The daily sentinel., 1903-01-13
Editor and Manager.
FOR BETTER HIGHWAYS.

T Cassatt president of the Pennsylvania railroad
system which recently raised fifty millions for better
ments is a remarkable man Mr. Cassat mas been
retired from railway tor seventeen years. until
few years
When nearly twenty ago he retired from rail
way pursuits took the life OF country gehtiea
a his Chester Brook stock Berwyn Pennylvanis
Among the notable and unique things he did to better
conditions surrounding home in Chester county. was
to accept the position of township road supervisor
Road making in that we'll settled region in Pennsyl-
vania mt that time par with the work done
in Mesa county. Dirt thrown in the ruts the ROAD
plowed up. that driving task instead OF pleas
ure Mr.. Cassatt changed all this He began pulldllR
roads. They not roads with chuck hoies hlieu'
which the rain washed out They were roads that
witstooG storms of every kind For twenty successive
terms he was elected. until he called from his retire
ment by the death of President Edgar Thompson OF the
Pennsylvania railroad o accept the presidency
During the years of his incumbency of that office he
rarely if ever spent had been usually appoprl
ated for work. he has provided that township
with roads that unequalled in this country
Two years ago writer drove some of these
roads, located his old home and they were narvels
in good building
Mesa county has the dirt throwing habit of road
building Annually good many thousands are spent IN
making what-roads that almost good untouched
as after money has spent in keeping them in re-
pair.
Our roads are naturally poor. but nothing is being
done to make them permanently better. There is an
of shae which could readily be hauled to the
roads, it is used Not all but the greater part OF
each years work for naught The present system
of road making has been largely of keeping
taxes the breaking point
1t would a thousand fold better to make five miles
of good road each year miles OF make
shifts.
Between Palisades and Fruta the distance is approx
aely twenty five miles a READILY reached from
all points in the valley built in five the
problem road making Grand Valley would be solved
and useless expenditure saved.
Cassatt took twenty years o build roads in town
ship certainly could devote five years to specific
work in building from Palisades Fruita. That one
solve the problem in this valley Other sec
tions could attended the work progressed
There is section in the state where intelligent
road building would pay such premium on the money
invested.
Some individual will say ooh! have time to
con sider such propositions Still here was Mr..
who all the time he road overseer was worth
several millions director in s3 railway corporations
president of among them the great Penn
syvania system and h, still finds time to take citizens
interest good roads the owship and county in which
he lives.
Are those who weigh measure ribbon and cali
co.. sell lumber. clothing boots and shoes who act as
financial agents for this community, big to look into
these matters for the countrys good We hardly think
so. Mr.. Cassatt with his muttudinous duties not.
Neither is any who apportions his time Alright. or
who cares something else besides his immediate
~ siness and who for conditions.
Let do something. Let endeavor to
something in 1908 in road build
ing Good roads for immigration and settlement, They
will more nearly the general approval of the
PAYERS than any public enterprise. Men willingly
will pay heal if they permanent mprove-
growing around them but they will and they do