Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1921-05-19
More About Our Roads.

Editor Register-Presioent Harding
in mis- message 10 the Congress men,
lions thai millions OF dollars nave been
waste IN road building because these
extensive roads have mad no intelli-
oent system of repairing. The Nation
al Road Committee at Washington some
time since issued 4 statement thar an
ordinary road kept in repair was more
seryiceable than a read built at heaVN
EXPENSE and then neglected. Because
in MAN. instances expensive roads naVd
had no adequate patrol BY State and
county authorities. the national govern
nent is hesitating about voting more
money for State roads.
II our county authorities would only
take this lesson 10 heart. we would nave
much smoother roads in Jefferson coun.
~. Nearly every road, bv-road as well
as so-called Glass A roads, in our county
have good, solid foundations. but on
account OF small holes being neglected
il is bumpety- bump bump il YOU try 10
pass over them, and the Glass A roads
are much worse than the by-roads.
The newly-built road from Halltowr
to Charles Town is fine and It is de-
light to drive over it. Probably the
cost of building it has not been excess
sive. have tried to find out the COST
but have not been successful. 1t seem1
to me the people of the county havH
a right to know how much such things
cost
| don't suppose anv one in the coun-
ty really objects to roads like the Sec
ton being built, if we have the money
after the other roads have been kept
in repair But have vet to run across
the first taxpayer who is in favor OF ne
glecting other roads while such roads
are being built. If this fine piede OF
road is not looked after any better than
some of our Glass A roads have been.
it will soon be full of holes. To be
specific. the road from Shepherds
town toward Charles Town as far as
Rattlesnake run has been full of holes
for several years. This piece of road,
about two miles, has absolutely not one
place to let drainage cross the road.
The result is. in time Of rain, water has
to cross the road as best it can, stand
alongside the road-bed, or stand or flow
in the middle of the road. causing
holes. Considerable money has been
spent in putting coats of crushed rock
on it, but because this was not follow
ed up by having the holes filled up as
they appear, it has not been smooth in
years.
About filling holes up: have tried
little experiment. The county last
winter put i lot of stone on the short
piece OF ROAD between the corporation
line ana the freight station lot. There
had been quite hole at the corner OF
John Hoffman's residence. and when
the stone go. packed of course the hole
showed up again. | went to over there
uith ehAv.t nofharal nf hoI
stone from the side Of the road and
about l 5 minutes time was put in
Result, level piece of road. A few
more minutes work would have round
ed it up nicely. If we did not have the
rock there might be some excuse for
not keeping these holes filled. (OfI
course, we should keep in mind all the
time that il the water were drained off
It would not require near so much fill
ing up.l
Crushed rock is sold at Kearnevs-
vile for SOC Der ton. 1t can be gotten
at Engle'S. Good material is a by-pro
duct AZ Nillvlle and can be gotten
free. The new piece of road at Mill.
vile is fire and was not expensive.
either. ! suppose the Milville stuff
was sample of what can be done
IN TINS In | point to the road from
McDonald's on the Kearnevsville pike
to the Berkeley county line. Last fall
this was ius' FULL of holes. Now it is
Simply fine The question is being re.
peated. WIN can't all our roads be kep-
that wav would not like to ask the
editor to print some of the answers "a
this question as given BY the public.
do not nr'erstand. though. whv the
taxpayers vino have to use these roads
DO not % On rasse to the County Court
and dema"8 hat these holes be filed
and Kent filed until our roads are
smooth "''
BENZ HARTZEIJ