Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1929-12-26
METHODS OF LOCATING ROADS

sure 10 nave Il SOOu IluIe.
METHODS OF LOCATING ROADS
The unjust methods of locating
roads discussed by me in past Is
sue of this paper, were really not
directed at any one township, but to
the people of Morgan county. | did
not criticize the public officials
any more than / did the public. In
fact the officials will do little un'
less the public expects them to.
It seems, however, that Mr.. D. n.
Abel OF Pennsvile village must
have thought he lived in a guilty
community. At least he tries b.
choosing a few favorable facts, and
by doing some "supposing' TO lift
the trustees of Penn township-past
and present, to a level Of justice
unknown to most officials in other
townships and to the general pub
lie, including myself.
For fear unintormed persons be.
lieve he told everything to be told
have collected a few additional
facts and perhaps, as he did, will do
some supposing. First he supposed
lived in Union township, and |
don't. Second, he supposed | never
donated to a Penn township road
and did, and there are five miles OF
mud between it and where / live. |
also donated to a Marion township
road that takes me through two
villages and over % miles of road
to get 0 miles to the county seat,
where | must buy my farm supplies,
sell produce most advantageouSly
pay my taxes, meet county officials,
attend farm organization meetings,
confer with the county agent, and
receive many other services not to
be obtained closer. Third, he sug-
gests that Union township wants
Penn to build her roads. / under.
stand Union and Homer townships
are ready to build their part of the
grade road, whenever Penn builds
up to their part. Fourth, although
he admits the grade road is one OF
the most important unlmprOved
roads in the. county, he will also at
the same time have TO admit that o.
about 2,400 of township money
spent or planned to be spent soon,
on Penn township secondary roads
only $400 of that is spent on that
most important road The Penn
township trustees gave only $40O
toward that one mile, while the peo.
pie interested in it donated $40,
and the county supplied about ST.
100. The $40 donated came from
the people of the townships inter
ested in the grade road. including
Homer, Union, Penn, Malta and
Morgan The $40, instead of be-
ing 1870 by the abutting landown-
ers. was approximately 1870 by the
people mentioned above, not all
abutting landowners. 1t was also
stated that trustees wouldn't know
what they were thinking about il
they didn't accept donations. Doesn't
Mr.. Abel admit that money is being
used to pull secondary roads to-
wards the person donating? Does
he believe that practice is right?
Does he believe letting people do
nate for public roads is any fairer
them? Has he better system Of
obtaining finance for public expend'-
lures than by taxation? If so, let
us hear about it. Since taxation be-
gan in ancient times such system
may say the grade road is not of
most Importance in Penn township.
1t is difficult for people to see that
the outlying parts of township are
lust as deserving of good roads and
return for taxes paid as IS the cen
ter of township 1t is not so diff
cult to see what would happen to a
wheel that had it's hub cared for
first to the neglect of tire and rim
Tire and rim would either have TO
move to the hub to get care or else
go to another wheel having wiser
care. And then what would hap
pen to the hub? Since secondary
roads are taken over by the county
when built and largely built by
funds, it is wrong for town
ships to locate roads to the inter {
est of the township center when
many people do not want to go to
the center as much as elsewhere to
trade. Is there any reason why
citizen should pay taxes to build a
road to take himself to village
where he doesn't care to go often,
and leave unbuilt the one he does
travel even though it is mud?
lines are not kept to separ-
ate territory into small independent
We should think be-
yond township lines for most pur-
poses, forget these are any, and
the same with county lines. Does
Mr.. Abel believe the citizens about
are SO selfish and narrow
as to think they should make Penns-
Vile community prosperous to the
detriment of other parts of the
township, for which the officials OF
Penn township are chosen to rep
resent along with Pennsville neigh
borhood?
I think if it is investigated it will
be found that trustees are now
practically locating secondary roads.
II this is not so, why has that most
important road spoken of not been
built, while some less important
roads are being built? In several
other townships know of roads be- :
ing built that are undoubtedly not
10 important as others left.-Paul