Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-05-28
TUESDAY. MAY %. 1918,
Cuiltv. But VIII Soon Reform.

A reader of Every Evening formerly
Of this State but now n resident oi Dur
ham. Conn. takes occasion. IN writing 10
renew his subscription, to indulge IN some
deserved condemnation OF llCiaware pun
lie roads Although lover of the state,
he could not refrain from severely crtlcI2-
ing the bad condition into which the hugh
vays of Delaware have been permitted t0
fall in recent wears
To illustrate the real menace that at
tends this condition, our correspondent
enclosed an article from New ork City
paper in which the entire subject was
considered hv an experienced observer
What he mentioned rs mattor Of special
concern is that the Lincoln Highway
passes through Delaware, and that this
thorouehfare is used as far rs possible ~
transportation Of war supplies from Buffalo
10 Washington hv motor trucks The
spectacle Of lines IT these trucks passing
through Wilmington IS familiar to our
people Vet At tunes this means Of trans
portation has been interrupted hy serious
DELAYS on account II the bad condition n
the roads in upper Delaware
However. Delaware Is not the only
offender IN this respect While W. arc
denounced hv tho writer Of thls article az
having the worst highway system ~ the
country. other States are also hello up as
offenders That part of the Lincoln
Highway which goes through the state ot
New Jersey. save the writer. Is ~ many
sections IN a wretchcd condition and If
rapidly growing worse Pennsylvania h'
also ssvs has neglected ~ road system
between Beaver Falls and the New York
state line And New York state, he
alleges. has never thought II worth while
ID build good road from Bsfia'o to the
PENNSYLVANIA State line
Connecticut received special commenda
ton from this experienced Traveller and
observer Whlle some Of its roads arc
bad. It has many miles of good ones There
lis n perfect road from Hartford 10 New
Haven. and Connecticut Is to ho espe-
clallv commended il that il has carried
IT'S fno roads rlgh, ia the state hne instead
of stopping the work az tho most impor-
fant town within the State. as Is the un-
fortunate result in penns,lvania, OHIO
and New YORK.
Btu while Delaware. with other States.
has long been IN offender IN respect ot
good road~ We have resolved upon 'hor-
ough reform and tho reform measures
alrcadz arc under way Contracts have
been awarded both by tho Levy Court
and the state Highway Commission, that
will not only carr, the Lincoln Highway
through Delaware ia perfect shape, but
will make other Improvements OF impor-
tant lines of our highway travel II Is
going TO cost great deal Of money, but We
have entered upon this campaign of high
wav reform and viii not stop until the
entire project Is completed \ public
highway running from one end OF the State
to the other Is among the most important
elements Of the scheme of Improvement
1t is. Of course, unfortunate that opera
tions in Delaware have been So long dc
laved The Importance OF the motor truck
service IN convoving war supplies over the
highways Of the country impcratIvely
demands that the roads be kept IN good
travelling condition Here IN Delaware
there have been serious interruptions to
this service 10y reason Of bad roads But
it is hoped this condition viii he vastly
improved before the summer Is over
and that afterwards our authorizes viii
see to il that the good roads We are about
TO have constructed, al heavy expense,
will be kept in good travelling condition
at all times, and not allowed TO deteriorate
and become annoying nuisanceS through
lack of attention