Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1916-08-10
The Good Roads Subject.

| Inefe goOo zeal OF DISCUSSION IN
Shepherdstown district on the subject oil
good roads, and we are in hearty SYM
pathy with the meeting to be held here
on Saturday to talk over road affairs.
We hope that some solution may be found
for the present difficulties. That our
roads are getting worse instead of better
is conceded, and the unpleasant fact stares
US in the face that all present available
funds in this district have been spent with
only two roads partially gone over-the
one leading TO Shenandoah Junction and
the Jefferson county section of the Mar
tinsburg road. For lack OF attention, the
other roads are going from bad 10 worse.
That the present system or method OF
working the roads is unsatisfactory is ap-
parent. We do not pretend TO be expert
in road-making, but we submit few
suggestions as the result of our obser-
vations.
We assert that most OF the damage done
to our roads has been by water, and that
practically all OF this damage could have
been averted by reasonable attention to
ditching. An old adage says that water,
not wear. destroys roads. Anyone can
see for himself why the roads have dete-
riorated. All that is necessary is TO 60 to
any hill and observe how stoppedup
drains and obstructed bitches have turned
the water from either or both sides into
the middle OF the roadbed, with the in
evitable result that the road becomes torn
up and the material is washed away.
The failure TO spend a dollar or two in
keeping the bitches and drains open re-
suits in damage TO the road amounting to
forty or fifty dollars-an absolute waste
of money, because the trouble could have
been so easily avered. Great mud-holes
have developed in the low places simply
because the digging OF a little. ditch by
which the water could have been drained
off was neglected. These are facts that
any ooservant person may see for himself.
Someone has suggested that a man
should be employed to 60 over our roads
regularly with pick and shovel, after the
manner Of a track-waker on the railroad,
and that he be required first of all to keep
the drains and bitches open and thus pre-
vent the water from rushing down the
hills or accommodating in the low places.
The suggestion has been made that Our
roads are breaking down because OF the
increased travel over them, especially the
great amount of automobile traffic. We
do not think this is the cause, for the
reason that the roads on which there is
little or no automobile traffic are as bad
as those where il is greatest.
1t is proposed that in order to get i'm
proved roads the district vote a bond
issue or else make special levy about
double the present road levy. Before
either Of these plans are adopted LET us
find out il we cannot secure good roads
by better management and cooperation
OF farmers and those who use The high
ways and who are sufficiently interested
to give them the needed attention.
A notice is published elsewhere in this
paper, over the signature OF c. ID. Wy
song. county commissioner for this dis
trict. calling for public meeting in Shep-
herdstown on Saturday to discuss the
good roads question. Mr.. Wysong says
that an application has been made TO the
United States Bureau OF Good Roads to
send an expert TO this meeting, and 1t is
| hoped that man from Washington may
be present. This is move in the right
direction, and il is hoped that every per-
son interested in the subject Of good roads
and all the taxpayers will attend. Let's
talk the matter over and find out the best
method of building and maintaining good
roads.