Milford chronicle., 1915-07-23
MARYLAND'S GOOD ROADS.


We are sure that all citizens who hav,
an interest in the subject of good public
highways will find considerable amount
of surprising but most agreeable infor-
nation in the letter which we print on
another page of this issue from J. Marion
Emerson of AnsOnia, Conn, on the sub
| ject of the good roads recently constructed
in our neighbor State of Maryland. At
the request of the editor of Every Even
/ ing, Mr.. Emerson kindly consented to
write this letter, as the result of his OBJ
! servatiOns after an automobile tour, which
starting at Wilmington, included all the
county towns on the Eastern Shore of
Maryland and then to Baltimore, after
which he toured the western part of the
State as far as Hagerstown. He thus bad
an opportunity of making observations
that were both extended and comprehen-
sive.
The elements of road building are about
the same in Maryland as in Delaware, the
topography of the two States being largely
identical-each with sections of hillv and
rolling country and of level and sandy
land. Maryland also has mountain sec
ton, which Delaware has rot. But the
similar conditions are such that the re-
suits so happily attained in MARYLAND are
surely open to Delaware, provided the
same effective methods are adopted.
And herein lies the lesson to Delaware.
which Mr.. Emerson has SO potentlv
pointed out in his most informing contri-
button. Maryland S new roads we're con
structed under two plans. The main plan
was of State construction, the State ex-
pending about SIS 900, 900 and the work
being done under State auspices. The
other plan was cooperation, the State |
paying 80 per cent of the cost, the county |
40 per cent, and the abutting property |
owners 10 per cent, the roads passing |
under the supervision of the county after |
The results of State construction, it |
is shown, were splendidly satisfactory.
Good roads, properly built, the work in
charge of competent agencies which gave
heed to no other considerations than that
Of the best results for every dollar of ex-
penditure Also, system of maintenance
hat is conducted at a cost of not more
han $3.50 per mile annually, a sum that
S only about one-half of the annual cost
If maintenance of some of the best roads
II New England
The results where the cooperative plan
vas followed and the good roads passed
o the control of the counties are not so
pleasing. Maintenance is not attended
O Systematically and efficiently, as is the
ase with the State roads.
The reason for this difference is plain
n the State operations partisan politics
Ound no place whatever. Business prin-
iples only were applied. The object was
D build good roads at the least possible
ost, and to keep them in condition, and
o other considerations were allowed to
1terfere. The county supervision of the
roads is under the auspices y,
partisan boards of County Commission l
rs, and the baleful hand of politics was I
i'd upon the work. The result was a I
)regOne conclusion.
Here we have a double object-lesson
II the benefit of the people of Delaware =
he efficiency of business methods in the /
instruction of public highways and their =,
and the folly of partisan =
Olitical methods. From the latter Della =
are has long suffered and is still suffer n
e. New Castle County has sacrificed A y,
rye sum of money by building good y
ads, at a considerable expense. and II
EN- permitting them to sadly deteriorate
reason of a culpable lack of intelligent II
ID systematic attention.
Mr.. Emerson is a competent critic. and
writes with friendly sympathy for pl
tn Maryland and Delaware. He is A lie
tive of the Eastern Shore, a Peninsula tn
itor OF the old regime, who, after sue CT
sstully conducting a rural weekly for w
Veral years and spending several more CT
ars IN newspaper work in Wilmington. ed
mt to Ansonia, and there, starting fiji
tn an almost moribund weekly publi- be
1on, built it up to a daily paper that II
lks with the very best in all New tic
gland An enthusiastic lover Of auto mr.
'bile travel, he has made good roads be
1Ject OF special study for many years. pr
has worked practically as member
/ official of both the State Good Roads no
and the State Automobile gi,
Soclat1on. His travels have been ex- on
sive, his observations generous and ag
elligent, and what he writes NAV be til,
epted as authoritative. Certainly il is AM
azingly interesting. mn
,et Delaware take lesson of MARYLAND raj
us resolve hereafter to pattern after an,
policy OF those who constructed the TIL
lie highways for that State and de- eat
from the policy that was pursued by SIN
e OF the counties of Maryland, in re- mar
'n to road maintenance, and has long eitl
] followed here, to our loss and dis her
it. There is no reason why Della ba1
2 should not get as fine results from exc
icy expended in good roads construc- 7
as the State of Maryland has. All hes
iced is a righteous resolve and the coll
kind of men in charge. And these an
s'y ,;.Ist JsSu.e u our people go about It to
July 18th. ~