The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-06-11
WHAT'S WHAT
THAT IS WHA

u was not COIlhueTcu OF huIuCteut lUl-
pOrtancc for the state to pay tho an-
pcnsRS Of competent men to examine
the roads constantly md for years tho
work OF maintenance was suffered to
drift, To-day" however. "th8 main
tCnancO ls under tho sRmo corps of
men as IL the construction. and sth0
BanO men in tho field arc held re-
SpOnRihlC for tho maintenance Of their
roads aS for tho building Of Q One
Fairly dOlnitO ideas have beOn formed
as to tho treatment Of different types
OF roads. and efforts are made by tho
highway department 10 secure Tho
money necessary TO carry out these
ideas. Tho heavier class OF maln-
tCnancC a probably he done by con-
trnct. hut tho lighter class can better
no done by departmental forces. Much
Of Il Ia aud always has boon so done,
particularly tho cleaning OF tho shoul-
dcrs and bitches and tho minor patch
ing, which In taken care OF by the
patrolmcn. In tho last fnw years the
patrol situation hRs greatly improved.
az the pntrolmOn have boon put under
tho division Offices and have been
giVCn to understand that their post
tlOn depends upon the quality Of their
tiS in materials. politics In the patrol-
There Il In. Rgain-pOlitics. politics,
pOlitiCB. Politics In building, poll
ties In mHtrinlB. politics in tho patrol
men. politics In tho ditcheB and pole
tlCS on the hilltopB. and tho poor. fools
IEh, ~lmprovldent taxpayer consents
lRnEulldly to tho imposition and tho
roads run down and tho cost orpeps
ever steadily up. Yet the people
boast that they arc aelf-govorningl
What difference does II make or could
II mako to any ordinary human being
whether tho roads arc built by Rn-
pIbllcans or Democrats 90 long as
thOy arc woIl built for the traffic and
we'll maintained for the comfort, con-
vonicncc and service OF the people who
Use thOm7
Tho Engineering News says TINT
there has been something In the COM
plants that tho unsatisfactory chAr-
actor Of tho roads in New York state
has boon duo to the prevalence Of graft
In tho state government. to defective
organization. to corruption in politics,
to tho Incompetence Of the men who
planned and built tho roads and 70
mistakes in the typo of road To- DO
built; hut that the Main Cause OF the
condition OF tho roads 10 tho rcvo-
~lutiOn0ry change that has been made
In the character OF tho traffic the
roads must bear. In Massachusetts,
hundreds of Thousands OF dollars VIII
DO required TO repair the damages 70
the. highways within a few weeks by
the heavy traffic OF motor trucks and
omnlbuEoB which wore run ovor these
roads lust as tho frost was coming
out Of the ground. II Is moro than
over necessary on account OF the adj
vent Of the automobile that the roads
he kept continuously in good condition.
Maintenance Is second only in im-
pOrtance to construction. For ok
ample, there IN q road three miles long
between Troy and Schenectady which
is subjected to very heavy traffic.
II was built in 1907 at 4 cost OF
S11,Ts2 the mile. In the six years
from 1903 to 1914. $1O,376 the mile
was spent on II for maintenance and
repairs. Of which $3.50 the mile was
expended in 1912 and over $1,000
the mile In each Of the following
years. These figures show that
prompt and thorough mathematics
(are) absolutely essential not mere
~ to keep a road in good condition.
but 10 save II from being entirely de-
stroyed." Mr.. Ripley makes Il very
clear that "a considerable part OF the
high cost Of maintenance and repair
has been due to the lack Of system
in maintenance: and what is true Of
New York "a true. also OF every other
state in The union. How long would
a railroad be able to serve the pub
lie II the section hands and engineers
werO not ION tho jab" every day.
After the recent strike in Washing
ton which lasted, fortunately, only q
few days. the tracks yer covered
with rust and the deterioration OF the
material plant had begun. The fore
es Of nature do not wait on sluggish
parchment TO work their will on the
public roads. The Incompetence OF
engineers does not "a mistakes
in maintenance.