Middletown transcript., 1907-02-09
x1DDLErowE, DEL, FEB. .. 1907.
ROADs AND THEIR CARE


Putting a coating of twenty
inches of clay on a road is not
calculated to improve the road
any, yet that was done in one in
stance in Sussex county, we are
now told. Such work has been
the trouble with most of the-road
making in this state and else
where. Any old thing was
dumped on the roads, and the
rubbish and dirt from the side
bitches we're merely thrown in
the road and left for teams and
storms to pack down.
Hundreds of thousands of dol
lars have been spent in New
Castle county during the last
fifty years to- pay for emptying
the bitches III the spring and
then letting all the stuff wash
back again into the bitches, to be
taken out the next spring, and
SO on over and over again. This
work has been called ''road re-
pairing" but it was nothing Of
the sort. And the same process
has gone on almost everywhere
until comparatively few years
ago when the necessity of max
ing actual roads was under
stood.
Road making has become a.
science and to-day there are
thousands of miles of good and
substantial highways throughout
the country where, a few years
ago, there were nothing but
heaps of mud and rock and holes
and ruts. Money spent for road
repairs has been wasted for many
years, and wherever new and
proper roads have been con-
structed they have been found to
be a saving in repair costs and a
saving in the wear and tear of
vehicles and horses. The new
mileage Of good road sin New Cas-
tie County has demonstrated al
ready that theright plan has been
|,dopted and the proposed addi-
tions of more miles means that
the users of the roads know what
they want and what they need.
he proposition to place the
cal of the roads Of this county
in charge of the Levy Court with
an engineer in control of the
work issa step in the right direc-
ton. With one governing head
and thul one responsible person
to deal NTH the is in the |
care Of roads woul % pay for
the outlay. The G g plan uf |
having the roads ID after BY |
al sorts of men. NEST Of
Il % without any conception Of
v is necessary, has proved |
Y and insufficient. It's now
"a v something better and save
ln y by securing permauent
results instead of temporary re-
ief. Merely covering road
with washings and rubbish and
expecting it to be packed down
and remain in place IS folly.
For time out d i'd there
have have been reads In In this ttlliiis county
that were impossible for weeks
every spring and a menace to life
and property at all times. A road |
that is built to stand by itself
and to hold its place withoutslid-
ing into the side .gullies is what
is needed. Several miles of such
roads are now in use and thus
the increasing demand for more
ike them. We believe that even
# the continuation of making
modern roads Is checked the care
Of the existing roads can be made
more effective by placing them in /
the charge Of one capable engi- K
neer who knows the principle of
road making ard road repairs.
New Castle county would save Ii
many thousands cfdollars should | i
the proposed plan of giving the 8
Levy Court full charge Of all
The county highways be decided
1pon. Turning half a dozen
Farm Iaborers loose with plow Ii
Ind shoyels every spring is not
;he way to repair q road Morn
no Nes9S.
nr,r.r.a,r,ArrArraa .f-ArrrnsrA,r III