Smyrna times., 1905-01-18


tiSements
1t is not to be set down that the
good roads act provided by the Gen
eral Assembly, whereby the state ap-
propriated several thousands of dollars
to be used in building new highways
in conjunction with the several counties
has worked satisfactorily, says the
Morning News. In the first place six
thousand dollars a year is paid out of
the appropriations for salaries, con-
siderable proportion of this money be-
ing paid to officials who did not do
thing to earn their salaries. Then the
roads that have been built in New
Castle county have cost entirely too
much per mile. The first road, it is
declared by everybody who has given
it attention, is not a success. There
have been no end of complaints re-
specting the character of she Hare's
Corner road and it is not what it ought
to be. Although it is practically new
1t is already in iced of repairs, and the
indications point to a constant need of
attention. The Elsmere road is re-
garded as being we'll constructed, yet
the cost, by reason of the building of
stone walls to protect abutting pro-
perty, was excessive.
When $11, 900 mile are paid for ma
cadamized roads the country should
certainly get something substantial in
return. There is no very serious prob
lem involved in the building of roads
in upper New Castle county. For the
most part the grades are good and
stone is within easy reach. In other
states the cost of such roads as those
already constructed:in this county ar e
built for at least seven thousand dol
lars, while in some places the cost has
only been about $4,000 a mile. Thus
, tie outlay of 81, 1000 a mile is exces-
sSYe and better results should have
been secured.
"Sussex County has built but one
half mile of new road, and Kent county
has not built foot, yet the salaries of
the commissioners of those two coun-
ties have gone on just the same. Gov
ernor Hum suggests that unless the
Stale is willing to issue bonds for gen.
eral road making the existing law
would better be repealed. II there
should be decision reached to issue
bonds for road purposes the entire
system of the care and direction of the
building of roads ought to be changed
and made practical. There should
first of all be competent road builder
or engineer provided to supervise the
building of all roads, and he should
be held to a strict responsibility to Sc.
cure good and lasting work. Then the
present absurd business of hundred
road commissioners should be aban-
doned. These rural road commission.
ers have no practical knowledge, for
the most part, of what constitutes a
good road. They are not paid much.
but the salaries they do receive are
wasted. The suggestion has been
made that road commissioners be abol.
ished, and a levy courtman provided
for each hundred, with the understand
ing that in each hundred the member
OF court shallfgive his entire time to
the consideration of the needs of the
district. With a competent road engi.
neer as the directing head and with a
bond issue to provide for the work.
something really worth while might be
accomplished. 1t is said to the inter
est OF the State to provide for good
roads in all the counties, and one good
highway the entire length of the State
wouldGmake a fine beginning. But
there would have to be an earnest ef-
fort to reducs the cost per mile of the
roads. In lower New Castle County.
Kent County and Sussex County the
stone roads would appear to be barred
by reason of the cost of getting stone
to the points needing attention. Yet
dirt roads can be constructed and made
excellent if intelligent men are given
charge. This is demonstrated over in
New Jersey, where many miles of fine
dirt roads are constant Joy to the
people who use them. We have much
to learn yet in respect to road making.