The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1910-05-19
EASTERN SHORE LEADS
IN GOOD ROADS MOVE
People Across Bay Take Advantage of
Their Light and Sandy Soil to
Construct Enduring Highways

road building. This section, more
than any other in the State, has
taken hold of the problem and diff
ficulties that have surrounded i'm
proved highways in such way
that it is believed to be in a tair
way of solving them. With the
people of the nine Eastern Shore
counties the efforts of the State
are regarded as only supplement
tary to the efforts that can be
made in the counties. They are
not waiting for the State to take
the initiative. Self-reliance seems
to be the secret Of their success.
Only brief periods elapse when
representative citizens of the COun-
ties sometimes personally, some
times officially present themselves
at the offices of the State Roads
Commission with an offer of deal.
They are anxious to under take
some Improvement which is close
~ related to the one they have in
mind. These deals are advantage
Gus to the State in extending the
lateral branches of the proposed
system. Consequently, no deal is
ever preached that does not meet
with consideration from the State
Roads Commission, and most of
the deals are accepted, although
occasionally it may be necessary to
reject one.
Ten wears ago the Eastern Shore
of MARYLAND was poor. 1t has
made great strides in the last dec
ade. 1t has developed in great
measure as the garden from which
the people of Philadelphia and
New York, as well as Baltimore,
get their fruits and vegetables.
Linked with its progress IS an in
crease in the mileage Of its up-to-
date highways.
Only recently it was boastinglv
asked of Samuel K. Dennis, Sena-
tor Smiths private secretary, if ne
knew of a better road than Park
Heights avenue, in the suburbs OF
Baltimore city.
1T is a fairly good road" re-
piled Mr.. Dennis, "butit is not as
the roads leading out of Snow Hill
and Berlin"
Snow Hill and Berlin are ii
Worcester. 1t is admitted that
the claim made by Mr.. Dennis was
lust one. Moreovers it can be as
serted with equal truth of mum
Der of towns on the Eastern Shore
of Maryland.
Why the counties on the East
ern Shore of Maryland should be
so keen in the matter of road
building requires no explanation
from those who have studied the
road building problem. How il
happens that they have taken an
interest so far in advance of the
counties in other sections OF Mary
land is not so easily explained
However, they are after good roads
and they are getting them. What
ever fault may be found with road
construction in other parts o.
Maryland they do not apply to the
light sandy soil of the Eastern
Shore. There the roads go down
to stay, and they do stay. The
people cannot get quite enough o
them. Where the State does no
build they are preparing to builc
under the State aid or Shoemakel
law, in which the State pays hal
the cost and the county the re
mainder. All OF the county:
share, except 10 per cent, IS col
lected from the owners of property
along the route OF the proposed
modern road. Property owner:
are giving up the money
One of the pioneer advocates o
good roads is State Senator E. E
Goslin of Caroline He has beer
an advocate of other things
prompt payment Of taxes, for in
stance. His ideas on this subjeC'
were SO Objectionable to his coun
ty friends that they put him ou'
of public life some years ago be