The Washington herald., 1911-03-06

Despite the fact that the legisla-
ture of Maryland has made two ap-
preparations, aggregating $6,0O0,-
600, for the improvement of its
highways, and that these appropria-
tions have been handsomely aug
mented by county taxation, the
roads of that State remain in a con-
dition mildly described as disgrace
full. Especially around Washington
the roads, for the most part, in
Prince George and Montgomery
counties are in bad condition.
THE FIRST APPROPRIATION.
When, in 1908, the first appropriation of
100000 was made, the people naturally
expected to see their impossible country
roads blossom, as it were, into thorough
fares of beauty and utility to suit the
advance of the times and its new Gus
toms, as had been the case in other and
more progressive States. They waited
however, in vain, just as they had waited
from 1904, when the first word reached
them that the State contemplated coming
to their relief 1t took the state legisla-
tive body four years to make a de-
cided move. and. that made, it rested on
its laurels indefinitely
Another S1,COO.OG0 appropriation was con-
sidercd a crying necessity in 1910. The
counties adjacent to the District of Co.
lumbia received their allotments of the
first appropriation. Montgomery receiving
$4,000 and Prince George receiving
something like SI25.OOO OF this FIST al
lOtment to Montgomery County, about
$4,000 has been spent, though there mas
been expended four or five times that
amount on roads that are to-day almost |
impossible in weather which is moderate
ly bad. There is a marked diffidence on |
the part of those who should know, when |
the query comes up as to what has been |
done or is to be done with the hopeful |
State allotment The roads were bad
when it was made, and many Of them
Still are bal. i
Mr.. Cummings Defends the Roads.
State Representative Andrew j. Cum
mings says the roads in Montgomery
County are good. He says:
In the last three years-since 1906
We have built twenty-five miles of roads
under the Shoemaker act, 1t costs $4,000 !
TO build a mile Of road, so you may easily |
see we have not been idle. Because We |
have put a taxation upon automobiles, |
the people of the District see fit to make |
a kick. They really have no kick coming |
Why? For the reason that, whereas the |
automobile licenses would not amount to |
$4,000 in year, it costs, as I have said, |
$4,000 for every mile of good roads built.
hence they build one single mile of road in |
n year, and then cry because they are
taxed to ride over the mile the State of I
Maryland and the counties have built
Why but one? Because out of that little
$4,000 must be deducted the salary of the
automobile commissioner and other mi
nor expenses"
The Road to Remington.
Mr.. Cummings points with pride to the
road which runs from Bradley Lane in
Chevy Chase north to Neutrality-suspicious.
three and a quarter miles-known as
the Cummings road. and explains its
fairly bad" condition by saying that
when the Country Club was built the
hauling was done over this new road.
which hauling was Of the heaviest de-
scription. He also admits that the Shoe
maker road is not the sort which an
Teals to his good sense being too fiat and
not allowing proper drainage
None of the citizens who use this mar
tcular highway are even moderately
praisefuL And when it comes to the