Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1908-06-11
WHO GETS THE GOOD ROADS?


On the occasion of the visit of Govern
or Crothers, and the Good Roads Com
mission in Frederick on Friday last, some
significant moves were made, which to
our mind means that the road to be built
for Frederick county, will yield the least
possible good if laid out as Indicated.
That it is foregone conclusion, we
are not willing to assert, but "strong in
fuences" will accomplish much, and UNI
less Gov. Crothers and others of the COM
mission are made to see through 'other
glasses" the road advocated by Prof.
Harry Jones, will be the one adopted.
Prof. Jones is member of the faculty
of Johns Hopkins University. Prof. Ira
Remsen is president of said University,
and he is likewise a member of the High
Ways Commission. Prof. Jones owns
five or six farms at or near New London
Watch the result.
In our judgement the road to be i'm
proved should begin at the Pennsylvania
State Line, go through Emmitsburg on
to Logs, thence through Creagerstown,
Utica, and Hansonvile, thence by Sun
DAYS limekilns to intersect the Opossum-
town turnpike and thence over said pike
to Frederick but we are told that this is
not the scheme to build north and south,
but east and west. Very WE'LL then, II
that is the case, start at the Carroll
county line at or near Unionville, go to
Liberty, thence to Woodsboro and on to
Creagerstown to Graceham through
Thurmont up Hartman Gap road to Fox
vile thence to Smithsburg on to Hagers-
town. This will traverse a section of the
county in great need OF such highway.
Frederick is not in need Of this sort OF
highway She has pike out of every
street. She has the National pike and
this puts the road we advovate midway
between the National pike and the Penn
sylvania State line.
1t is fair proposition and should be
urged by our people. We may not sue
coed in getting it but let us try. Get
2-cent stamp and go after Gov. Crothers.
We believe he is fair and we believe he
will pretty nearly say where these roads
must be built and it will not be hard
matter to convince him on this matter II
we go after him right.
The Baltimore Sun of Monday has
strong editorial on this question and it
fits our argument for road running
through Thurmont from east to west. 1t
says:
ut seems to be the design of the Road
Commission to deal with the State as
unit, and not with the county as unit.
Each county is to receive its just and
proportionate part of the road fund. But
the State road in each county, as far as
it is practicable, is to be made in con-
nection with those of the adjoining coun-
ties, so that there will be continuous
highways.
'As has been said, the selection of
roads for improvement in the Eastern
Shore and southern counties was COM
paratively easy matter. Everybody in
each county knows what are the princi-
pal roads in that county, just as the peo-
pie in Baltimore know which are the
principal streets of the city.
"But the selection of the roads for
Improvement in the great western coun-
ties of Carroll, Frederick and Washing
ton will be more difficult. Every citizen
of each Of those counties knows what
are the main roads in his county. But
all the most important main roads are
turnpiked and the commission will be
compelled to make selection of the
principal roads of secondary Importance.
The main roads from Carroll, from Fred
erick and from Washington counties lead
to Baltimore are fine stone roads; every
road leading into HagerstoWn and every
road. Nevertheless, there are many of
the smaller towns which stand in urgent
need of roads to connect them with each
other, and there will be abundant use
for all the money which will be appor-
toned to each county. The Good Roads
League of Frederick, Carroll, Howard
and Montgomery Counties has pointed
out certain roads for Improvement that
will give a continuous good road from
Washington through Westminster almost
to Gettysburg and has made other prac-
teal suggestions.
There appeared to be some appre-
hension among those who met the COM
mission in the western counties that the
law restricts the improvement to those
main roads which run from county to
county, and that the commission has no
power to improve the main road that be-
gins and ends in county or extend from
one large town to another in the same
county. The law provides that the COM
mission "shall have full power and be
charged with the full duties to select,
construct and improve and maintain such
general system of improved State roads
and highways as can reasonably be eX
pected to be completed with the funds
herein provided in and through all the
CoullLlco VI IIIC DldlC. IL may NC Dr.
gued that road leading, for example,
from Brunswick or from Knoxville in
Frederick county to Frederick city, is
just as much part of the system as a
road leading from Frederick to Hagers-
town or Westminster. Frederick is al
ready the center of splendid System of
stone roads, while Brunswick, a town of
nearly 5000 persons, is almost mud
bound in winter, without a single good
road to reach it. 1t surely cannot be the
design of the law to compel the commits
sion to build a road from Frederick to
Hagerstown and to Mt Airy when there
is already fine road to each one, and
leave Brunswick and the whole Merry
land Tract, the only part of Frederick
county minus turnpikes, without any
good road"
Get your argumentin shape, and spend
cents in postage. It's a most effective
way of making man in public "set up
and take notice..
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