Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1908-03-11

San IL ne true that after long years OF \
public service we can be willing 10 advo- 4
cate bad measure according TO joel TO /
save $i2.5Og fear that am so hardened \
in my iniquity that cannot plead guilty. |
As TO the appointment Of Mr.. Bsrnett
as director OF the Berryyille and Win
chester turnpike G, ! Idon'tthink need make |
anyapology. He has proved dhimselfagood /
and efficient director Since his ,ervice I
in the Board the company has built three /
fine bridges. FOR which he is entitled to
a share Of credit, BY the way, next
10 Mr. Smith. he did more towards build |
ing the beautiful bridges across the |
Shenandoah than any other msn. Some |
people give him credit for that
As To his free use Of the turnpike. Mr.
Price forgeis (but no one else does) that
Mr. BarnetI's private road o town brings
him TO the depot with his produce with
out the use of the pike and that there
fore his free pass amounts 10 very little
This custom of giving directors their
toll was instituted when the roads were
FIRST built. Man, Of tie best and puresi
men OF the couaiv have beeu directors
and ayailei themselves of the privilege
Most of them haye been stock hOlde.s
- ho "eyer received any divideni on the
money Invested ia these roads NV
father WAS stakeholder ud he and
have paid our toll for ffiy wears without
receiving any dividend. aud 7 have felt
tim, ihe use OF mile of tie Berrvville
as'd Miilwood road for my services as
director for few wears ~ Go my
cnu ~e i'm thc Senate. I will say that
during my team there was no expression
Of desire on the part os any one for a
change Of the oad law or for au increase
in taxation for road purposes bad q
bill pass,d providing "A way by which
the districts may borrow money for the
I improvement of the roads aud providing
for a special tax TO psy The bonds and
interest thereon. This bill l. now on
the statute books for use II desired
Bnt, Mr.. Editor, don't think any of
these things have anything TO do with
the subject. The question is not whether
Ed. Barnett and Tom Gold have failed
in their duty as public servants or
whether they are aciuated by selfish
motives in opposing the adoption Of the
General Road Law, but whether the
General Law is good law and will bet
ter serve our purpose and result in Civ
ing Us better roads This is public
and important question, about which
men may well differ in opinion and still
respect one another, and il certainly
might be discussed pleasantly and with
out offensive personalities. II you will
allow me To do SO, I will venture a few
reasons why think our people might
well pause and consider whether this
law will do for them what they and all
of Us so much desire. For |. Mr. Price
TO the contrary Notwithstanding, do
most earnestly desire good roads i'm the
County and have been working 10 that
end, as the great Improvement in many
Of the roads in Longmarsh will prove,
Let US look into some of the provisions
of the law providing for State aid, IN
order that we may see how expensive
the system will be. Section Q. chapter
73, provides that when the county au-
thOrities propose 10 improve a road, that
they must apply 10 the Highway Com
mission for an engineer to survey the
road and get up specifications, etc
Section -, Chapter Il, provides that the
County is 10 pay this engineer not to
exceed the sum of $1,000 The commits
sioner in his report to the Governor
says that but few engineers and fore
men, with experience in modern road
building, can be found, and that without
the services of these men the worl. can
not he carried on to advantage" Sticl
a pin here. The permanently improved
piece of road must be built by the Stat,
engineer and the County must pay tn,
bill. Section IL, chapter lO6, provide
that the Board of Supervisors shall lew
annually in the county levy road Ia!
not to exceed forty cents on the hundre,
collars, 10 be applied to the building ant
; repair of bridges, costs and damages il
new roads, etc, TO the purchasing o
teams, machinery, etc, for the paymen
of the county superintendent and hi
deputies. After the payment of thes
expenses, if any is left, they may macad
amize "A piece of road. Section IL pre-
vides for levy on the districts of no
more than forty cents for distri puI
poses. This section as amended allow
a tax of comfy and district combine
of 80 cents on the hundred; if more tha
shat, it is To be voted on by the peopl,
> Section II provides that every two year
the Board shall appoint county super
intendent of roads (salary TO be fixed b
the Board), who shall be civil enginee
or one well versed in road building.
also provides for the appointment of
> deputy superintendent for each distri,
at three dollars per day. Now, you wi
see that this system is very eXpensiy
Q and complicated l am sure that OF
old law could be amended to better Su
; our purposes and to give us be;t,
Il system.
y Let us see what the prob bile cos
under the new law will be;
> \ county superintendent aJ $1,000;
Four deputies at at 5000 each, $780,
Teams, wagons, carts. Scyapers, scoop
blaStiner fools and MI ep"ina and ~ou,