The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1906-03-16

| The citizens Of Kncheloe could be 4
Isociable with the citizens Of Binga-
mon creek. AZ it is during the
winter season, for at least one third
Of the year we are isolated from !
leach other, our business is suspend
| ed. our social relations hindered. be-
canse,of the impossible condition OF
1.-The road. Just this week, within
one mile Of the corporate limits Of
Clarksburg, on one of our principal
pixies, | saw one of our fellow citi-
zens out Of hunor, swearing like a ,
trooper. covered with mud from head
to foot, trying to pick up a well
drilling machine that seemed fast
disappearing out of sight When
asked how far ne had Travelled that
day he sullenly replied: II have
moved the d thing about 100
yards"
Thirdly, ! want to say word
about compensation for labor under
the present system. The price is.
fixed by the statutes of the State.
The maximum price for surveyor
of roads is 81. so per day, for a days
labor Of 1Ohonrs, $1.25 ;.for team
of two horses and driver $3.25.
Supervisors Of roads are continually
complaining thatNit is impossible to
get ablebodied men to do work on
the roads. The result is that boys
and inferior labor are employed. In
this day and time of progress, it is
out of the question to get men to
work ON the road at present prices
when they can get much more in al
most any other kind Of business. 1t
is very frequent occurrence for a
surveyor tomake a report and state,
that he was obliged to pay 800 per
day to get teams at all. The County
Court has invariably reduced the
rate to 1925 per day, thus produe-
ing dissatisfaction and the loss Of
ten times Of the same help in the fu-
ture. This is particularly true in
the oil producing section where the
price of labor is high. With the in
creased cost of the standard of liv-
ing, it is impossible to get good re-
lsults at the prices now fixed by law.
Even though it may be urged that
the price paid, is just compensation
for the kind of services given, yet
nothing can be truer than that bet
ter and more competent labor can
not be secured at the present prices.
s'Now, aword as to the cost of the
maintenance of the roads of this
, county. By examination, / found it
difficult to get the exact figures for
road expenses prior to 1885, without
a great deal of painstaking labor.
: And. inasmuch as we are concerned
only with the present, | made NO
5 calculations prior to 1880. In that
l wear the total cost of repairing roads
8 was S15,sO0.O0. Tho rate of levy
was as low as 5 per cent. on the 800
t In 1901 we spent in round numbers
r $40, 900; in 1902, $4,000; in 1908
3 $4,000; in 1904, $20,500, and in
1905 levy of $1,000 was made
The rate for 1905 varies the lowest
!. being 10 1-2 cents, the highest be.
: ing 40 cents on the 800 valuation
: This levy is intended to clear the
districts Of all Indebtedness, which
is very satisfactory condition of af-
: fairs. What per cent of these
amounts is properly spent ! cannot
say. 1t is very evident from the
: condition Of the roads today that a
large amount is misappli:G- As
: proof Of this statement, purchaser
of two or more sections under the
) Alternate Law, his contracts
amounting to $500, performed his
labor upon those sections in less than
J two days. His account was approx
ed and signed by the bOerd Of sur
veyors and the account paid A
! communication from The Governor
of the State, which is based on re-
ports from the counties, says that
Sc 2-5 per cent. of money now APP
propriated for roads in this State is
misapplied. My observation is that
districts spending the least money.
have often times She best roads. 1t
is also true that the fewer surveyors
la district has the cost Of maintain
ing the roads is proportionately
lower. This proves that the sys-
TEN, or systems, now in force, are
inadequate. that they are b.;ngling
lend out Of date and thptthe present
situation is Sleplorablc in a civilized
community. Money spent on dirt
roads in oil sections is wasted Fine
horses have been put ont of COM
mission by sinking in the mud so
deep that they could only be extri-
Gated by use of chains and horse
power. We are spending on an
average Of $4,000 per annum on
our roads, using the last 5 years as
a basis. Do the results justify the
Eexpenditure? Are we acting wisely