The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1906-01-12
THE STATE ROAD LAW.

L
seeking means of expanding a given
sum over a longer stretch.
Hartford in recent years has built
several important macadam roads,
and her citizens have acquired con-
siderable knowledge on the subject.
So general has become the criticism
of existing State regulations that we
believe the Deer Greek Farmers Club,
with the hearty concurrence of a
large number of visitors, on Satur-
day last, voiced the general sentiment
of our people in passing unanimously
the following resolutions:
Resolved, That it is the sense of
the Deer Creek Farmers Club, in
regular session assembled, that un-
der existing regulations the good
roads law, known as the Shoemaker
law, is not productive of the best
possible results.
Resolved, That in its practical
operation broader discretion should
be given to the local authorities as
to details of construction and the
maximum amount per mile to be ex-
pended. ..s
Resolved, That our senator and
representatives in the State legisla-
ture be requested to use their best ef-
forts looking to needed relief in these
directions"
We believe it will be conceded that
the same standard of excellence as to
details is not properly applicable to
all the counties of the State with
their varying topography, road ma
terial and local revenue; and that
none are SO well equipped to pass on
these as the local authorities, and
that the latter are especially equip
ped to fix the maximum grade.
Grading has been one of the most
burdensome expenses of cur recent
improvements.
Under existing law the State engi-
neer furnishes all specifications to be
carried out and estimates the cost of
the improvement. The road is then
built under his supervision, but the
States proportion of the cost is limit
ed to half of his estimate, regardless
of the actual cost. tits natural that
his estimate is low, and it is the ex-
perience of all building that the cost
farexceeds the estimate; for instance,
on the Fallston road the estimate
was Sc, 400 per mile, but the cost
was $7,S91.62; on the Forest Hill
road the estimate was $4,616.92,
while the cost was 1913. 90, so the
local purse had to bear the heavy
charges respectively of $4,691.6 60
and $3,210.53, while the State paid
only $4,000 and So, 3Os.46.
Again, as to details: the engineer
binds the hands of county officials
by q series of hard and fast rules
which produce a somewhat better
road al a very much heavier cost;
for instance, along the Havre de
Grace road he tore up and destroyed
a solid pike on what is known as
Taylor's hill, so as to slightly reduce
a grade which light teams gener.
ally took at an easy gait; in the
town of Aldino he reduced about
four feet gentle grade to make a
fill which could have been dispensed
with; while at Mr.. George Everist's
he madea long cut vary ing from one
to five feet so as to make the who lie
grade uniform, though opart there
of was in any sense excessive.
In the same way, it can be shown
that heavy expenses were incurred on
both of the other roads referred to,
which would have been highly desir-
able on a great boulevard in subur-
ban Baltimore, but were totally un-
called for in a country highway.
There is no disposition to make the
law local, as charged in a recent
statement by Engineer Crosby, but
to so modify it's provisions that a
road may be built under it which
will meet the demands ofour wealthy
neighbor, Baltimore county, the
modest demands of such counties as
Hartford, and the humber demands
of about a dozen counties which
have up to this time felt unable 10
accept its proffered aid. When Engi-
neer Crosby can demonstrate to the
county authorities how they can
REQUIRE contractors to bid for work,
they may become open to censure for
not having done so, but it is a matter
ofcommon n otoriety to the readers of
the Esis ;how theyfepeatedly called
x ~
. To-, iof:, biAs q make .these improve
,sllsfstents. iwithout receiving bid.
Nothing will be more unfortunate
/" than that this law, conceived in the
best interests of the public, and sue
cessfully pushed toits passage by the
! best citizens Of the State, should be-
come unpopular for want OF neces