The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1908-06-26
ROADS in CAROLINE
this COUNTY HAS ADOPTED IMPROVED
METHODS WITH fine RESULTS
Has Road Engineers and Owns Com
plete bodybuilding Equipment

This county, like the majority OF
the counties of the State OF Mary
land, prior to July 1, 1904, worked
all roads under the usual system OF
supervisors, until, with approximately
600 miles of public roads, it had in one
year 1OS supervisors. Under this same
extravagant system, one county on
the Eastern Shore of Maryland with
approximately $50 miles of roads,
appointed IT'S supervisors during the
last year. The taxpayers OF Caroline
county, realizing what the methods
and procedures of such a system
meant, and the cost to themselves
with no results, held several public
meetings in the fall of 1903. At these
it was decided to draft road law
which would do away with the old
system and it's political features and
provide for the appointment OF a
Roads Engineer. Such a bill was
passed during the session of the Leg
islature of 1904, which included,
among it's principal features, the APP
pointment of Roads Engineer by the
Board of County Commissioners, who
should hold his position until remov-
ed for cause, after formal charges Of
incompetency or wilful neglect of
duty, sworn to by ten or more tax
payers, had been filed with the Coun-
ty Commissioners, and proven after
hearing.
This practically eliminates political
features and makes the Roads Engineer
free from any political pressure. The
law, furthermore, gives the Roads
Engineer the power to appoint or re-
move at will all supervisors who act
under his control and direction. He
also has full charge of all labor,
teams, wagons, machinery and imple-
ments that may be owned or pur-
chased by the County Commissioners.
He examines and certifies to the cor
rectness of all bills for work done or
for materials furnished before the
same are paid by the County Commits
sioners.
Under this law, MrW D. Uhler was
appointed Roads Engineer July 5,
1904. In entering upon the duties of
the position, it was determined to
eliminate politics in every way, and
to conduct the affairs of the Office on
a strictly business basis.
The first problems confronting the
Engineer were the selection of salts
factory supervisors for each Of the
eight election districts, the adoption
of a proper system of accounts and
records, the preparation of a road
map, and the development of methods
of working to fit the local conditions.
The selection of road supervisors
was made, after consultation with
prominent taxpayers and the personal
investigation of the recommendations
received, and men chosen who SEEM
ed best fitted for the work. The first
selections did not prove in every in
stance to meet expectations and the
personnel has gradually changed
through the wedding out of old, and
the substitution of new men accord
ing to their ability to work and &C
complish results.
The system OF accounts in vogue
before 1904 made it impossible for
the Commissioners to tell what work
had been done or what liabilities had
been incurred, since the supervisors
frequently failed to render bills until
six months or year after the work
was supposed to be completed. 1t was
practically impossible to check the
bills which were simply charged to
the General Road or Bridge accounts.
Accordingly the Engineer devised a
new system.
This calls for daily postcard report
from each supervisor, showing the
date, names of men working, time
made by each, number of horses, their
owners and time made, amount of ma
terial used and work done These
cards are then filed and used by the
Engineer on his next inspection trip
to check the work done and the ma
terial used. This enables the forma-
ton OF correct conclusion as to wheth-
er or not supervisor is doing work
economically. Cards are also used
in checking bills when presented,
which, under the law, must be passed
by the Engineer before payment. |
The bills are then charged to the
respective districts in which the work
was done, all bills being subdivided
so as to show how or for what the
sums were expended, the principal
items being labor, teams, carpenters.
lumber, hardware, pipe, feed, machin- |
cry, etc.
To further facilitate the work, a |
circular letter was issued to the Rural |
Free Delivery carriers, asking their
cooperation in reporting any dang
erous or unsafe places in the coun-
ty roads on their respective routes.
Special postcards were furnished for
the purpose with the Roads Engin-
GERS name and address printed on
same. This has been of infinite help
in the work as Rural Free Delivery
covers at least Is to 80 per cent of
the roads, which practically means a |
daily inspection Of the main roads of
the county.
The changes made in the method of
working the roads have been marked.
At first, attempts were made to Sc
cure the teams necessary for blowing
and scraping from the nearby farm
ers. This proved quite unsatisfac-
tory for many reasons. The time most
favorable for road work Is that best
suited for general farm work. When
teams were secured, they usually were
furnished by different farmers, each
sending one of the four to six pairs
used on pillow or scraper. Each
pair had its own kind of harness and
a driver who took care that his team
pulled no harder than the others.
Even such supplies could not be OBJ
tanned for more than a day or two
of continuous work. Altogether this
method proved not only unsatisfac-
tory but very expensive Expert
ments were then made with a steam
roller which could pillow, scrape and
roll. Traction engines were also
hired at prices varying from $500 to
$1,000 per day. After taking into
consideration the expense, work done,
ETC., this method of hiring equipment
was abandoned EYneriencp with