The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1909-06-18
Southern Maryland Roads.

The bids received by the State Road
Commission for road building in several
counties demonstrate the fact that a
very large expenditure will provide a
very limited mileage of such roads as
contemplated by the commission. The
bids ran from $4,000 to nearly 10000
| a mile. The commission has accepted
the bids for four of the counties Caroline
Dorchester, Kent and Wicomico which
were about $4,000 mile.
The Road Commission has no doubt
given the subject much study and con-
sideration, and we suppose the matter
has been carefully considered in every
phase We do not know just on what
specifications the bids were made, but
$4,000 a mile is very much more than
we ever supposed any roads were to
have cost. We have always ad
vocated the building of good and per-
manent roads, believing the saving in
time and energy would justify the
expenditure. We had no idea, however
the commission would find it necessary
to spend so much mile. While around
the cities the character of road propos-
ed may be the proper one to build, we
do not think our country districts need
them. We believe our roads can be
built to serve every purpose with the
material at band at cost of about one
fourth the estimate for the kind propos-
ed by the commission.
Our county, we understand, will be
entitled to about $500 or a little
more Of the $5.oOO,O0O fund. Talking
the bid for five miles in st. Mary's
county, which was about $4,000 mile
we would get less than five miles of
road built. 1t is too dear by far. We
have scattered through the land in pro-
ximity to every section of road an un-
limited supply of gravel which we have
fonnd to be well adapted to good road
have several samples of short pieces of
road properly graded and drained from
II to 10 years ago and coated with oul
local gravel, which are still in good
condition in spite of little or no at
teution since they were built. By using
little engineering skill. proper ma
chinery and good common sense we are
convinced that good roads could be
built through this section at an average
cost Of 81 500 mile, or less, and which
would cost but few dollars mile an
nuaily to keep in good repair.
We do not have the heavy hauling
that the roads around the large cities
have to bear, and, therefore, there is
not the same necessity for the strong
road. The expenditure of our portion
of the road fund would build but few
miles, perhaps five, of the kind pro-
posed, which would be Of little benef
to our country, wherever it is located
The distance would not be sufficient to
materially benefit anybody, and GER
tain1Y it would be of no educational
value locally, because the cost would
be prohibitive.
On the other hand, should the com
mission decide to grade and drain ou
roadbed properly and work in gosc
gravel crown, we would have from %
tc 40 miles of good. firm roadway which
would benefit the entire country, and
the method and manner of building
would afford an object-lesson of ad-
ditional practical value. 1t woulc
furnish good road very nearly, if not
quite, from one end of the country to
the other and to that extent also re-
lieve our local forces and allow more
attention to other roads.
Would it, not be a good idea for our
people to take the question up and, after
getting the sentiment of the people
generally, make the same known to the
commission ?-The Calvert Journal.