Roads and Turnpikes

On examining the early records of the several towns, we find that the attention of the inhabitants was instantly directed to laying out, improving and working the roads, by appointing Commissioners and Overseers of Highways; that after electing the officers, the first thing done at the town meetings was to attend to the roads. This was a wise proceeding, for nothing contributes more essentially to settle a new country than the construction and repair of suitable and convenient highways, which give facility to intercourse for pleasure or business. Our forefathers came from a land of roads, and were deeply impressed with their necessity and importance in a new country and sparse population. These were rapidly increased in number, and gradually improved from year to year, as population and business increased, and new settlements were made. The old roads were necessarily very crooked, as they were constructed upon two principles, the make of the land and the accommodation and convenience of early settlers. The roads are now being made and worked wider than formerly, and there is a disposition in the towns to shorten distance whenever it can be done with profit to the travelling public, by taking the turns and twists owl of the old ones. The improvements of farms and location of new buildings require such alterations. We are not much of a traveller, but as far as our observation extends on this subject, we think Orange stands before the travelling and business community in as fair and amiable a point of view, in this respect, as the majority of her sister counties.— It is not to be denied, however, that she would he without excuse if she did not come up full and freely to the standard of good roads, the fine materials she contains for their permanent construction, which every where abound throughout the County. It is questionable if any of the towns have as yet adopted the most judicious and economical method of working the highways. The old and present plan, and that recognized by law, is an assessment on each inhabitant to work so many days, which he usually does by himself, team and workmen. It is not to be disguised, that men generally do not work as beneficially and extensively for the public as for themselves where they have a personal interest; and the consequences is, a large assessment of time is too frequently squandered to little profit; and while the time for working may be injudicious, in many cases, through the year, it is a notorious fact, based upon long experience, that men in large masses do not accomplish as much labor in the same time as when working together in smaller numbers. One hundred reasons can be assigned for this, and half that number will instantly suggest themselves to the mind of a sensible and observing man, who has ever been a road matter or worked himself on the public highway. But perhaps we must endure the present mode till our wealth and population shall be double, when it will be abandoned, with profit to individuals and the community, for the English plan, of one overseer on a certain extent of road, who hires the laborers, pays them out of a common fund made by taxation, superintends the work himself at a compensation, and spends the year working and mending the roads with as many hands from time to time as the state of his district demands. While we are too poor to pay in cash what we can in work, the alteration is not to be expected, perhaps is not desirable; yet we think the time will come when the farming interests of the County will find it to their advantage to change the mode. As we assume to have an eye as well on public as private interests, we trust our remarks will not be deemed intrusive or offensive. We have worked the roads many a day and speak from experience.

1606th

Table of Contents Roads and Turnpikes Page 2 Page 3 Orange County AHGP/ALHN New York AHGP/ALHN AHGP ALHN	History of Orange County
	Roads and Turnpikes On examining the early records of the several towns, we find that the attention of the inhabitants was instantly directed to laying out, improving and working the roads, by appointing Commissioners and Overseers of Highways; that after electing the officers, the first thing done at the town meetings was to attend to the roads. This was a wise proceeding, for nothing contributes more essentially to settle a new country than the construction and repair of suitable and convenient highways, which give facility to intercourse for pleasure or business. Our forefathers came from a land of roads, and were deeply impressed with their necessity and importance in a new country and sparse population. These were rapidly increased in number, and gradually improved from year to year, as population and business increased, and new settlements were made. The old roads were necessarily very crooked, as they were constructed upon two principles, the make of the land and the accommodation and convenience of early settlers. The roads are now being made and worked wider than formerly, and there is a disposition in the towns to shorten distance whenever it can be done with profit to the travelling public, by taking the turns and twists owl of the old ones. The improvements of farms and location of new buildings require such alterations. We are not much of a traveller, but as far as our observation extends on this subject, we think Orange stands before the travelling and business community in as fair and amiable a point of view, in this respect, as the majority of her sister counties.— It is not to be denied, however, that she would he without excuse if she did not come up full and freely to the standard of good roads, the fine materials she contains for their permanent construction, which every where abound throughout the County. It is questionable if any of the towns have as yet adopted the most judicious and economical method of working the highways. The old and present plan, and that recognized by law, is an assessment on each inhabitant to work so many days, which he usually does by himself, team and workmen. It is not to be disguised, that men generally do not work as beneficially and extensively for the public as for themselves where they have a personal interest; and the consequences is, a large assessment of time is too frequently squandered to little profit; and while the time for working may be injudicious, in many cases, through the year, it is a notorious fact, based upon long experience, that men in large masses do not accomplish as much labor in the same time as when working together in smaller numbers. One hundred reasons can be assigned for this, and half that number will instantly suggest themselves to the mind of a sensible and observing man, who has ever been a road matter or worked himself on the public highway. But perhaps we must endure the present mode till our wealth and population shall be double, when it will be abandoned, with profit to individuals and the community, for the English plan, of one overseer on a certain extent of road, who hires the laborers, pays them out of a common fund made by taxation, superintends the work himself at a compensation, and spends the year working and mending the roads with as many hands from time to time as the state of his district demands. While we are too poor to pay in cash what we can in work, the alteration is not to be expected, perhaps is not desirable; yet we think the time will come when the farming interests of the County will find it to their advantage to change the mode. As we assume to have an eye as well on public as private interests, we trust our remarks will not be deemed intrusive or offensive. We have worked the roads many a day and speak from experience. 1606th