Milford chronicle., 1905-09-15
Good Roads in Kent

Il is not proposed to permit interest il
the movement for better highways to lal
in Kent county, and we may soon expec
a definite step towards the bettermento
the roads there. james V. McCommons
and Z. K. Knots, the Delaware dele
gates who attended, at the suggestion OF
Governor Lea, the international good
roads convention at Port Huron, Mich,
have presented an interesting report to
the Kent County Levy Court containing
some valuable suggestions The dele
gates in brief recommend the use of gravel,
clay and loan for the roads of Central
Delaware. With the use of proper drain
age the delegates believe system of hard
and smooth roads would be provided the
equal of those in any State.
The report also urges immediate action
IN response to the provisions of Della
wares good roads law that now appropri- /
ateS $1,000 a year to every district in the |
State that raises a similar amount. In
ten years tine system of roads, they be.
ieye, could be constructed under this
plan. In their report the delegates dis
~cuss at length the suggestions for Della
ware roads as follows;
We are living in the day OF progress and ad-
yancemen Lwhy should we neglect one Of the
greatest benefits TO mankind. namely. the
public highways? very large percentage
Of the traffic tonnage ofthis country is agri.
cultural product, which has FIRST 10 be trans
poried over the public highways to railraad
or water transportation points: thus they are Y
the feeders OF these larger transportation IA o.
cuitles, which facilities are fast being perfec-
ted IN order TO ccaomplish the maximum ser
vice az minimum cost; every obstacle and I
tric ion is being either eliminated or mini 4
mtzed. The same should apply 10 our public :
highways in reducing grades. making hard
surface, where we now have sand or mud for u
the most Of the year, thus reducing to the ag- ;
rieniturisi the first transportation cost By s;
making lt possible for a team OF two horses !,
TO draw load that now requires four. The
aggregate thus saved in any one county u
would in few years go a long ways toward e'
building such roads as now seem to be de- s,
manded, Besides this actual saving In trans 8,
portation of farm products comes the In 4,
creased valuation OF all property by the rea- u
son OF fsuch roads and the comfort and salts al
faction TO all who use them. pl
We do not infer that in order TO accomplish
this that we must build stone or macadam
roads. Indeed, it is questionable whether in 81
This county, Il would be advisable to build We
such roads or not,even II the proper material as
was at hand and 1t could be done at a cost in
within reason. Experience of other States
has proven that such material as we have, in "a
fair quantities, win make excellent hard pr
roads when properly applied, namely gravel, otl
clay leam ard sand. Many Of our roads have No
hese IN about the proper proportions and
'nly ueed 10 be worked In solid compact by Pi'
ne use Of proper road making machinery. WI
Il is essential to round the road so that str
iater cannot lay on it,and drain deep enough nm
o keep the water from soaking under and +.
Ofte Ming the roadbed One OF the speakers ''
/ the convention said: "There are three very out
ssentiai things to good road-the irst Is of
rainage, the second IS dranageand the third bel
drainage" Ofcourse there are other essen Il.
al things but this yes well to emphasize t,s
ie absolute necessity Of perfect drainage, as An,
hhuut 1t no road will long remain good, ofy
II Is encouraging to note that our little pull
late is not taking a back seat In this move wac
ent. For three years law has been on our bur
attn es granting State aid for building good
ads under which New Castle county built
anm0 Der OF miles ef stone road and Sussex
% nber % miles Qf shell roads. This county
on Is doing n0tblug under that provision,
being deemed too expensive to build such
ads as the law requires in order to get State
!. Au ACT OF the last General Assembly
ak "a it possible for Kent county TO improve
r roads with such material as we have and
S a regretiable fact that only one district
the county took advantage oft this year
the ten h district They raised $1,000 by @
cial tax tion and get $1,000 from the State. T
IL our sincere conviction In view Ofthe
gress being made In almost every county Z
he United states that every district ia 4
county should avail itself OF this law to
ull extent aud each year have 5000 ex- tf
ded on the public roads IN addition to =,
regular appropriation for necesialy re-
s. In the course ten years this county -
"a have the majority Of the most used n,
Is in better condition than ever could be n
ID for under the present old system alone. h(
+ a time Il would necessitate a little ex- q
axation. butit would prove In time to be life
,est money ever paid. the extra taxa ~
would fall on town and country property pro
). a. IL should do. as town people use the
trv roads snd are eneftted otherwise by
lever IA skes country travelling easier and
Towns more accessible, distance being
,ared BY the facility Of reaching the de- II
po.ut Thus a town five miles from -
! poiutover a bad road Is farther on than .1uu
sn mics o,era g cd road It is TO be lea lea