554 THE AMERICAN FARMER. 



material and evening the surface, is essential in the proper construction and repairing of 

 good roads. 



Objections to the Common System Relative to the Construction and 

 Care Of Roads. One of the striking evils of the present system, sanctioned by the 

 statutes of many States for the building and care of roads, is the want of uniformity. One 

 town takes a pride in its roads, spends money freely, adopts a progressive plan of operations, 

 and really secures very passable highways; and if all the adjoining towns would do the same 

 the traveler on a long line of main road could get along very well. But the next town, per 

 haps, shirks its duty to the public, works out its highway tax by labor (a plan most skillfully 

 devised to accomplish nothing), does as little as possible to enable it to just graze within the 

 letter of the law, and the great public has to suffer accordingly. 



Now, we will see what will be the result. There may be a long stretch of road over 

 which a team could easily carry a ton, or perhaps two tons. But in some part of the line 

 over which the traveler has to pass, there is a long, steep, and rocky hill, up which the team 

 can draw only a half or a quarter part as much as it can easily draw on a level, hard, and 

 unyielding surface. The consequence is that on account of this one steep incline, or it may 

 be more, the load can be only one-quarter or one-half as much as could have been easily 

 drawn, but for such an obstacle. The teamster, therefore, loses a large part of the advantage 

 of the good portion of the road, because he must reduce his load to what can be carried up 

 the one or two miserable hills which he must climb before reaching the end of his journey. 



We have, therefore, the general proposition, that steep ascents, being always injurious, 

 become especially so when they occur on a long road which is comparatively level. In such 

 a case, it becomes vastly more important to avoid or lessen the slope, or else to perfect its 

 surface. But it lies in a town which does not care enough about its roads to improve them 

 by reducing the hill, and the whole community has to suffer. If it costs the teamster more 

 to transport produce, both producers and consumers of that produce are obliged eventually 

 to pay that cost. 



And why should the condition of our great highways, which constitute so very important 

 an element of the wealth, the comfort, and the safety of the whole public, be allowed to 

 depend on the short-sighted views of economy, or perhaps the indolence or indifference of 

 every small town through which the roads may happen to pass ? 



Another great objection to the present system is that it allows towns to elect a multitude 

 of surveyors without reference to their competency, who cannot by any possibility manage 

 the money appropriated with that degree of economy, comprehensive foresight, and wisdom 

 of one thoroughly competent and skillful road engineer or superintendent. 



The town meeting comes, and the people are called to vote for surveyors of highways, 

 often without any previous consultation as to the competency of men to fill the position, 

 perhaps by nomination on the spur of the moment, and many are chosen who have no ade 

 quate conception of the manner of performing the responsible duty assigned to them. Each 

 has a certain district allotted to him, and not unfrequently, having an idea of fixing the road 

 near his own place, he takes measures to procure the appointment for the special purpose of 

 working on the road near home. The object is to do just enough to prevent the road from 

 breaking his neck an object altogether too selfish to admit of a proper regard to the public 

 good. What better illustration could there toe of the old adage that &quot; what is everybody s 

 business is nobody s ? &quot; Instead of doing a work which, of all others, has its times and 

 seasons fixed by natural laws, they do it &quot;when it comes handy,&quot; after the spring work is 

 over, or at any other leisure time that will most suit their own convenience. There are, there 

 can be, no continuous repairs. &quot; A stitch in time &quot; has no application here. The fact that a 

 dollar judiciously spent in repairs in April, or when the frost is coming out of the ground, is 

 worth more than two in June or July, and more than three, or even five, at a later date, is 

 of no significance where this plan is adopted. 



