The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-06-16
GOOD ROADS GOSSIP

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IN tie early days good roads were
not altogether necessary because fam
ny wants were supplied by family
work. says William A. Hite in the
American Agriculturist. Things are
dinerent today. The farmer depends
on roads, and upon good roads, to get
his products to market, and cities de;
pend!uponI good sroads to got their prod
nets % the country: The road. there
fore. While OF most interest to the
Dwnerof adj Joining premises, is of just
as vital interest to his neighbors.
Where. roads are bad the farmer mar
kets his products before the roads
brealupby freezing and thawing. You
see, &c IS impossible to get crops tc
the railroads through mud. Rushing
to matket at the end OF the harvest
dSstroys natural balance by allowing
lsalers TO depress prices in the fall
because OF exeesslye offerings. and OF
boosting prices In winter because the
supply can be controlled. This is a
vital factor, showing that good roads
pay both country producers and city
consumers. Farmers have demanded
eood roads 50 as to get their children
to school, TO. church, and for themselves
ala their families to enjoy what mod
esncfyilizat ion has dealt out to them.
BAD sroads{mea isolation, and isola-
ton and bad roads combined drive
boys and girls from the farm. Ohio
solsed these problems through legIsla-
tion providing for state aid and en-
conragement in road building. 1t did
this BY ascertaining first, that approx
mately 5000 miles of road were in
tie state. It found also that 1900
miles. orsapproximately one-tenth, COLI
nected up towns !. and cities every
where. With this network of high
whys every section Of the state was
connected with every. other section.
Thus every5c city and village Of any size
Ia the state Is reached and every
township iscrossed The cost of build
ing these roads was divided equally
betweens the state and the county in
which the Eoad was built OF the
countytss half 10 per cent is paid by the
adjoining property owners and 10 per
cent by the township In which the road
Is Ait6ated. "A levy Of one-half mill
on ailM the taxable property Of the
state produces approximately $780,
o00 IL year. This plan avoids the OBJ
3eetlonss by many. against state
bond issue! e; is tho policy of the
stats to pay us { goes. Afbond issue
Is extrayagant. This plan stands for
economy The appropriation is sum
cisnt to convert at least 700 miles Of
summer ruts and winter holes into
splendid an year round thoroughfares.
There IS also In Ohio a system Of
inferrountys roads. Three.fourths OF
the money raised Is divided equally
among the eighty:eight counties, giving
10 each county about $50, 600 OF state
did each year. In addition to this,
me county raises $50. 900 for the same
kind of&road. The state also provides
Tor main market roads, twelve In num-
ben that run across the state from
est lowest and from north to south
md one diagonally from northeast to
southwest These roads connect all
the principal cities Of the state. About
2.00D miles OF main market roads are
inciuded in the Ohio system. Convicts
may he emplo on roads, thus bring
Ar into use a state charge that con:
tributes 10 state mproyement and thus
avoids eompeti hon with free labor In
other pursuits.
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