The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1903-04-16

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 bao
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 conn.,
pleted. OF course the difference be-
tween the "before" and the latter" in
each case is that between barbarism
and civilization. There are IN the State
Of New York 1887 miles of dirt roads.
q great proportion Of which are mere
rutted tracks across the country-nof
really roads, but merely reserved strips
of land upon which roads must some
time be built if the State fulfills 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 roads
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 il multiplied this figure
by seven. In the next year only twen-
ty miles of State road were built, but
in 1902 the mileage constructed rose to
126. So that We now have total mile
age of completed improved roads OF
1856, against these 72,S57' miles of just
plain mud-and-dust country roads.
To give these figures in juxtaposjtion
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-
" has ever had any road built in 1t by
the State Engineer without asking for
more.
In creating this demand for addition
al good road construction the State aid
law has accomplished very consider
able share of its work. The main pur-
pose of the law was to make the peo-
pie discontented with their dirt roads,
and incline them to be willing to bear
their share Of the cost Of constructing
better. The State should stand ready
to construct the improved roads which
are now demanded in rapidly increas,
ing ratio. Everybody in authority. We
believe, favors the general plan. All
the forces of progress are ranged ON
the side Of improved roads.
The only question is whether the
State shall Immediately proceed to bor-
row money on a large scale for the
wholesale construction Of roads. 1t
may be that 1t 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 APP
propriated more than $4,000 as their
half of the cost OF constructing 410
miles of road in the coming year. The
State should stand ready to appropriate
an equal amount as its half of the COST
This will represent great gain upoR
last year. and it is possible that simf-
lar gain will be practicable for the year
next ensuing. 1t has been estimated
by the standing committee of the su-
peryisors' good roads conference that
it will require the building of 700
miles Of highway by the State to im-
prove the main market roads, the thor.
oughfares. This would be ten per cent.
Of the highway mileage~of the State.
Every mile at least of this 1000 should
eventually be improved. But II pc
riod of ten years is taken for the con-
struction of this extent Of roads no
large bonding scheme will be neces-
sary, and prodigious step in advance
will have been taken.
BY the time this work is done the peo-
ple will have been so thoroughly edu-
Gated in the science Of road building.
and put so completely out Of conceit
with the old dirt roads that they win.
by their own labor and willing expen-
diture, redeem thousands of miles OF
subsidiary roads.-New York Mail and
Express.