Milford chronicle., 1910-05-06
COMMUNICATED.

Mr.. Editor:
In recent issue OF your paper editori
ally fsuIt is found, and Justly, with the
prevailing system of road management in
Sussex County. The system is old and
ineffective, and, in frankness it must be
admitted, has been maintained by both
political parties more for partisan reward
than for public benefit You also in the
same article criticise the delay of the Levy
Court in electing county engineer under
the act creating the same, and infer that
this delay was due to a lack of interest in
the question Of permanent road improve
ment. | think your criticism is unjust in
this respect because of the fact that the
de av in the matter was not due to this
cause but to we'll defined doubt on the
part OF large number OF our uiost intel
hgeLt citizens as to the propriety of COM
mitting the proverbial stupidity Of putting
the cart before the horse. In other words,
many people when considering the great
subject Of county development see that
this development must depend upon the
accomplishment of three great enterprises. |
and IN the order named drainage, good
ToaGs and increased facilities Of transpor |
tation by trolley lines. All three Of these
enterprises are not only favored, but are /
ardently desired by the people 1t will |
be, however, not only a serious fnancia
mistake, but in fact a reiardation to all Of
these enterprises ii any mistake is made
as to which one of them should be dr,t
atte mpted
In my judgement it would be not onlv
an impossbiiity but gross wastefulness
to attempt any general system OF perma.
nent road improvement in Sussex Count,
without first having completed a genera
and scientific system Of drainage. Cir .
cumstances. Mr. Eduot. in this as in most .
other things, alter cases. New Castle I
County can prosecute the good roads :
movement because her conditions topo- O
graphically are all made favorable b, ;
nature For the most part this is true q
also Of Kent County, but in Sussex County
the conditions are wholly different and in g
no wise comparable, owing to the fact c.
that large part of our area consists of F
swamp lands, through which no perma- st
nent roads can be constructed without p
thorough drainage as a prerequisite. The nj
history Of road building, as determined &C
by experience the world over, and as W
eDunciated in National Road Congress, es sil
oy those most eminent through large ex. m
perience, and through contributors 10 ge
he literature upon the subject wherever eq
published, conciusively declare the i'm tel
possibility Of any permanency in road RAJ
'uudlng without drainage This opinion dir
ame strongly 10 the front at the Good prl
toads Congress held in Georgetown more j
han year ago. While the sole object tus
the call for that Congress was that of Mr.
ood roads, and while general and most vii
raiiylne response was made thereto, it the
Jon developed in the discussions therein STIR
lat many ofthe best and soundest think the
r present were averse to a bonded debt pro
" the permanent improvement of the cou
i5lic highways until general and scien- the
be system Of drainage bv drainage gun
malls had been constructed. As one lan'
eaker in the Congress put il: 81 would cess
ther agree to bond the county for $500. aud
D for system Of scientific drainage l.
an for 500, 200 for good roads not that ton
IN opposed TO good roads, for am in mex
'or OF them, but you can't have good of Il
IDS without drainage, and besides. if the
D have in this countya scientific system out
drainage you will not only by that fact with
ne improve 50 per cent of the roads armt
y existing, but you will so add to our draiI
,lth by improved agricultural condi- swan
is and to our population bv making deter
usands Of acres Of land fit for settle. the
At and cultivation as to make good mann
Is easy and certain, and all other land,
lie Improvements as well" think food
fuilness Of wisdom and Of good sense will i
n5odied in those remarks and that put S
really comprehend the whole ques- augm
Of county development when fully healtl
idered. Upon analysis they amount people
is. that g public improvement must VIII
nd upon money, and money can growt
be obtained through taxation that get th