The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1907-01-09
As noted IN Iast wvea = 49,

meeting to discuss the problem OF road
improvement was held at the court house
on Monday afternoon. The attendance Of
road supervisors from the several town
ships was quite marked, a large percent-
age being present, together with good
attendance of citizens and taxpayers in
terested in this very worthy and impor-
tant matter. The meeting was organized
by the selection of T. f. Ritchey, Esq,
of Tionesta, as Chairman, aud George L.
King, of West Hickory, as Secretary.
There was some disappointment because
State Highway Commissioner Joseph W.
Hunter failed to put in an appearance, as
was announced that he would, but he
sent good substitute in the person of
his assistant, r. d. Beman, OF Meadville,
who was introduced by the chairman of
the meeting and gave good talk.
He said, in part, that roads exist as
means of travel for all seasons of the
year. He stated that Napoleon Bonaparte
was an advocate of good roads and he
contrasted the roads of European coun-
tries and the roads of a hundred years
ago with the roads of the present. The
gentleman then gave in detail the plans
of constructing mscadamized roads, with
which the majority ,of the people of the
county are familiar.
There are no stones in Forest county
known to the department suitable for the
top course of macadamized roads. The
two top courses must be hard, must not
take much water, and must not weather
easily.
On a properly constructed road, one
horse can draw as much as four horses
on an ordinary dirt road. Experiments
on roads before and after macadamizing
show that The saving to business men
having hauling to do, is greater than the
cost of building the roads. Rapidly of
travel, increased comfort, and wear and
tear on vehicles were noted as important
matters to be taken into consider alton.
The cost of maintenance will not exceed
the cost of maintaining dirt roads. 1t
also increases property values.
Objections to the present system of road
making are, the use OF planks in cul-
verts, returning to the middle of the road
the pulverized muck from the bitches,
the prevalence of mud holes and filling
them with large stones thereby causing
two mud. holes to appear where only one
existed previously, and an improper form
Of drainage. The proper time for fixing
bad roads is just after hard rain.
The work tax system of keeping up the
roads does not bring good results. The
time is ripe for abandoning the work tax
system. County associations of Super
visors are asking for the abolition of this
system and OF the one dollar special tax.
The average road tax in Forest county
for 1905 was 1928 per capita.
1142 applications for 2250 miles of road
have been made to the Highway Depart
ment. About 175 miles have been COM
pleted. A total of 452 miles has been
contracted. $l4,13O is already available to
Forest county. The present legislature
will probably appropriate $l3,OOO,OOO for
the construction of roads for the next
two years. There is already l415 miles
applied for in this county, which will
cost about $500 per mile.
G. w. Ensign, Assistant Engineer, ad
dressed the meeting and made a motion
that County Supervisors Association
be formed in Forest county to get the
Supervisors together to discuss ways and
means of meeting existing conditions in
the various parts of the county, to ex-
change ideas for the betterment OF good
roads, and for the purpose of influencing
legislation in favor of better roads.
The motion was put and carried. The
following organization was then effected:
President, T. D. Collins; vice presi-
dents, G. A. Randall and d. w. Clark;
secretary, Geo. L. King.
Moved, seconded and carried that the
sense of this convention favors the sboli-
tion of the road work-tax of this Com
monwealth and that all road tax be paid
in cash.
Adjourned to meet at call of president,