do some
n ing to improve the country roads in
that part of the District In reply to a
request from the Commissioners that a
list be submitted of roads which are es-
peeially in need OF repairs the association
has named Tenleytown Road north of
Friendship; Woodley Road. from Connec-
ticut Avenue to Cathedral Street: Broad
Branch Road. Rock Creek Ford Road.
Daniel Road. Grant Road. Chappell
Road. Pierce Mill Road. Belt Road. River
Road. Murdoch Hill Road. Little Falls
Road. and many others.
The association charges the failure OF
Congress to make appropriations for the
repair OF these roads TO the refusal OF
the Commissioners 20 approve the re-
quests OF the persons living along the
roads named The grievances of the as
sociation are set forth in a letter pre-
scented 10 the Commissioners by G. c. |
Lancaster, president OF the Citizens
Northwest Suburban Association. II
states that the gravel used in repairing
country roads Is little better than dust
and assures the Commissioners that the
demands for substantial improvements
will continue until the justice of the de- |
mandS IS recognized
Mr.. Shoemaker's Argument.
Louis p. Shoemaker. who has been
active in the movement to secure bet !
ter country roads. believes that the !
appropriation for suburban streets and !
that for country roads should be sepa-
rate. Under the present plan OF ap-
propriatIng money for roads and sub !
urban streets IN a lump sum the sub |
urban streets get most of the improve
ments. Mr.. Shoemaker discussed the /
need for road Improvement as follows: /
The term county ro8os' fe4igus % .
al nose nisDwsys 10 ne District or i
coi"GsI - ceyooo me cts o; Wssoio.-
100 Tue -lrire DiaiTirr. nOUsyet. - 3
Gvw rhe 'ity o. Washington. lot ,iz
District - COi.InD4S ~ tLe ...Ae aI LAe
United States Government. not merely
the old city. and the rate OF taxation
Is uniform. being 81 so on the 800 by
act OF Congress.
These original highways have been
established for fifty or seventy-hve
years. and. in fact, many OF them are
a. old as the city OF Washington. They.
and they alone. existed up to about
thirty years ago as a means OF travel \
and development; there were then no
suburban streets. for all the various
subdivisions are. comparatively speak
ing. Of recent date.
Starting then, as we have. with a
general Congressional appropriation
for county roads and suburban streets.
and without the establishment of more
than few new roads. but with great
increase OF suburban streets within the
large number OF subdivisions which
have been made in the last few years.
the latter perhaps are demanding. nat
erally. the attention OF our authorf-
Ties and absorbing to too great an ex-
L at the money annually appropriated
Tor the Improvement OF suburban
streets and county roads
Want Distinct Appropriation.
The Commissioners have annually
asked for more money from Congress for
this very important work, but their re-
crest. like many others. has been denied
he time has come. in my opinion. con
s.dering the long neglected and OTTER
Dangerous condition OF these county
roads, to ask for separate appropria-
Hons. one for county roads and an
oiher for suburban streets. and we
ought TO have at least as much money
for the county roads AS We now
Eei for them and the streets together.
IT seems that inadequate attention
s given 10 these old highways. be-
'ause they are as rough and muddy ia
he winter and dusty in the sum-
ner. largely because OF the use OF I'm
proper material, as they were many
cars ago. Indeed. they are sometimes
almost imp assable. as we'll as danger
,uS 10 the travelling uubIic This nv