Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1904-11-17

Work kAccOmpIished--AIOd Meth
ods of Highway Building Adopted
with Good Results.
The eighth annual report of the On
tlrio commissioner of highways not
only describes the work accomplished
IN that province but gives number
OF good reasons why every county
should improve its roads. The report
III part is as follows:
In the past roadmaking has been
by many too lightly regarded. It's i'm
portance has not been seriously real
iZcd. yet the result of careful sum
ming up of all facts pertaining to the
problem leads to but one conclusion.
The development of any, of every,
country is absolutely impossible with
crt good country roads.
"Good or bad country roads are not
merely a matter of convenience or in
convenience to the farmer and his fam
ily. They affect the annual income
and the value of the farm many times
what the cost of a good road would be-
Millions of dollars have been spent
Ciou railways and their equipment
canals, harbors, lake and ocean steam
ship lines. Yet without common coun-
t'Y roads all this vast expenditure
would be futile. Every ton of freight
las 10 be carried to or from the rail
way or steamer over the common
reads. AT period of bad roads rail
way and steamship traffic is reduced
to Il minimum, and the current of trade
is much impeded. No public work
would contribute more TO the individ-
ual prosperity of the citizens of every
class than would the general improve
lnent of country roads. While farm
crs would be most largely and most
directly affected. all would feel the
leucht. country of good roads is
invariably a country of good houses,
good barns and Il coutcnted and pros
porous farming community
Much has been done and is being
dome 10 improve the conditions of coun
try roads in Ontario In 1896, when the
first parliament of Ontario Uhen up
per Canada) assembled to Niagara-o on.
The Lake, among the first acts was one
establishing Il system for opening and
maintaining roads. From that day TO
the present roadmaking has been one
of the chief concerns of the municipal
government. Unfortunately much of
the effort and energy applied to the
improvement of roads have not been
systematically directed, SO that the
condition of the average country road
is by no means what it should be- This
Is unfortunate in many ways But the
recent activity in regard to the good
roads movement has accomplished
much and is most encouraging. 4
general reform of roadmaking methods
is gradually being brought about. with
corresponding improvement in the
condition of the roads
lie organization of the Ontario
Good Roads association in 1894 was
the first step toward "A campaign for
road reform. 1t was felt by those i'll
terested in this association that the ex-
listing systems of road maintenance. al
most wholly dependent upon statute
labor, had outlived their usefulness
and that the adoption of modern and
efficient methods should be urged Del
esates were elected to address farmers
Institutes, darymen's and other con
yentlons held in the province. In this
way the subject was first brought be-
fore the public and more active in
tereSt aroused.
Two years later, in 1896 the On
tario government created an office, that
Af fJ,n al l.;
sloncr, for the purpose of further slim
ulatiEg an interest in the Improvement
of country roads. BY means of litera-
ture on the subject township councillors
and others having supervision of road
building throughout the province have
hccn instructed as to the best means to
adopt in obtaining economical and per-
manent results. Public meetings have
Dnen held in all parts of the province
addressed by the commissioner of high.
ways, at which roadmaking in all its
branches has been discussed. These
meetings, with rare exceptions, have
been largely attended. and Il strong
interest in road Improvement has been
aroused which directly or indirectly
Is turned to practical account Oh the
roads of the districts thus visited and
in tie system of road management
throughout the province there has
been Il general improvement as regards
methods of draining roads, grading
them, applying gravel or stone. con
struction of culverts and bridges ana
the roadmaking implements used.
"hy the end of 1908 about 1870 town,
ships had abolished or committed
statute labor, and in its place, with
more or less modification, had been
ADOPTED systems whereby fewer and
more permanently appointed road over
seers take the place of the path mas
teT9 of the statute labor system and
~ which all road work is paid for in
n husinesS-like way. Proper rnalmAk