The leader., 1905-08-23
CONDITION OF THE PUBLIC ROADS IN
FRANKLIN.

FRANKLIN.
Writing about the condition Of
the public roads in Franklin coun-
ty, a correspondent of the Frank
lin County Advocate says:
we do not think that the
Board realize the present condi-
tion of the highways; that they
are worse than for a generation
past we assert and invite an in
vestigation as to the truth. Bona
parties route over the Alps was
barely practicable. To the tray
cling public our roads in many
places is impracticable. Their
general appearance indicates a
loose slipshod condition; trees OBJ
structing it, logs, brush poles in
it, holes so deep as to make it
necessary to trespass on private
land or else return. Where it is
claimed to have been worked it is
left in worse condition in many
places.
Commenting on this complaint
of its correspondent, the Advocate
says:
As we have said in these col
umns before, while the condition
of the public roads are not exactly
what they should be, nor up to
the specifications of the contract,
at the same time we are reasona-
bly, certain that the Board and
contractors are doing the best they
can under existing conditions.
There are many difficulties in the
contract system to be overcome
by the Board before they can ex-
pect to make the plan a success.
In the first place the price paid
the contractors is too small; sec
ond, the contractors are not pre-
pared to build road; third, one
contractor has entirely too much
road for the force at work, and
fourth, payments to the contract
or should not be made until the
road worked is put up in such
condition to stand for at least
four months with a reasonable
amount of rainfall. Nearly all
the roads put up are built in 8
manner that the first good rai1
cuts them to pieces and puts then
in even a worse condition thar
they were at first. If there is tc
be continuation of the contract
system, it is our opinion the con.
tractors should be better paid anc
then let them prepare themselves
for work that the Board will de.
mand."
As all of the public roads
in Lincoln county west of the II
linois Central Railroad are adver
tised to be let out at the Sep.
tember meeting of the Board Of
Supervisors, the above is a matter
of considerable general interest to
our people. The difficulties men
toned by the Advocate are the
chief ones which have initiated
against the contract system il
Lincoln county, and the expe
rience of the Board and contract
ors in the past ought to be a val
liable lesson for the future. A
man who hasn't the means tc
equip himself properly to do pub.
lie road work, ought not to bic
for the work. It is no child's
play, and if he lives up to his con
tract, as it is the duty of the Boarc
to require him to do, he cannot
afford to bid off the roads for 3
song. As a matter Of fact, nj
contractor in this county has eyel
been properly equipped with roae
working machines to do the best
class of work, a majority have los
money, and all, or nearly all have
failed to comply fully with theil
contracts, though the public roads
of the county, as rule, unlike
the condition represented il
Franklin, have very greatly i'm
proved under the contract system
Last year the Board of Super
visors adopted an order abolishins
the Office of county road commits
sioner after the first of the coming
September, and imposing on the
several members of the Board il
their respective beats, the duty o.
inspecting the public roads anc
seeing that the contractors comply
with their contracts.
1t is to be hoped that better re
suits will follow this change, al
each member will then be more
directly responsible to his con
stituents for the shortcomings o.
contractors and have bettel
personal knowledge of the condi
tion of the public highways il
their respective districts.
J. E. Howard, who was mana
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