The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1907-01-31
HOW TO HAVE GOOD ROADS
WITHIN OUR MEANS


10 The Free Lance
As there seems 90 be- so much agitation
about the roads and so hard 10 decide
ON plan, ! wish 10 tell through Your
papor how we can have them ana pay
the bill easy TO.
First. wish To say a little ou the pres
ent plans now so much talked al, VIZ,
macadamiz.ng. We lrnIn that our sup
erysors have -aid that ii ! uilr Di hni-
cadamizlng could be- made lur : 900
and last years they would pay tne b %
and vote 10 10 be- done all over The
county Now. those have Ia'htd win
say the material could not Boz had But
supposr someone will agree % don't and
could fnd rock and they go ahrai. /
/ think we have nearly ID miles ul road.
| This would encumber Us with "a debt ul
| $500. 600 and ouly last % lcu 81. AND boo
mud again and have the -au- tl.i -
make new again.
/ Now, our present tax tiiry sny umuuu'7
/ 90 about $4,000, aud We AL tliuA DO
/ high enough Then think of hi.l OF
| 100000 and SiSou0 interest Bli
/ they can bond the county without thp
| vote OF the people, as they would ruin
/ th~ county, % that statement Is true.
|. Now let = be- careiulaud look before w.
| leap. II We can have roads that we all
/ know will ont wear thre macaiamzrd
roads and b. just a. good and only cost
US 100000 or 50 OUO why not d.
| that? TLen, ON my plan following, We
will have roads that Will last 10 10 -
years with very little cost If close atten-
ton is given them aud th. water kept
out. and this is the way To- dOit.
Get about three road machines, "a plow
ior each. "A heavy roller for each and
tools Tor "a few men. Then throw up the
roads above water line with the middle
highest, and good. wile bitches on both
sides. and where the grade wiIInOt carry
water farther cut ditch across the
roads. put IN a box inches by , inches
aud cover up level with road and this
will ID away with that swamp hole and
pond OF water seen ia such places now
and stop sand bars Now with tho
water kept out this WAY th- roads
will soon dry oil and never nut ont those
great impassable places Three teams
and eight men can shape up mile of
road "A day ON on.-hali of the county.
and then we could pole all that won d
not stand that way with about $4,000
or $1,000, counting the PREPARATION oi
the bed and using our present tax We
will take Tor an example. A. YOU travel
notice every place where nature has so
drained. you see> solid roads and SO many
of the extremely bad places, one side elr-
waited and solid. the other low where the
] r rrtftI q.
deep IL will mlre your horse. Vow do
you think for moment the other side
could not be made dry too by just max
| ing il high. wide enough to get both
wheels on? Certainly. and as this will
have ID be- done. no difference what kind
Of "a road Won make for bed tO start on
it will be- money well spent have seen
/ this experience so often and am sure
One-han of our roads would boz
/ firm and solid, equal 10 macadam
most OF the time, and never more than q
smear OF mud. Then, where that red
clay exists that gets soft down deep Use
poles. These are plentiful in most parts
/ OF the county, and by using road ma
chine and round mp the bed, then set the
scraper level and 90 over IL prepares u
ready to drop the poles, aud It is sur
prisiug how cheap aud fast it can be
done Then each year we can pole more
where needed.
I'm order TO make and keep the roads
good and see that our money is proper
! ly spent we must make some change in
plans to compel those ia charge to
properly Use il. have noticed the same
condition in nearly every county where
there was no compulsion, and where
there is you see good roads First, there
must b. fine ior neglect 90 keep them
good where il il within limit OF the
means in his charge, and second, 10 sca
| the work is done 10 the amount paid for
done in q permanent way and in the
cheapest way, and an oyerseer not 10
work and spend his time with one or
| two hands. unless in a case oiemergency.
Now, counting our material ID be had
and means 10 do with, there can't be
any other way TO make roads here Ii
So let us hear about IL quick Rush TO
the front and decide on plan and get at
il in the spring Throw off this burden
and drawback to the county. aud you
will see gIcat immigration soon
A W. Maxwell