Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1915-02-18
Still Awaiting Answer.
No Decision Made As To Where
Good Roads Will Be Built.

Good Roads Will Be Built.
Thus far no news of official character
has been given out by the County Com
missioners regarding the road asked fol
by the citizens of Thurmont and Grace.
ham. From various sources comes state
ments that the road will be built anc
again that it will not be built.
According to the Frederick daily papers
petitions for good roads continue to pour
into the Commissioners Office, among the
last being one from the residents in the
vicinity of Buckeystown and Monrovis
asking that eight miles of road between
those places be built under the Shoe
maker Act.
"The more the merrier" rule certainly
does not apply in the matter of petitions
for these roads, the money available for
this work being limited, and when every
section of the county wants good roads
at the same time, 1t evidently places a
heavy burden on the Commissioners to
please everybody and offend none~-in
other words to decide where they will
build mile or so of road.
At this time of year the roads through
out the county are in very bad condition
owing to unusual amount of rain and
more particularly to the thawing and
freezing. Roads that are now almost be-
yond travelling are usually "fne as silk"
during the summer and fall months. but
the desire of the large majority of people
is that all roads at all times be in condi-
ton to travel on and over without en-
countering mud, dust, stones or uneven
ness of surface.
During the past week circular was
sent US giving sketch of what has been
done by the State in the matter of build
ing Good Roads, the article being pre-
pared by Governor Goldsborough. 1t is
as follows:
ut is believed that at the end of the
year 1914 Maryland will be the first State
in the Union to have completed contin-
uous, connected. main-arterial system of
modern State highways, radiating from
the industrial and geographical center of
the State at Baltimore, and connecting
the county seats of each of its twenty
three counties with each other and with
Baltimore. This will soon include the
longest practically continuous section of
modern road in the United States, being
nearly 400 miles from Oakland at the
western border of the State to Ocean
City on the Atlantic Ocean, at its south
eastern extremity.
"This great enterprise was inaugural
by the late Gov. CrOthers in 1908, with
an initial appropriation of 5000, 900. In
1905 system of 1856 miles was adopted
after numerous public meetings through
out the State. The first contract was
awarded on June of that year for one
mile of road. In 1910 an additional one
million was provided. In January 1912,
the writer succeeded Gov. Crothers, and
on April following, 50, ITO, 600 more was
appropriated To this the Legislature
of 1914 added $4,000, 900. This makes
the total appropriation to date SIS, 7O0,-
600.
"In 1910, 46 miles of road were con-
structed; in 1911, 81; in 1912, 1854; in 1918
2O3; and in 1914 and 1915 the system will
be substantially completed.
"The average cost per mile of these
roads, including preliminary surveys and
plans, grading, surfacing, bridges and
culverts, underdrains, inspection and su-
perintendence, rights of ways and over
head and miscellaneous expenses of every
character, was $40, 4Sl in 1910; $l2, 296 in
1912; SIC, 1873 in 1912; and SO, 286 in 1913;
with general average of 1886 for the
aggregate of 456 miles finished on the
main system proper.
1.-THE average cost of total mainte-
nance per mile, including oiling, patrol
service, and all other expenses connected
Herewith, was $34O in 1912, and $434 in
1918.
"These roads are constructed and main
tanned exclusively by the State. The
funds are provided by the sale of 15-year
State road bonds. Maintenance is pro-
vided for by the receipts from the Com
missioner of Motor Vehicles, with d.
rect State tax of one cent per 500 to
the deficiency.
"As far as consistent with a system of
modern highways, the types of our roads
have been adopted to the resources of the
State and to the physical characteristics,
the traffic requirements, and the wishes
of the people in the several parts of the
country. Nearly 200 miles of concrete
roads have been built in almost every
county in the State and under widely
varying conditions.
'In addition to the State roads proper,
our State Roads Commission is at the
same time constructing State Aid Sys-
TEN, in which the State pays SO per cent.
of the cost, the County 40 per cent. and
the adjoining owners 10 per cent, the
roads being maintained by the county
after completion. For this the State
app -opriates $500, 900 per year, and un-
der it nearly 200 miles of modern road
have been built, this forming a valuable
adjunct to our State roads system prop
err"
RemOdeling Town Hall.
For some time past conditions at Town
Hall have been improving under the