Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1905-07-20
Good Roads.

With contracts let and the work be-
gun about sixteen miles of highway,
the actual construction of State roads
in the various counties of Maryland un-
der the new State Aid Road Law is
now we'll under way. Plans and esti-
mates for thirty pieces of road varying
in length from one-half to two miles
have been sent out by the Highway
Division of the Maryland Geological
Survey, and of these all but two or
been three have advertised by the
County Commissioners.
Within few months, therefore, there
will be established specimens Of mod
ern, permanent stone roads, to serve as
examples Of practical economy and gen.
eral satisfaction.
Some criticism has arisen, however,
in certain instances which should be
corrected and the facts thoroughly ex-
planned. One such criticism has been
unfayorable comment upon the State
Geological Survey Commission over
the selection of pieces Of road to be i'm.
proved, the Commission being held &C
countable for the particular selections
in these instances. Criticism was fur
Their made that numerous comparative.
ly short pieces of road (from one half
to two miles each) were to be improved
instead of longer stretches. At the OF.
fees Of the State Geological Survey
Commission, however, the following
explanation is given:
The Commission, whatever its opin-
ion may be as regards the ACCESSIBILITY
of improving certain piece of road,
cannot act in the matter unless the
County authorities first petition the
State for aid on that road. The Com
mission has a veto power-it can refuse
State aid on the ground that the i'm
proyement of road petitoned for
would not be a sufficiently public i'm
provement to justify the expenditure
of State funds, but this situation has
not yet arisen, and if there is any dis
satisfaction in any part of the State
over the selection of the roads to re-
ceive State aid, the responsibility must
be placed on the County authorities.
AS matter of fact, in Baltimore Coun.
ty State aid has not been asked on less
than one mile in any place. and in one
district aid has been applied for on a
stretch five miles in length.
1t is generally held that the inter-
ests of a county will be better served
by building small sections Of road in
different parts of the county, rather
than one long piece running through
one section, for two reasons: First,
that the general distribution Of pieces
of good highway will enable all sec
tions to share equally in the advantages
therefrom; and, second, that the educa.
flonal feature of such distribution, in
illustrating the value Of properly built
roads, will be more effective when
widely distributed. Inasmuch as the
recent food so widely damaged the
roads of some counties. 1t is believed
that the County Commissioners will
now be glad of thu opportunity to build
small pieces of road here and there I'm.
der the petitions filed for State aid this
year, and by so doing give all sections
an opportunity to profit by the State
AID Act.
The recent flood demonstrated very
emphatically the wise policy and econ
omy Of building bridges of concrete on
county roads, a matter which has been
urged by scientific road builders for
some time past.
A striking example Of the value Of
concrete bridges in the event of freshets
was gwen at Sherwood. Baltimore
County. where a concrete bridge with
stood the force of the water, although
the stream rose six feet above the
bridge and everything else within
reach was swept away.
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