254 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



ample at least to be followed by the towns in the case of their 

 roads. We need then a higher power than that of the towns. 



It has been previously shown how we need a power that can 

 be held responsible and is somewhat permanent, and to put it all 

 together, we need, to order and maintain our highways, a Massa- 

 chusetts Board of Public Works. For some years it would have 

 its hands full in improving the existing main roads and laying 

 out some new ones, but in course of time, as in the older coun- 

 tries of Europe, its principal business would be the maintenance 

 of the roads. It must be remembered that the Board of Public 

 Works is merely the intelligent servant and adviser of the leg- 

 islative and executive ; whatever sums the legislature appro- 

 priates for certain objects, that is taken by the board and made 

 to yield its most in the shape of work accomplished. Beyond 

 this and keeping its accounts, it has nothing to do with money 

 or taxation. 



The small state of Baden, a part of Germany, has been here- 

 tofore mentioned as a model in road construction and the care 

 of the same. From a brief history of the roads of that country 

 and their present management, we may take some useful notes. 

 The account is that of the Chief Engineer of the department of 

 " Roads and Hydraulic Engineering," which has this matter in 

 charge and is therefore reliable. 



" In Baden the condition of the roads has been a subject of 

 great care. Within the last forty-five years many millions have 

 been spent upon them and experience has shown this expendi- 

 ture to be one of those most advantageously spent. As most of 

 the roads are well laid out and as there are plenty of them, 

 there remains now (1863) mainly the keeping in repair of the 

 roads to be attended to and not to build any new ones. Our 

 endeavor now is, to do this at the minimum of cost. Statistics 

 gathered on this subject, show good results and point out to us 

 the means of arriving at still better ones. The present road 

 law was made in 1810. That part of the old law which relates 

 to the maintenance of roads is still in force, but that part requir- 

 ing labor as a road-tax was abolished in 1831, and likewise most 

 of the road police regulations. The appropriation for roads had 

 to be increased 250,000 florins to pay for the abolished road-tax 

 labor and to make up 170,000 florins previously received from 

 tolls, which were also abolished in 1831. The system now is as 



