HOW IT WILL WOEK. 307 



materials to be used for patching, after being carefully prepared, 

 should be hauled to points convenient for the use of the repair- 

 ers, and deposited in depots prepared in such a way as to pre- 

 vent earth or other deleterious substances from becoming mixed 

 with it. These depots might be formed by enclosing suitable 

 spaces by a wall of rough stone. 



The men stationed singly, — the French cantonier, — under the 

 system of assigning to every repairer a certain length of line, 

 will each need to be supplied with a wheelbarrow, a pick, a 

 shovel and a scraper. 



These suggestions of details are only made to indicate how 

 the proposed system may be made to work practically ; but the 

 experience that would be acquired under the system would in a 

 little time lead to the simplest and most effective plan of oper- 

 ation. 



How THE System will Opeeate. 



This system of management of the common roads which it is 

 proposed to substitute for the one now in operation, is doubtless 

 the best that can be devised to effect a permanent improvement 

 of the highest character upon the roads, with the most econom- 

 ical expenditure of labor and money. 



It provides for the responsibility of every individual having 

 supervisory charge of the roads, by holding each in order ac- 

 countable to one next higher in rank, and with a provision for a 

 method of making payments at stated periods, upon pay-rolls 

 and written contracts, by officers assigned to such duty, which 

 should be included. Peculation and embezzlement would be 

 guarded against, and a draining leak of some magnitude in the 

 public purse would be stopped. 



Under such a system, every officer of the department would, 

 from a care for his own official and professional reputation, re- 

 quire that his subordinates should all be men of capacity and 

 intelligence, who, from fear of dismission, if otherwise disposed, 

 would not dare to be remiss in duties. If, however, there 

 should be any hesitation about making all at once a change so 

 sweeping, and the adoption of a new system should be delayed 

 from any cause, it seems very desirable that a department or a 

 commission should be established to act as an advisory board, 

 helping the towns, if possible, out of some of their perplexities 

 in regard to the care of their roads ; to collect statistics and ar- 



