Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1903-06-26
ABOUT ROADS.
HIGHWAYS Essential to a Coun'
try's prosperity.


Every one Interested in Having Them
of the Best Construction Why Far
mers are Benefited by Better Roads
Some Things in Our Present System
which are Unnecessary and Waste
full.
The present effort to discover a
scheme whereby a system Of good roads
for Mouongalia County may be secured
reflects credit on its promoters. 1t
has been well SAID that the condition
of its roads is the test Of country's
civilization. Rome could not have
built up nor maintained her world
supremacy without her magnificent
system of thoronghfares: the ancient
road beds in Peru bear silent witness
TO the wise rule of the Incas; Napo-
Icons fame will last in the highways
of France and Switzerland long after
TIE Dome Of the Invalides is a heap
of ruins; the roads of Great Britain
are monuments to the far-sightedness
and sagacity of her people.
To the farmers, although they do
not always realize 1t, the possession of
good roads doubles, nay, trebles their
capacity for making money. Not only
do they save intellectually in wear and
tear on stock and implements, but
the field of their labors is greatly
widened. They can raise fragile pro-
duce, such as early Vegetables and per-
ishable fruit, and carry it TO the mar
ket without fear of its being damaged,
task impossible to accomplish when
roads are rough and full of ruts. Thus
they are not confined simply to wheat,
corn, potatoes and other produce
which will stand rough usage. Good
roads will, of course, benefit every one,
| but the farmer most of all.
The question Of good roads in the
United States has been agitated spas
medically from time to time. Since
about 1885, however, public attention
has been more particularly called to It,
and in many sections satisfactory re.
suits have been obtained. Yet much
is still left to be desired, not only IN
country districts but near large cities
and in prosperous communities. The
area to be covered makes the task a
long one, but If each county and state
ATTENDS to the solution of its own
problems of road construction with
Interest, scientific knowledge and
common sense, in fifty years the Unit
ed States will be interseeted from East
to West and from North to South by 8
splendid system OF highways, which
will 60 far towards solving the prob
lem of depopulation OF country dis
tricts and oyercrowding of cities.
Tracing briefly the reasons for exist
ing bad conditions in the United
States, we Will examine the methods
employed Ia road building, what il
the ideal road and how it may be OBJ
tanned.
[. The reasons for existing bat
roads,
The vast extent OF country has al
ready been commented 90, and W.
must also take into consideration The
short period elapsed since the settling
of many parts OF the United States
Aside from these facts, however, tn
fundamental reason seems to exist il
the faulty regulations governing tn
construction and maintenance 0
roads. Except where road matter
are taken up in scientific manner
the road committees and supervisor
are usually totally ignorant OF the sub
ject, knowing nothing of engineering
They therefore cannot apply the fund
in their hands to the best advantage
The present absurd method OF levyini
the road tax in many states initiate
against road improvement a ma
may under this plan, work out hi
road tax when and where he pleases
SO that it be on the road, withou
supervision. The labor usually cor
sists in ploughing up the side OF tn
road, and throwing the soil into tn
middle. II the holes be very bad, n
may throw some large stone 10, c
some brush, if stone be not at hane
The result is too well known to nee
description.
: The difficulty of keeping up ou
, roads may be largely imputed to the
unnecessary width. The Roma
main roads wereabout 16 feet in Width
affording plenty of room for two VI
hieles to pass one another, while tn
2 by-roads were narrower, with turn out
Y at convenient intervals. Our roae
D are often thirty TO forty feet vic
sometimes as much as eighty fee
The surface area is too great to [
kept up, and there is usually a stri
of waste lane on either side, acting {
nursery for weeds. This might |
, better included in the farming or OIL
' er land skirting the road, the cost
road maintenance being reduced
cover the actual width of road neee
! sary for the convenience Of traffic.
. Another reason for the destructlc
. of roads is the narrowness of the tir
Ion American vehicles. Narrow tlr
cut the road and are one of the mo
destructive agencies. The width
!, the tire should be properly proportion
. ed to the weight of the vehicle,
: minimum of grinding or cutting b
o ing thus produced.
d Frame judgement.