Milford chronicle., 1910-12-02
KENT WANTS GOOD ROADS.

night TO COuhluhI Auu eH'aNNt "
ton for the improvement and upbuild-
inc Of Kent county, and the committee
on invitation and entertainment was re
warded by one Of the largest attendsnces
on record.
Merchants, lawyers, political leaders
of both parties, farmers and professional
men, including clergymen of Dover, two
Of whom spoke, attended and the big
audience of members was entertained by
an address from one Of the leading road
experts in the United States Department
of Agriculture at Washington.
Beside being able to explain how to
build and maintain good roads and the
component parts Of the surface OF per-
manent roadway, Mr.. Boykin had
charming personality and a splendid
command of good English. These min
Qled with an abundant store OF good jokes
kept his audience in fine humor all the
evening.
On motion of Colonel William D. Den
new, President Wharton appointed COM
mittee Of nine to take up the question OF
good roads along with the suggestion
made by the Government engineer to
bond the county for $500, 900 and improve
every public road therein by system
approved by the State and under the d.
rection Of compentent engineers, using
the sand-clay surface and the split log
drag. with what crushed stone the rail
road companies can be induced to import
free of charge or at absolute cost.
The meeting, it is firmly believed, ac-
complished the purpose of taking per
manent road building out of politics and
placing it with body of business men to
present directly to the Legislature.
Professor Wesley Webb, corresponding
secretary of the State Board of Agriculture,
whom President Wharton called to the
chair during the good roads deliberations.
declared that permanent good roads,
built under engineers supervision, would
increase the property value of Kent cOun-
ty from $15, 900, 600 to S75, 100000.
Mr. Boykin said Permanent roads
benefit every dollars worth of property
but they not only benefit the present
property owners, but their successors.
Such road building increases population
and the incoming people must, too, pay
the bill. We have made cautions investi'
CATION Of this. Taking twenty-five cOun
ties all over this country on fair test
that had not improved roads, we found
that there was an average decrease in the
population Of 5000.
Taking twenty-five counties, all over
the country, that hHs improved their
roads, we found an average increase in
population Of 81, 900. The bad road coun
ties lost 1000 souls; the good roads coun
ties gained 81 900, each. What an argn-
mcnt TO the unbelieyeT
Probably the 6rst step after you get
the necessary legislation is to organize q
good roads syatem. The State should
have some supervision, 80 that ultimate
State. wide road system would result But
without the employment Of q graduate
engineer, the money, even under the sys-
tenn will vanish and 80 will your roads.
A competent highway engineer will, every
year, save yeu many times this salary,
even though it is q big one
"DO away with your old Overseer sys
tenn The road Overseer goes along with
plough and road scrape, and he drags
piles Of dirt with vegetable matter theriu
TO the center Of the road. The vegetable
matter soon decays and leaves hole aud
this hole gives or cuts deeper under va
gon Traffic. and you soon have au Incl
pient mudhOle.
"Then, when you get the good roads sys-
TEN started, keep constantly on the watch
and the mend. In France they have a
man for every mile of road who patrols
It all day long and reports the fret break
or rough place that he cannot mend, un-
asst ted. New York State il adopting
patrO' system and even that pays. Main
tenance must be continuous and prompt
and YiRilaut."
Questions we're asked by Walter Morris,
William G. Postles, James II Hughes,
aud by Henry Dorzbsch, the latter favor
ing the convict labor system as mainten
ance and even for construction. Mr..
Boykin explained that Georgia is now
using 4,5OO convicts with profit and great
advantage on her roads, and practically
all the Southern States use this system
Gravel roads, the engineer declared,
we're not practicable, because they cost
almost as much as macadam, and we're
not comparable to macadsm in satisiaC-
tory results.
Wide tires we're also favored by the
expert, with the provision that the wa
gon builders should build the front axle
shorter than the hind axle, SO that the
wheels would not track.
The Rev. B F. Thompson, John H.
Jones, DR.. A. LightbOurne aud Professor
Webb made remarks heartily iavoring
the recommendation Of the government
expert. awe ought " have done this