The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1904-10-06
GOOD ROADS IN MARYLAND

GOOD ROADS IN MARYLAND
The people of the State are fast
awaking to the fact that the poor con-
dition of roads, wherever they oc-
cur, has not been altogether the re-
suit of shortness of road appropria-
tions, but due, in part to the manner
in which the money has been applied,
and that the same amount of money
scientifically applied will in compar-
atively few years guarantee a system
of satisfactory roads which the outlay
and toll of years has failed to procure.
The State Aid Road Law, which was
passed at the last legislature, has al
ready aroused more than ordinary in
terest, as is shown by the many APP
plications to the Maryland Geological
Survey for plans and estimates of the
cost of modern macadam roads, which
many OF the Boards of County Com
missioners purpose TO make under
the new road law.
The most earnest advocates of
scientifically built roads have never
urged that system of modern roads
could be secured at once, but it has
been repeatedly pointed out and de-
monstrated by experience that sys-
TEN of good roads can be gradually
and conveniently built up by adding
each year small pieces of modern
roads wherever the conditions most
demand improvement. Asan example
of the comparison between the results
produced under the wasteful method
of the past and the results of scientifi-
cally built roads, it has been shown
that had Montgomery county spent
One-half of the amount of money its
roads have cost in the past fifteen
years in the building of modern roads
during the same length of time, forty
FIVE miles of good macadam roads
would now furnish easy access to all
the main points of the county. But
such is not the case, and forty
five miles of good macadam roads
have not been built during this time
in Montgomery or any other county
of this State. 1t has been shown al
so that should the counties of Mary
land take up the total amount OF
State aid under the Shoemaker law,
it would be possible to build one
thousand miles of modern or State
roads within ten years, enough to in
sure easy traffic between all parts of
the State. And the residents of the
counties under the new law have the
for they know that by the pledge of
two-thirds of the property owners
along piece of road to pay ten per-
cent of the cost of building, the Road
Commissioners of the county can be
forced to petition for the allotted
share of the State aid. Again, it is
well to emphasize the fact that the
Shoemaker law puts within reach
of the real producers in community
a very good thing at very reasona-
BILE price to the county; namely. one
half the actual expense.
Recent mention has been made of
movements in Montgomery, Hartford,
Prince Georges and Caroline coun-
ties to take advantage of the State
aid road fund. a number of the
counties haye provided themselves
with expert road engineers to handle
or direct most of their work. Prince
Georges county is planning on a
large scale, Hartford county has act
ually begun some of its work, and
Baltimore county wants to build a
mile of State road in each of her fif-
teen districts.
The County Commissioners OF
Wicomico county have called large
public meeting, to be held Sails
bury, to discuss whether Wicomico
county will take up its $4,000 allot-
ment of the State road fund in the
interest of better county roads. To
obtain the State fund, it is necessary
for the county to appropriate an
equal sum, and the Commissioners
wish to know whether the people are
willing to be taxed to do this. Mr..
A. N. johnson, Highway Engineer of
the Maryland Geological Survey, will
be present to explain the features of
the new law, and to point out the
best material available for Wicomico
roads and the estimates upon the
cost. The Commissioners desire a
full attendance, and the meeting is
expected to be an important occasion.