Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1910-07-14

Then my friends. the People Of St.
Mary's County must begin TO inter-
est themselves. They cannot afford
this constant severe drain; this
tremendous waste Of money. We
should not permit ourselves 70 be
taxed year after year for Road
Funds. nor for any other purpose
without results. Would IL not be
wise TO awake and begin TO realize
this Road dilemma2 Is ID not fear
ful7
Better fuss little than 10 suffer
the hearts strings Of our teams 70 be
pulled out. and CHANGING our own
lives TO be snatched asunder at any
moment In the middle Of chuck hole
which cannot possibly be Stunned.
Build one mile Of Good Road each
year in each District, and figure re-
suits. In ten years We have ninety
(90) miles. Two miles in each Dis
trict gives US one hundred and
eighty QS0) miles in ten years, and
so on.
Any one mile OF this Good Road
can be built ct an average cost OF
$500. A fairly well drained and
graded roadbed. shelled or gravel
ed will stand five years. At the ex-
piration OF that time we will have
built ninety 800 more miles making
tive hundred and seventy (27O
miles, with q possible one hundred
and eighty $50 miles needing some
repairs.
Contrast this with what has been
accomplished during the past 1910
years and see if all past experience
in that way Of building and mend
ing Roads does not seem TO be most
ly mud and water.
We must then place the blame
where it rightly belongs.
So far as the mismanagement OF
our Road Funds go, and from every
outward appearance our present
Board OF Commissioners say to US.
We must continue to bear up under
this same burdensome system for
all time to come. Are we compell-
ed TO do this. No, not at all. You
know very well no Court has q right
TO Tax o People under q Law that
has been Repealed. and is to-day le-
gally. ten times deader than Hector.
What motive have they then in
enforcing dead issues? We have a
Road Law which in my opinion will
give US relief It cannot possibly
be worse in any sense OF the word.
and il is the peoples duty. their
business to see that this Law is put
into effect and forced out to the
letter.
Some predict it cannot be worked
out successfully Il can be done.
We are now taxed between $4,000
and 5000 per anuum for Road Funds.
This amount Is placed in the hands
OF incompetent Supervisors, who
neither have sufficient ideas nor
time. Their force is inadequate
and their Tools are OF the worn. out
type, consisting Of as rule, a fork,
q shovel, and possibly q pick, with
brush or poles for Ballast.
These County Authorities even
hesitate and kick at furnishing these.
How then can we expect better
Highways2 Never until proper
ideas are brought ont and Road
Building is systematized to q point
OF perfection. The County must
own It's own teams. Road Machinery,
and it's tools OF every description,
and they must be OF the best, most
durable and lasting that money can
buy. All OF this must be placed
into the hands OF a competent GO
ahead Civil Engineer with say
SIC, 0O0.0 to $12, 900. 90 at his back
just 81, 900. 90 more than we are now
spending wastefully and wrongfully.
And then look out for Good Roads
Boulevards Etc, Etc.
Everybody laugh tickled to death.
pleased beyond comprehension, so
delighted driving over these Good
Roads.
The placing OF our Road Funds
into the hands OF incompetent Su-
pervisors 70 be spent as now, in nv
judgment, is the most imposing piece
OF imposition ever perpetrated upon
q people. and would not, in my opin-
ion be tolerated anywhere but in St.
Msry's County.
| And even here it does not stop.