The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1909-07-10
CLUB DISCUSSES ROADS.

at the last meeting of the Junior Gunpowder
Agricultural Club the principal subject dis
cusSed was roads. We give below the views of
some Of those present:
Mr.. Upton H. Tarbert said: II think our
rich county should have good macadam roads
and get them as soon as wecan. L would be in
favor of bonding the county to make good
roads in few places. The importance of good
roads is seen in the agitation by the National
Grange and Congress. Some roads that were
good are neglected so that their condition is
about as bad as before being improved. l have
urged that attention be given them until now
hesitate to do anything. The condition of
many roads is a reflection on the road commits
sioner. While the farmers are expected to do
their part in hauling stone and keeping up re-
pairs, yet be tires of such hberality."
Mr.. i. V. Richardson said: 81 noticed the
bids for building roads to be under the State
Commission and think the work at the figures
would make expensive business. We will
swamp the State to spend money so freely.
Give me 81, 900 per mile and can make sub
stantial road with inches of stone deep and IL
feet wide, the cost of material not counted. If
our ancestors had put the stones from the fields
on the roads instead of in the fence corners we
would now have good roads. have put out
great many stones and now am making con-
siderable repairs by the sanction of the road
commissioner. The bonding system looks like
a reasonable way to build roads, as railroads
are made that way, but in politics money gets
wasted, as those who do the work get the money
but the people do not get the roads. If we
want anything we have to pay for it, but ST.
600 per mile for bodybuilding would be an ex
travagance. Patching of roads should not be
encouraged. Automobiles should not have
the right of way, and owing to the soaring of
horses they should be controlled to prevent
trouble. | have been used to bad roads all
my life, and find it little harder to get out
nv CROPS, which are larger nOW.n
Mr.. I. Melville Pearce said: I'VE ought to
use great many stones in road-making so as
to get good foundation. To improve our dirt
roads King log drag is good"
Mr.. w. D. Curry said: "Where there are
good roads land becomes more salable, as peo
pie want to live on good roads. Over SO 900
mile spent in road building would be expensive
and an extravaganza. The roads in Hartford
county built with the Woolsey fund cost 81 900
per mile. The expense was not for work done,
but money paid men who stood without hitch
ing, if their horses would not. The $4, 500 al
lowed the 10th district for SO miles of road is
to keep the roads in repair. The 10 cents adj
ditiOnal would be but little toward macada-
miziug them. Much depends on the man or
men using judgment i'll making and keeping
the roads in repair
Mr.. E. E. Scott said: II do not know how
it is that such large amounts are asked to build
available. The Western Run turnpike, six
miles in length, cost per mile less than $1,000
to macadamize while the Shoemaker law al
lows as much as s. 900 per mile"
Mr. Charles H. Price said: "The county
road through my place has not been attended
to for two years. l have not seen the road
commissioner in that time. We should not
make our roads to invite automobiles"
Mr. Frank g. Scott said: 1.-The road ques
ton is causing great deal Of discussion. l
agree with others; we ought to have good roads
and if the money is properly spent we can
have them. There is too much patch work
also neglect to clear the drains. A stitch in
time saves nine, or 25 cents would often save
$z5 in road mending. Instead of bitches open
on either side we have waterways in the mid
die of the road. There are miles of our roads
that are untouched and greatly need repairing.
Farmers should work to bring about better re-
suits. Our roads engineer is a competent man,
but if his hands are tied by some legal phase
he cannot do as be should. We should have
road commission separate from the County
Commissioners, with more work done and less
red tape about the regulations The road COM
mission and engineer could work together and
have no boss to interfere. think the old road
law was the better plan with three supervisors
for a district. The roads were better then"
Mr.. H. Amos Matthews said 1.-TWO heavy
wagon tires fastened with third in the centre
make good drag for dirt roads,"
Mr.. N n. Gill said "Ihave met Mr.. Harry
d. Dawes, the road supervisor, and find that
he is willing to have done what is required and
do about as much as the farmers will help to do.
received money for stone hauled and work
done, and Mr. @. Morton Stewart, at Shawan,
having hauled 200 perches of stone, is encour-
aged in making the roads good"
Mr. Laban Sparks said: II do not believe so
much in criticism, but to have the spirit to go
to the supervisor or the County Commissioners
and ask for what you want. l do not know
the supervisor. know Mr.. Shirley, the roads
engineer, who has not the authority he ought
l. I-~.- - 49,
ness. We had good road leading from Sparks
Station, and finding it was neglected we went
to those in authority about it and received
favorable response Whilst the supervisor is
under the eye of the boss in power, yet the
people are greater power. An organization
is as strong as the people makeit. To pay ST.
600 per mile for bodybuilding is outrageous.
There should be limit to the cost per mile of
road-making. The bonding system is bust
ness proposition and the spending Of $500, 000a
year is reasonable, but l would oppose it unless
there should be proper planning and limit to
the cost per mile. A great deal of money is
spent in grading roads. There should be as
little as possible of the grading, and the round
ing of roads should not be overlooked. Auto
mobiles are all right, and l wish we all had
them. / think they should not be allowed to
go forty miles an hour, The speed limit should
be strictly enforced"
Mr.. Daniel S. Pearce said: 81 understand
the road supervisor is allowed q certain part of
the appropriation, as each months work re-
quires. To work the roads properly is impor-
tant in every feature of effort. Mr.. Crosby had
done much good work, but Mr. Shirley has not
the authority to do as he would like he being
under orders. As to the bonding system, it is
difficult to get men who know how to do the
work and control the money for the best in
terest of the people,
Fight the Fly Right Now and All the
Time.-Frank Fleischman thus writes in HGr-
peT'S Weekly about the deadly fly:
"Seven different varieties of flies are foundin
our houses, ninety per cent. of which are repre-
sented by the common househy. Flies lay
their eggs only in fermenting or decaying sub
stances-by preference in horse manure.
Hence every stable is a centre of infection un-
less periodically disinfected The fly maggot
is also Matched out in latrines and ash-pit re-
fuse, such as bedding, straw, rags, paper, scraps
of meat, fruit, etc., on which substances the
larvae subsst after they hatch, which occurs
in about twelve days after the egg has been
laid. 1t is estimated that single fly laying 40
eggs at time will produce progeny amount
ing to sextillions by the end of the season.
stfThe numhpr of bacteria unon sinOln Av