The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1904-12-16
The Good Road Movement In
Maryland.

maryland.
"The fact that the good road has now
thousands of earnest supporters in this
State, says the Baltimore News in rec.
ent editorial, twas demonstrated at An
napolis last winter when the Legislature
passed bill proposing Constitutional
Amendment which gives the State author
tiles power TO make appropriations to the
several counties for good roads work, and
the fact that good start has been made
on the improvement of Maryland's roads
is one on which the State and the coun-
ties should be congratulated, even while
they are being urged to spend more
money on the public arteries of travel"
With the conclusion of work in Prince
Georges county, Anne Arundel county,
Baltimore and Frederick counties, over
twenty miles of road petitioned for under
the provisions of the new State aid road
law shall have been surveyed, and the
pared this winter for the work next
spring. Over $50 miles Of State road
have been petitioned for in all, more than
twice enough to utilize the amount CT
State and County appropriation, and nine
counties out of twenty-three in the State
have filed petitions for these roads, all
but one of these desiring TO take up the
total aliotments.
Effort has been made by the counties
to file their petitions before January I,
1905, in order to obtain the road surveys,
specifications, and estimates free of cost
Wherever this is not done, one half this
cost must be borne by the county. Petit
tons have already been made for so much
road that it viii be impossible to have all
these roads surveyed this year. Queen
Anne's county heads the list with petit
tons for so miles; Baltimore county asks
for 47s4 miles; Hartford county I6 e-Io
miles; Prince Georges county IS miles;
Talbot county 10 miles; Allegany county
4H miles; Washington county ? 10 miles;
Anne Arundel county two miles. and
Frederick county one mile. Surveys
have been completed for the Washington,
Allegauey and Hartford county roads and
six miles in Prince Georges county are
now in process of completion. Anne
Arundel county road, part of the Balti-
more county and Talbot county roads,
and one mile in Frederick county will be
the last to be surveyed until next spring.
Talbot, Anne Arundel and Frederick
counties have been the last to take ad-
vantage of the law, aud movements are
now in progress in other counties of the
State to act definitely upon the matter
notably Wicomico, Dorchester and Caro-
line counties, which within the past sew
eral weeks have decided in open mass
meetings of their taxpayers to take ur
their full appropriation.
The last petition was received Decem-
Der 5th from Talbot county, for the sur
veying of ten miles from Easton to ST.
Michaels along the Bay Side road. The
opportunity which the provisions of the
petition from the Anne Arundel County
Commissioners allow for the construction
of thoroughly modern road, irrespective
of length and cost, is source of satisfac
ton to the Highway Division of the
Maryland Geological Survey, as the re-
quirements of a good road may be full
6lled here by utilizing the best of mater
ial and construction and SO securing a
model road which will prove TO be all that
is claimed in its behalf as an invincible
argument for scientific highways. 1t is
requested that this road be constructed on
the Annapolis Road from Sweetzer Bridge
southwark to Shipley's Station, and mas
much as the State allotment for Anne
Arundel county is So. TAI II, with the like
amount of County funds, it will probably
ne possible to build between two and
.hree miles Of State road. The Board oil
County Commissioners has also requested
fthe Survey an estimate of cost upon
the construction of a passage under the
racks of the Baltimore s. Annapolis
9hoTl Line X N, anu 'His Win the hS"
State road will probably be constructed
with the CoHnty's allotment for this year.
The one mile of State road requested in
Frederick county, which has just been
put on record. is to run from New Mar
ket to Morovia.
Dorchester and Caroline counties may
De expected TO file applications shortly
for the surveying of certain roads under
the State law. At large meeting of tax
payers in Denton ON Nov. 22nd, called by
the County commissioners, the latter
we're requested to take such steps as they
.leemed necessary 10 secure Caroline's
quota OF the State appropriation, which