The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-08-08
ARE GOING TO RUIN
Shawnee County Macadam Roads
Suffer From Neglect.
Most of Them Built and Left to
Their Fate.
WHO is TO BLAME :?
The County Commissioners and
Towns hip Officers at Fault.
Sixteen Miles Have Already
Been Built.

| There are sixteen miles of ma
! cadam roads in Shawnee county, con-
! structed under special act of the legis-
lature of 1901 and costing about $780,
| 900. While these roads have been
| built only three to six years, yet they
have been allowed to run down until
they have become in bad state. The
unusually heavy rain this year have
washed great bitches in these roads
that have been built with so much
trouble and expense and deep ruts are
also being cut in them
! There is no doubt that every week
these bitches and ruts are, under use
and the action of the weather, becom-
ing deeper and wider and longer.
No matter how we'll built road
must be maintained and constantly
kept in repair, like house. or 1t Will
run down and soon become unfit for
use n,o :, :. t,.+ provided for the build
| ing of these macadam roads in Shaw
nee county also provided for their
maintenance. 1t placed the RESPONSE
| bility for their care upon the board or
county commissioners and the board OF
trustees i'll the township through Wh1ch
| the road may run and gives these OIL
Gals power to raise money by assess
| ment of special road tax. The three
! following sections of the law Will
doubtless be of interest to all interest
ed in good roads:
IAN act empowering the county oil
Shawnee to permanently improve and
MAINTAIN public highways and to levy
and collect taxes for that purpose:
.Section 4. The said board of coun-
ty commissioners, in conjunction with
the township board or boards of the
township or townships in which said
road is located shall make all neces-
| sary repairs to the roads so construct
ed as often as needful. purchasing all
materials and employing and paying
for all superintendence and labor as in
the case of the original construction
of such roads.
Sec 5. That to defray the cost of
said macadamizing, paving or perma-
nent improving and maintaining said
roads. the board of county commits
sioners of said Shawnee county are
hereby authorized and empowered to
levy and collect annually on all tax
able property in said county, tax not
exceeding two mills on the dollar, and
the county treasurer shall collect said
tax the same as other taxes are col
lected and the funds derived from
such taxation shall be set aside and
used exclusively for said purpose and
for no other purpose whatever.
"Sec. 6. Nothing in this act shall
be construed to prevent the respective
township boards in said county from
improving or maintaining the roads in
their townships, but it. Is intended
hereby to authorize said county COM
missioners to cooperate with and as
sist said township boards in such
work"
The following are the location and
length of the macadamized roads in
this county:
Seventeenth street rom point
near Washburn college, 21a miles
southeast to Seabrook. In very bad
condition.
West Sixth avenue from the city
limits three miles west to the Catholic
cemetery. In bad condition especially
from city to Cages park.
East Eighth avenue from the city
limits three miles east to the Indus
trial institute for the colored people.
In bad condition.
The Burlingame road, extending two
miles southwest of the city. In bad
condition near the city.
The Rochester road extending
from the city limits to the Rochester
cemetery. In good condition.
The road from the Central avenue
bridge to the Merritt farm, distance
of two miles. In excellent condition.
These roads were all we'll built of
either gravel or crushed rock at an
average cost of about $500 per mile.
There are no more Travelled highways
in the west. These roads are the
main arteries of communication be-
tween the county seat, the state
capital, and the surrounding county.
They are used by the people of city
of $4,000 persons for pleasure drives
and 200 automobiles pass over them.
From every hand, farmers, doctors,
pleasure seekers, business men and
travellers. come protests over the
bad conditions of these macadamized
roads.
1t is not the fault of the roads or
the weather. The former were well
built in the first place, while the lat
ter is of the same variety of rain,
wind. calm and sunshine that pre-
vailed when macadam roads were de-
clared a necessity If the public would
enjoy good roads. The trouble lies in
the fact that these roads have been
neglected. They should be inspected
and repaired at least twice a year. A
small break, or depression or rut, if
repaired in time, is a small matter,
but if left unnoticed for a year the
macadam road is soon in as bad
shape as a COW path through the
wilderness, so far as the object of the
good roads advocate is concerned
The good roads question is more
important as regards the prosperity of
the county at large than any issue in
either the Chicago or Denver plat
form. The gospel of good roads
comes next to holy writ as the means
of saving grace for the nation. The
curse of bad roads lies more heavily
upon this western country than did
the hand of King George upon the
thirteen colonies.
Every mile of good road built and