Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1905-01-07
Repairing County Roads.
For the Messenger.

For the Messenger.
The best results from county road
system. like other administrative
branches in a commonwealth. can be
secured only through methodical appli
cation of time and material and by the
employment of busin, ss-like methods
in the making of records and the keep.
ing of accounts. No matter what the
financial status of the road-repairing
fund or the abundance of good material
at hand. but little better than failure
can result where desultory effort and
wasteful expenditure prevail from year
to year; hence the abandonment of
political methods for business. like sys-
TENS, with the consequent improve
ment of the county roads, is growing
from year to year into greater popular
favor.
Maryland highways have suffered
much in the past and are still handi-
capped in many instances by lack of
proper methods in their administration,
so that their condition has not been due
altogether to inadequate appropriation.
but very largely to the manner i'll which
the money has been applied. Iu certain
quarters of the state, however. there
have been instituted. through the agency
OF county road engineers. regular sys
TENS OF building and repairing roads,
which have been productive of the very
best results in improved condition of
the highways, and striking contrast
to former county conditions is afforded
in an interview by State Highway
Engineer, A n. Johnson, in which he
describes the administration of Roads
Engineer VIM. ID. Uhler, under whose
direction Caroline County now places
all her roads.
1.-THE excellent methods and the
strictness with which Mr.. Uhler insists
upon the recording of each detail in his
department" says Engineer johnson,
"has had marked effect already upon
the condition of the county roads and
has saved the county hundreds of
dollars. Not only is the actual work of
building and repairing roads conducted
in scientific manner, but the system of
recording every item of road repairing
and expense, i'll such way that the in
formation is at all times available for
reference, might be copied with advan-
tage by every similar highway depart
ment. OF course, the work of Mr.
Uhler's department. as in all other
similar county road departments. must
not be confused with the work now pro-
crossing under the new state aid road
law. which is AN entirely separate
matter. dealing with the construction
of few high class roads in each coun-
ty, which will be gradually increased;
but although such work is undertaken,
II by no means solves the problem of
road repairs for any particular county,
and it is of the utmost importance that
a proper system of repairs to the coun-
ty roads in general be inaugurated I'M
der the guidance of "a trained engineer
if the taxpayers of the county desire
any substantial return from the money
they yearly pay into the road levy.
UnGer Mr.. Uhler's system, each road
supervisor in a district sends daily an
itemiZed account of work done and ex-
penses. which are put each under their
own separate column, for labor. teams.
material. etc. Each supervisor of roads
is supplied with cards, upon which he
states each day the nature of the work
accomplished and the amount. These
daily reports are all recorded in the
engineers office; then when at some
time later Mr.. Uhler visits the various
sections of his territory, he takes with
him these cards. which shows at a