The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1913-04-19
State Road Communication.

Cambridge, Nd, April 10, 1913.
State Road Communication.
A recent writer has said: Dis
cussion is the greatest Of all reform
ers. 1t rationalizes everything it
touches. 1t robs principles of all
false sanctity and throws them back
ON their reasonableness. If they
have no reasonableness, it ruthless
" brushes them out of existence and
sets up Its own conclusions in their
stead"
Now that the State of Maryland
is considering the expenditure of
large sum of money on Dorchester
county roads, 1t might not be ILL
advised to see what rationalizing
effect little discussion concerning
proposed State road routes In upper
county will have.
The proposed plan is to connect
Easton with Cambridge, via. Pres
ton and East New Market. The
part Of this plan in which the Dor
chester county people are immedi-
ately interested Is the route from
Ellwood to East New Market. To
cover this distance there are three
routes proposed: 1. From Ellwood,
via. Beulah, Waddells Corner and
Cabin Greek, to East New Market,
distance of, approximately, 60
miles. 2. From Ellwood to Hur-
lock, via. Waddells Corner, dis
lance of, approximately, miles.
8. From Ellwood direct to Hurlock,
paralleling the B., c. & A. Railway,
distance of 3.67 miles. These
routes are all very plainly indicated
on the Maryland Geological Sur
vey Map of Dorchester county, show
ing the topography and election dis
tricts. Routes marked 2 and 3
would connect with East New Mar
ket either by State road. already
built, excepting a short stretch be-
tween Hurlock and Shiloh, now un-
der contract to be built this sum-
mer,) via. Shiloh: or by the shell
road, paralleling the Cambridge
branch railroad to East New Mar
ket. Route marked was survey
ed and adopted by the Crothers
Road Commission, because certain
prominent citizens, interested In
Hurlock district, wanted it to go
that way; before, however. construc-
ton on this route was begun, the
present Road Commission came in
to being and surveyed, and tenta-
lively adopted, route marked 3. be-
cause it was the shortest and most
direct route between Ellwood and
Hurlock.
During, however, the tentative
period of the decision to adopt route
marked 3, the personnel OF the
Road Commission in charge of the
routing of Dorchester county roads
in this particular instance, has
sean -fu-to aopt,ronse ,naasiedzr1,
f5sided certain requirements are
complied with on the part of in
terested citizens and the Dorchester
county Board Of Commissioners. The
requirements are, that State Aid
roads be built from Waddell's Cor
ner to Hurlock, and from a point
1857 miles South Of Ellwood, via.
Cabin Greek, or route marked /,
to East New Market, a distance of
about 1926 miles. The State, it
seems, refuses to build more than
the 3.67 miles, the distance from
Ellwood to Hurlock, paralleling the
B., C. & A. Railway, but will divert
the main artery of State high
way out of its natural course to
pacify certain local interests by
throwing the responsibility of the
unnecessary expenditure of $685.
600 on an indulgent Board of Com
missioners. AS is we'll known, to
build a State Aid road under the
Shoemaker Act, interested citizens
pay 10 per cent, the county 40 per
cent. and the State SO per cent. Of
the cost. Since these State Aid
roads have to be built according to
specifications of the State Road En-
cheering Department, it is probab-
ly fair to estimate that they will
cost at least $4,000 per mile.
Hence, the $4,000 for the five
and one-half miles of State Aid
road. The Board of Commissioners
have already obligated themselves
to pay the 40 per cent. in construct
ing the 2 Ia miles from Hurlock
to Waddell's Corner, and have al
ready indicated their willingness to
pay their 40 per cent. in construct
ing the Ia miles from East New
Market in the direction of Ellwood,
via. Cabin Creek, to where the
Road Commissions 3.67 miles from
Ellwood might end, when the East
New Market people have given bond
to pay their 10 per cent, as the
Hurlock people have already done.
Those, Mr.. Editor. are some Of
the facts of the case. The No. 1
route Is ideal for certain land own
ers OF Hurlock and East New Mar
ket, and a superb boulevard for
omobilists, who could go between
Hurlock and East New Market, via.
Shiloh, or between Hurlock and
East New Market, via. Waddell's
Corner and Cabin Creek, thus max
ing a complete belt of stone and
concrete roads around the territory