The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1937-10-07
EndeavOrs To Ascertain Reason
For Dissatisfaction With The
Present Arrangements
SOME CHANGES DESIRED
By GEORGE II. HANsT

From many directions during Cne
past several months has come the
complaint, eve aren't getting our
roads worked" From other directions
there has come the demand, "Give
our roads back to the county" In
support of these outbreaks through
out the county there have appeared
before the County Commissioners
quite a few delegations. wanting
something done about roads. Some of
the demands were reasonable-some
were not.
Through the whole procedure the
County Commissioners were unable
to do much. The upkeep of dirt roads
in the county was given over to the
State Roads Commission, by legisla-
tive act, several years ago. The
County Commissioners could recon-
mend. They could promise to do their
best. But that was all.
But the mutterings have continued
In an effort to get at the bottom of
the roads question I determined to dig
up a few facts, and if possible see
who, if anyone, was at fault. In at
tempting to do so I talked with those
who have complained, the County
Commissioners, and G. Bates Chaires
in charge of road work here under
the State Roads Commission.
Part of the trouble, according to
the County Commissioners, is the re-
suit of only about half the number of
miles of county roads being turned
over to the State Roads Commission
when the State took over the upkeer
of roads.
C. Milton Sincell, surveyor, will
tell you that there are 1850 miles OF
roads in the county. Of this amount
1875 miles are state roads, the bal
ance of 1,455 miles are dirt roads.
However, when the State took over
the dirt roads, and when they were
accepting all that the counties recon-
mended to them, there were just 72z
miles of dirt roads given over to the
state. That leaves over 700 miles Of
dirt roads in the county that no one
seems to have charge of. They cant
be given to the State Roads Commits.
sion now except by legislative act.
So the number of miles of roac
that the State is responsible for are
722, according to Mr.. Chaires' figures
and those of the County Commits
sioners.
There are approximately 100 miles
of rocked road in the county which
could be surfaced (oiled and screened)
at cost of about $1,000 per mile
Mr.. Chaires estimates.
.. $4,000 Annually
Mr.. Chaires also pointed out thai
there is available for use in Garrett
county each year about $4,000. He
said that in 1929, when the county
still had the roads, that there was
allocated 100000, whereas now the
amount is just half. John w. Herman
county commissioner, however, sale
that the appropriation for county
roads usually amounted to about
! $4,000, except that during severa
years, 1929 included, extra money
was levied to rock certain roads.
Of the $4,000 available to the
county, about $4,000 was spent las
year for the county's share of WPA
road projects. Mr.. Chaires estimated
that Is or IA miles of WPA road:
had been completed in this county.
Give hundred miles of roads have
been worked in Garrett county this
year with machinery" Mr.. Chaire!
stated. "That means cleaning ou
bitches and culverts, and smoothing
and shaping the roads"
people don't mind paying taxe'
so much when they can get thei
roads worked" remarked John W
Herman, county commissioner. "The.
have never been satisfied with tn
condition of roads, however, sine,
the state took over the upkeep. Thu
cost of administering the upkeep il
greater through the State Road
system than through the Count!
Commissioners.
eff a road needs to be worked il
Bloomington, for instance, they nov
have to send workmen out from
Oakland, which is costly. Formerl!
the workers were right in that com
munity.
1 formerly many received none!
for working roads in their communi
ties, and this enabled them to hell
pay their taxes. They were satisfied
Now nobody gets any money an,
many of the roads are not worked
County roads are being neglected"