The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1858-12-18
Ottawa and Har>eilles Nc adainizc,l I'D

Kr. Elit0r-ia this general time C -
roads and high streams, | ak of you . ,-DaI
space in the free 7r.t}sr to draw tAc @'..,-
ton Of cur farmers to the importance o. .,a-
king better roads than We now have "T can
possibly have owing to the nature ol aur
porous soil, until different Systei;: Is adov-
ted in regard to them.
Every candid man will adm; that the
amount Of labor now available for roads, by
the road tax, is entirely Inadequate for the
purpose of making and keeping III repair
our roads. The time was when the county
was thiaiy settled and our marketing quite
limited. that the road tax answered good
purpose by keeping in repair few bad
sloughs, as we had the vast prairies TO Sc
lect a road; but now the pralries are onced
and the travel confined to our tracks, and
the result is that in moderately wet season
about one half the time we are unable 10 go
to market or even 60 to a neighbors house
Now what is the remedy. My opinion is
that we must resort 10 the plan adopted by
the older States, and make McAdamized
roads, and 10 DO this we must have money,
and to get the money we must have till
gates. am aware that there is much OPP
position to tll-gateS, and in this day Of ad-
vancement, we are for making everything
! l
~ Of adopting the old Plaa OF tll-gates rath-
er than see our roads in the condition they
have been nearly the whole of last summer.
Our farmers have contributed largely for
railroads, and perhaps it was well tina, they
did SO, but am Of opinion that good roads
through the rural districts should be the
first consideration with them, for it matters
but little how many railroads we have if we
are unable TO get to them only & few months
in the year and then all in a rush, lower
ing the market thereby, anb getting much
less for our products than if we could take
our time in getting to market, and thus more
evenly distribute the supply to the consnm-
ers. The past month or two aptly illustrate
this state of affairs If we refer 20 the Ottawa
market. Ore half the time the article Of
hay has commanded double price, and as for
butter and eggs they would command al
most any price the farmer would ask, SO
with almost every other article of consunp-
ton. The consumer is the sufferer as well
as the producer, for rs soon as the roads are
passable gnnera rush will be made and
their products will go begin, at less than
haf price.
The town as we'll as the country is inter
ested in renedying this evil, and will all
hands 90 to work and ass st in this r:atter.
Ottawa and Marseiiles are but miles dis
tant from each other, and the day is not far
distant when the travel will be immence on
this theToushfarc. The road runs through
rich agricultural region and if a good road
was made would drain large share Of the
High Prairie country. many miles in extent.
1t is now the general route eff trade for en-
igrants and others passing from the East to
the West, and will increase for years as the
emigration will be westward from that Sec
ton which was the west it elf few years
since. The road can be made with the least
possible expense, as it is easily drained and
gravel beds are found ALMOST every mile oil
its entire length. Will tie people of Mar
settles. Ottawa. and most Of all, the farmers
on the route take this matter under consid
Grafton. L ne thing can be done and now is
tbs time to agitate the matter. The Legs-
lature will shortly meet, and shall we have
good charter to begin with l hope those
interested in the matter will spek out on
this subject, and that the next issue Of your
paper will contain something on the subject
fro II those interested. ii.