The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1912-05-25
THIS NEEDS ATTEN-
ton AT ONCE

To the CECIL WING, Elkton, Md
Gentlemen-A few years ago the county
built a few miles of macadam road, a
public necessity This elegant macadam
has been ruthlessly neglected. Side
drains are filled in places to the level of
the road centres, covering the macadam
with mud and sand, causing the roadbed
to be saturated and softened with water
and allowing the surface to break
through under TIE weight of traffic in
places, while in sections or more fall
the water is allowed to course down the
roadway, tearing out the shoulders and
undermining the macadam, instead of
passing away through properly opened
channels that should be provided for the
purpose. Macadam roads under such
conditions are doomed to destruction.
Attention of the County Commissioners
was called to these conditions more
than once last summer and fall, but no
step so far appears to have been taken
to remedy the defects One dollar then
would have done more toward preventing
destruction than ten dollars will do now
in repairing the damage caused from
continued neglect.
! would like to ask through your col
umns, whose business 1T is to look after
the macadam roads built by the county;
if 1t is not the business of the County
Commissioners? If it is their business,
why do they not attend to it. If they do
not attend to it are they not liable to
the county for damages inasmuch as
they are allowing these macadam roads
to 60 to destruction from neglect?.
A SUBSCRIBER
Rising Sun, Md, May Is, 1912
The communication published above
comes to the WHIG from one of the
most prominent business men in this
county. 1t opens upa subject which
ought to have the earnest consideration
OF everyone interested in the county's
welfare. The WHIG has, for long
time, voiced the peoples opposition to
the building of permanent roads (so-
called at an excessive costa cost which
would necessarily limit the road mileage
to very small percentage of the total
mileage of roads used, and which would
necessarily result in such an increase
in the tax burden as to cause a revul-
son of feeling against the whole sub
ject of good roads. In emphasizing the
great cost of these roads, the WHIG
has repeatedly called attention to the
fact that to build road at a cost of
$4,000 per mile and then to neglect its
up-keep was to CRIMINALLY SQUAN-
DER THE PEOPLES MONEY Evil
dences of this fact are multiplying all
over the county and State. The cores
pondent above brings vigorously to pub
lie attention a case in point. The ques-
tions he asks OUGHT to be asked and
OUGHT TO BE ANSWERED. But they
ought to be answered by the proper au-
thorities-noJ by the CECIL WHIG. 1t
is not matter to be lightly set aside
by our County Commissioners on the
score of it's being outside the sphere of
their authority. No matter whether it
Is or is not. The fact-the broad res
ponsible fact-remains, that the County
Commissioners are the official custod-
ians of the cOunty's interests. 4 large
and generous appreciation of their posi-
tion and influence will lead them to
give earnest heed to our correspon-
dents inquiries and to do all that be-
comes their responsible official posi-
tiGn to relieve the situation.-[ Editor
CECIL WHICH,