Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1913-08-14
GOOD
ROADS
WHAT IMPROVED ROADS MEAN
Spells Prosperity and Happiness to
Every Community Which Has
Forethought to See Blessings.
(By R. e. oLDs.)

GOOu rOaQS are cOnuuCtfe 10 DSttei
schools, live rural churches, pleasant
rides, good markets, social advance
ment, a closer bond Of sympathy and
cooperation between the farmer and
his city cousin who works at the forge,
the lathe or the spindle. 1t spells
prosperity and happiness to every com
munity which has the means and
business foresight to see the manifold
blessings which scientific system OF
good roads secures for Its people. Mud
roads spell an enormous mud tax be
side which our tariff Is like pygmy
to an elephant
Again, good roads annihilate dis
tances and rob farming a. the dread
and drudgery of rural leNlusion, this
fact being notably apparent where o
farmer is the wise and happy owner
of high-quality. dependable and eco,
nomical motor car. Mud roads bring
social life on the farm to low ebb,
empty the rural churches, make many
little red school houses but mem.
DRY and populate the country with
floating tenants who care very little
for the growth and perpetuation OF
the institutions which are the bulwark
OF our national greatness.
Then good roads save time, save
horses and wagons. automobiles and
gasoline They enable the farmer to
market, at minimum cost, In rain or
shine. his perishable produce such as
fruits, vegetables. milk, butter. eggs
and meat. Mud roads compel the
farmer to leave such produce either
go TO waste or deterioration, or what
Is near to either. deter him from pro
ducing any of these profit-bearing com
modities because he has no dependable
and convenient avenue for marketing
them.
In cases of acute illness good roads
enable the physician to bring speedy
relief to the sick annually and save
the lives of hundreds of our men. wom-
en- and children, a fact which more
than trebly compensates any amount
of money which we may spend as
nation, state, county, city or town.
Good roads spell humanity, relief, mer.
cy, life, growth and prosperity, where
as mud roads too often spell poverty
weakness, decay, sickness, suffering
and death
AS road Improvement Is of nation
wide interest 1t should be supported
by our national, state and county gov.
ernments. This is notably true with
interstate highways, for it is manifest
ly unjust to tax all the improvement
to the AUDITING land, to the county or
even to the state Why should not our
national government promote inter
state commerce through good country
roads as well as through river and har.
Dor improvements?
Good and patriotic men seem to be
at variance as to what Is the best sys
TEN of building roads. Some advocate
three or more cross-continent trunk
highways to be built and maintained
equally by the federal government and
by the various states through which
the trunk highways go. Others favor
the Improvement of these roads first
which run to the county seat pro
vided 1t is a good railroad market
town, and If not to the most acces
sible large railroad town in the county
They believe that these roads should
be properly ditched. graded. rolled and
dragged Culverts should be built
where the water is inclined to flow
across the road during heavy rains
Grades should be raised In low places
hills materially dug down and good
bridges built over creeks and streams
Of all kinds
The citizens of given county
could by this plan easily determine
on the first ten miles of good roads
to be built and maintained. Then
the next five or ten and so on fur
Their away from the principal town or
towns In the county until every foot
of dirt road In the county Is put in
first-class condition
The good leaven is working in the
minds, hearts and consciences of the
American people. Good roads, tc
them, now means more than ever be
fore, the avenues which leads to ma
tional strength; prosperity and hap
piness to which every good either
should be glad to give his due meas
ure of enthusiastic support.