Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1909-12-25

nOdu E@HEIHSeTS III FnIketpOutB oeAu {.
ME- Chairman, Engineers OF the
counties Of West Virginia, xe are as
sembled here as representatives Of
the state OF West Virginia and direct
ly as representatives OF the Public
Road Department, which regard as
one OF the most important depart
ments Of this great state, for the
purpose OF exchanging ideas and dis
GUESSING the many important questions
relative to this great movement.
While public roads are the oldest
artificial revenues OF transportation
known to man, yet the construction
and maintenance of roads la as mucn
problem today az II wac four thou
sand years ago to the enperors OF
the ancient world. This la due to the
fact that the location. construction
and maintenance OF public roads has
been neglected by the American peo-
pie, since the successful introduction
of the era known as the Railroad
era" yet, we pride ourselves on be-
ing the most progressive OF all people
Of the world
Thus, We are confronted by a propo-
sition uneolved and new In a very
large degree, because this long period
of seven decades has interviewed since
We practiced the art of public road
building; and during that time con-
ditions have so changed that the
knowledge gained from the experience
OF those days is of little value to US
today. The successful introduction OF
self-propelling vehicles has complete
~ revoiutionized the method of road
construction, and demands a road sur
face entirely different and the desire
OF the American people to eliminate
time and gravity demands roads built
on lighter grades and better align
ment
Il is especially important at this
time when we are breaking away from
the old method and ideas of road
building. which We have worked under
for years. that we give this question,
the location of county roads, our best
thought and consideration. There IS
no parallel case in this state, in which
such vast sums of money have been
expended to no value. as in the build
ing of county roads upon the location
designated by the COW trail around the
Hill side or by the blazes OF road view
ers as they traced a grade line by the
eye and that eye unstrained Thus
the roads so constructed have not
been only burden to all things, both
animate and inanimate, passing over
them, but the money spent in their
construction has been absolutely vast
ed, since they are not on the right
location and the work which has been
done is of no value. dare say rs
per cent OF the roads of this state
have not been properly located and
in order to carry out our present plans
il viii be necessary to relocate them
and thus suffer the great loss which
have mentioned above. 1t ia Just
such losses that you, as agents OF the
County Commissioners and thereby
agents OF the tax payers of this state,
are expected to avoid in all road To-
cation from now on. recognize how
difficult it is to properly locate a
county road: would rather locate the
most difficult trans-continentai rail
road line than TO locate a county road.
because county roads are expected to
be built comparatively cheap and the
only way TO do that and get a good
road is to take advantage OF every
point in nature in the location. which
requires time. patience. experience
and some expense.
There is not county engineer here
today who does not recognize how
difficult it is to get money to make
road improvements, recognizing that
fact every one knows the Importance