Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1903-04-11
WANTS TO GET BUSY.
Another Communication on the Good
Roads MoYement-Don Think that
Former Correspondent has Proper
Ideas

To the Editor of the NEW DOMINION.
Being a native and resident OF Mon
0ngalia county, and having carefully
considered the suggestions aud theor-
les pertaining to the betterment Of the
county roads, published Ia our local
papers, / hope you will permit me
making some corrections, criticisms
and general remarks, thro IA fse
paper.
In Mondays issue g An Old Cam
paigner" displayed very poor judg
ment, and misstated facts.
Surely be does not wish the position
of civil engineer for the county
1t appears TO me his aspirations in
the past have been in different chan
nels, and judging from his effort
Monday, he would be failure in that
position.
1t is not true that a route could be
secured down the river shorter, or bet.
ter, than the present Morgantown and
Fairmont pike. Instead OF it being
/ TO mile shorter, as claimed by him,
1t would be more than / mile longer
than the present established road, and
through loamy soil, receiving all the
drainage from the adjacent hills.
He is evidently not familiar with the
location Of the roads on the West
side.
The present road running through
Granville TO the Pennsylvania line
merges with the M. & f. pike Just
one mile from the court house, and
over one-eighth mile south OF the
river.
From this it can easily be seen that
the proposed road down the river could
not take the place Of the present
road, as it would require those coming
from the southwest to travel an eighth
of mile farther to reach Morgantown.
One-half the travel over the present
road comes from the southwest.
We have no objection to a road down
the river, but to advocate its taking
the place OF the present road, is per-
fectly absurd.
Can 1t be possible IAN Old Cam
paigner has interests in Rivtis side?
We know experts differ, but this
time We take the Judgment Of the
experimental roads expert Ia pref
erence TO IAN Old Campaigner's
stuff. The present road is practical
bly,, permanently aud prudently loeat-
ed, with reasonable grade and good ia
cilities for caring for water
When it is properly shaped, drained
and macadamized, as it will be this
summer, the public will be pleased
and proud.
II "An Old Campaigner wishes to
establish the river route, and have it
operated under the "Alternate Road
Law we wish him quick action and
sure success.
Does he want contract for that
section We think not. | will ven
ture he knows nothing, personally or
practically, Of road-making.
A person would not have to be
mind reader to guess who he is.
The ALTERNATE Road Law was in
tended for repairing roads, not i'm
proving the character and grade of
them.
How could section contractor
know how to bid unless he knew what
was to be done? How many farmers
are there who are equipped to under
take road building? Not one.
Any OF them with pillow, wagon,
pick, shovel and maddox can ohIi-
gate themselves for so much to keep
the road under their division !" as good
as usual, nothing more.
We re.assert the ALTERNATE Road
Law" system is all right for repairing,
but not for making" roads such as
we need and demand.
He surely is opposed to issuing
bonds for IS road making, as cham
pioned by Mr.. Goodwin, although at
tempting to conceal his purpose. He
lives in town, evidently does not keep
horse and dislikes increase ia taxes.
If we are compelled to wait for bet
ter roads until made under require
ments of IAN Old Campaigner y, we
will forever wait.
We are heartily in favor of raising
sufficient amonnt by issuing bonds
to put in the best possible condition
all the county roads, using what Is
the best and most practicable, consid
ering localities, character OF SOIL etc.
This should be superintendent by ca
pable, consistent, practical, expert
enced man, who is not only civil en-
gineer but one thoroughly yersed in the
construction of roads, the character
of road beds, the proper material to
use and the time in the year to do it,
continuing the work until completed
READY's BROTHER.