Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1914-04-09
A Word About Our Roads.

Now that spring has come, ana the Suo-
iect OF road improvements being discuss
ed there is strong sentiment in favor OF a
change in the method OF improving our
roads in Jefferson county-or at least IN
certain sections of it. Prominent resi-
dents of Shepherdstown district desire
the County Court to place all roads IN
charge of the three experieced district SUI
pervisors, believing that this will result In
more economical expenditure OF the
money and greatly improved roads. Last
year Shepherdstown district paid its full
portion OF the fund used by the county
turnpike commissioner, but so Tar as we
have learned, not one dollar was spent
by the commissioner upon the roads IN
the district during the entire year. VI
course, no one believes or intimateS that
Commissioner Mcdonald makes any
distinction against Shepherdstown dis
trict, but the neglect OF our roads was
probably because he had his entire time
taken I'D with work in other districts.
The Injustice ofth condition is apparent,
but injustice is the least OF the objections
to the system the main trouble is that
Our turnpikes are steadily growing worse
because of neglect. In addition to the
natural wear and tear, the fact that not
so much as drain was cleaned out last
wear, thus allowing the water to run
down the middle OF the road and make
bitches in the center, has helped IN the
work OF destruction.
The Shepherdstown and Middleway
turnpike has in places been worn down
10 bed rock. The ShepherdStown and
Halltown turnpike, not having had any
repairs made to il during a whole year,
at least in Shepherdstown district, has
naturally failed to keep up TO the standard.
The splendid Shepherd turnpike has
gotten into worse condition than either
of the above roads, and another year or
two of neglect will put it below the level
of our most ordinary dirt roads. II costs
good deal OF money TO neglect this
road. Forty or fifty dollars properly
spent in keeping the drains open and
patching bad places would have been all
that was necessary, probably; but this
not having been done, every rain MADE
the road worse and now it will take
hundreds of dollars to put il in good
condition. The stitch in time that would
have saved nine was not taken, and the
taxpayers must pay the bill-or put up
with bad roads.
While the turnpkes have refrigerated,
however, the other roads, in charge OF
the district supervisors, have been stead
ily improved and no fault can be found
with them. This is our argument Tor
placing all the roads in the care OF Inc
district men. They have the machinery
and well-organized force OF workmen'
they know the needs OF each section,
they are on the spot and can quickly and
economically make repairs, and are IN
eyery respect better qualified to care tor
the roads than the county pike commits
sioner, who perhaps has more work on
his hands than he can get through with.
We are very confident it our County
Court will place in the hands OF the super
visors OF Shepherdstown district Our
share of the money appropriated for the
county turnpikes that the results will
soon show for themselves. The three
turnpikes of this district are so situated
that one could very properly be turned
over to each OF the three supervisors,
and with the friendly rivalry that has
caused each of these officials to do his
level best in the past, it would not be
long until our section would have roads
OF which we could be iuStifiably proud.
We hope that our court will put the
money and the opportunity in the hands
of our district men-we will guarantee
results