Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1921-03-11
more ATTENTION
SHOULD Be GIVEN
PUBLIC HIGHWAYS
COUNTY SI,OUID EMPLOY ROAD
SUPERINTENDENT To OVER
SEE THE WORK.

public highways is claiming attention
In practically every county IN Tcxai
ard in adjoining states. there Is lit,l,
wonder that the minds " men are IN
uuir'ng ~ TO what character u road.
offer the bes, results. all things con
sidered." said 4. n. Webster. to q rep
TNseniative OF Tho News. Thur-da,
forenoon. 1T seems to me-" continued
Mr.. WehSter. that the people living IN
this sparscly settled country. az,
scarcely in position TO make cxpcnd.
turcs Of great sums II money on com.
porat!veH short stretches % roadway
Al the hest. only a few miles may d,
paved with the funds available and
such mileage could serve hut "a limited
number OF people.
AT the end - such paving or hard
surfaced roads tn vehicle drops on
Into mud. or at hcs,. onto earth roads
40 that In the ahscnc. - ability o.
couple M with the roads Of other cccn
ties that are paved. Il seems 10 me that
the desiahiliiy IN connection with lin
RED lengths ~ hardsurfacgd roads. b.
greatly diminished.
In this portion Of the state whcr,
the population l. limited. and wher,
the weather conditions are such that
the earth roads are almost as good ~
paved highways durine the greater part
% the year. that the better. the NOR
economical and sensible plan Is 70 have
the earth roads properly drained. grad
Cd snd upkept"
When asked n Il h not fact that
the major mileages Of dirt road In an
% this section Of the southwest Do not
very soon after they ara rounded into
shape. show almost entire neglect and
CONSEQUENT deterioration. Mr. Webster
replied; Yes. bu, would overcome
this difficulty by providing a county
superintendent 81 roads This officer
provided by the county commissioner
court, would b. empowered to employ
such assistants as were found ncces.
sary TO keep the ruads In practically
perfect condition after once they shall
have been properly treated
No one understands better than I
the wasiefulness q the present lack OF
system IN the upkecp % dir, roads
This arises from the fact tina, 'wha,
y eveTyboeys business Is nobodys bus
fness.' and just about the time road
needs dragging there are hali.dozcn
other things 20 do about the place. and
the highway l. lcft until a more con.
venient season. Now everybody knows
that the time TO DRAG dir, road Is
Just a. soon after a rain or snow as the
ground Ia In shape to work. and this Is
good Deal easier after a rain than
many think. II the roads after being
cut deeply by autos. trucks OF other
vehicles are allowed 10 st up and
get dry, prior TO dragging. no after
attention will put them In the best
possible condition.
With che appointment II county
superintendent or supervisor of roads
In n county. and the establishment % a
schedule a duties for such man. the up.
keep az the rods becomes not one Of
his tasks. but his sole task. Under his
direction men having subordinate com.
missions to his own are directed to be-. I.
Gin work at a certain point and drag
or otherwise treat the roads according
20 his instructions This removes the
haphaxard as well as the option from
the work and gives promise OF wise and
certain accomplishment for the public .
good
In this connection would call NJ. |
tentiOn TO the fact that a so-calied per. /
manent road. for there IL actually ne
such thing except fy comparison. IL
not immune from the necessity Tor up /
keep. The fact h that In ,hc absence
OF the attention that such ro1hs should
have. they rapidly 20 to waste through
I'll uses and neglect % minor repairs F.
In the past II has been no uncammon I
thing for stretches Of hard.surfaced
roadways to soon become great losses
20 the counties by reason ~ neglect
OF ignorance In connection with the
matter q upkeep. With a dirt road al. |
most any man could put IN a few scran. |
ers Of earth and make repairs. but
more expert and careful treatment is
demanded for the hard-surfaccd high. I.
ways.
These are some Of the matters 70 I
which the people Of all our counties
should give attention. They are worthy /
Of thought. for the road building bug
~ abroad In the land. and Ia active
The most for the least mony Is a good
motto. and think II means dirt roads.