Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-12-30

|
at night VIII. he comes out to open the
gate" Withsuch an expression toll
| haunted editu of the London Times. under
date of OctotS %, 1855, seeks to relieve the
weariness of Slumns of practical argument
for toll abolion.
The commo law of England provided that
every parish nust repair the roads within
its boundary. BY 1868 this provision of the
law had bee so neglected that the first
turnpike gat' was created by act of Par
lament. Th new law was received with
the traditions English spirit. A commenta-
tor, writing n 1856, states that "notwith-
standing act of Parliament as turnpikes
were erecte they were pulled down or
burnt, the rilitary were called out and the
tax was exated by the point of the bayonet."
Stand and Deliver
The loorole made by this act was rap
idly widend until, by the middle Of the 10th
century, ",he First City of the World" be-
came, in ommon parlance, "The City of the
Hundred Gates" "Stand and Deliver was
the mott, of the traveller.
In the United States early turnpike roads
were butt at Government expense for Gov
ernment purposes They were succeeded by
the plaiR roads, which were built by cor
poratiols authorized by legislative enact
ment % charge the users a toll for the
maintenance of the highway and for the
individual profit of the owners of the fran
chise That the construction of these roads
was far from perfect we may safely conclude
from the versifled complaint of an old critic:
1 say it's not passable,
Not even jackasSable;
And those who travel 1t,
Should turn out and gravel 1t.
The first turnpike toll road in the United
States was made in Pennsylvania. A Sec
tlon of Old York road was ordered as early
as 1897, but not formally opened until I'LL.
This precedent was not adhered to by the
fathers of the good city of Philadelphia in
the case of road to the Indian country.
The Council of Philadelphia, on August 81,
1882, under Thomas Penn, son of William
Penn, in renewing a treaty with the Six Ma
tions, stipulated as follows: And we now
desire there may be an open road between
Philadelphia and the towns of the Six Ma
tions, which we will on our part, clear
from every grub, stump and log, that 1t may
be straight smoothe and free for us and
you" The principle has long since been ac-
cepted that the expense of roads used by
the public should be chargeable to the State.
Toll Roads Once Necessity
Necessity formed the basic cause for the
early development of toll roads. The people
VI local community had to endure di-
ect tax in order to obtain better facilities.
4 company was organized for the purpose
oI constructing needed road, the stock was
subscribed almost entirely by the local
palties interested, who were generally salts
flee with little or no interest on their invest
meE 1t was simply case of the people
taking into their own hands something
whicN the State was either unable or un-
Willing to handle.
The first toll road chartered by the State
of Pennsylvania was the Lancaster pike
The pHvilege was granted for this road in
1890, ard the road thrown open to the pub
lie in Rss. Numerous others followed in
rapid succession. all with most liberal char
ters. The increasing number of toll roads
made NECESSARY regulatory legislation. which
began In ls32. The number of corporations
operating loads increased annually until in
1910 there were 1Os None have been built
since. and It is not likely that any more
charters viii be granted in this State. The
tide has turled; the State has been awak-
ened at last to some sense OF its RESPONSE
bility.
Tbs March of Progress
Legislative enactment provided in 1905 for
the purchase and release from tolls OF a
large part Of lhe Cumberland road The
freedom OF the road was further extended In
1907. This marked the beginning OF recla-
nation Legislation. This reclamation aEi-
tation resulted IL the resolution OF April
z, 1903, approved by Governor Stuart, which
provided:
Whereas. It is manifest that public senti-
ment demands that In the march OF progress
all roads and highways within the Common
wealth Of Pennsylvania be made free to All
the people.
"Resoived. II the House concur. THAI :
committee OF ave members OF the General
Assembly = Investigate ana report
the adyisabilitg q aboiishinz toll
roads IA the several counties and recon-
mend ieglslatloa with tlfs end IA View
The recommendation ~ the cormiflo.