, 1877-12-28

We might abandou that opium erhf!lc Wl,lfrhr ttlo
for Christian milton. tCheere.]
=, The mutlun wa. trcanded by Mt. II. 4. jackson,
Of blackburn, and passed With reclamation.
COUNTRY ROADS.
Tie Absolute Neres.lty Of Some Better
ayaten1 Of Country Itontfh--Afr. X. X. Joues
Onu.s Some Vary Practical HuEGcstlons to
Farmers, Commissioner of Highways, Etc.
To ths Editor Of Ths Trthmue.
WERorLAnps, near Qulrcr, Ill.,, Dec 3d.
The editorial In TIE TRIBUNE Of the Gath inst.
indicates tilat you have level head I" as re-
CARDS tho absolute necessity ot sone better sys-
TEN Of country roads.
Just now everybody Ia grumhltng ns the en-
barGo on the business VI tho country, aud wlsl-
iog for freeze.
The story OF why ths 1r,shman did not tx Ills
shanty will npp'y to the prcsrnt cusc.
Tho rouia cannot be fixed "wh'te II rainb,"
and with cold weather they won't need nxing.
As soon aa tho rouds In uny way ngain bcSonso
passablc. In the rush to make up for lost time
md hurry produces to mnrkot tho effects OF the
nkrt tllnw aud raiu will be forgotten.
For twenty years have written many articles
that have been published urciug the Importance
Of this subject upon the attention OF the peo.
pic OF this aud other states.
Several tunes I have called Tho attention Of
our Governors and legislator to the Importance
Of better md more effective System. ."
A number OF times have called the nttcr-
t!ou Of our State Board of Ag.icul.use to the
tu offer premium for tho best roatl, 1ih then
that sleepy lot of solona dropped tlc subject:
have been an uvcrsccE of Roads, aud also
Commissioner Of Ighways, ansl liaye had am
al, {upf mr. II f4>H
Sumo yours ngo got mad and swure would
have good road from my residence In neEllIuK-
ton tn Quincy, and I'ps got IL.
Nov, II sosne ona N every ne'Rhoothooa n
OF road ta1ss aud tho a'tpshotl manner o.
Working highways, anA start out utuong Ills
nctghbors and say "Ce;ne o. boys," und y ,ksecp
mad; keep on say1Gg' %Coms n. on, ooys asI.' ,nsl9
road In Illinois bulorc ttls lat Of April.
Theirs are in many parts OF the State creeks
where Immense bars OF gravel ME to oe la'l for
nohlng but ti's bsuny Thsss orc aiso ridsss
make first. class and cheap road bed.
There arc hundreds Of Eouds In Tits State that
cross these creeks over beds OF this material,
where today the Foa.t: each side for miles arc
sea Of impossible tntitl. ......-
For ycafs 1t has been q matter Of astonIsh'
mcut IL luc 10 SEQ rvad officers hauling, rluw.
INK, aud scrapng within . stoue's throw Of
these immense bela Of gravel; hays often
tu 1n.lIana wton. everybody knew and respected
for It's "wngon.horse sense" but who oceasion.
ally, when IN town, got reasonably tull Of old
.ryv. One day, on biz way iome. "t4l' ma
where road ooss aud party Of Ills nctghiors
wura making soma corduroy tlndiana raiA road.
Tlley were piitng In the brush mud logs, aud
haufiug on dirt to cover them The i ol1 p Shap ~
ean,a ~ With the party by sang ont, "Whoa!
d-d fools, 70 the)r", i,
.Why, u.Gle." said ths "boss:" "don's you
think tfais bad place ought 10 10 ixedW
"Cs5tanly tl!lo}t out not III that thic) way,
(licA anu huu! that gravel thic) and slap II into
ih!s ILL.,, mulho'' th'sA aud then 1t will stay (1'e)
Said tho boss: Uncle, Your head ts Level.
drunk Or sobst; Come on boys, aud tackle
Tradition 4, - s.ys that road Is no" ono OF the
The winter scasoa il the best tine 10 put on
tbiA ufaycl bsguuso Ito farmer ha4 t1lo tins aud
teains otherwise id!e. The frost viii only re-
qu!ru additional picking, and Q mau and team
day aud haul Two and halt miles.
Dump the gravel IN tho centre OF tho road.
breaking witG hatuuler all tho large rocks.
Commence with single track. Three good
lnchcs Thick In the centre. ho grading IL re.
quired, Tor the gravel ilseii dis up the road
| and makes it, own grade. A. soon a the travel
| has packed the gravel and perhaps made ruts,
ope load TO the rod will I'LL up The suts, aud YOU
have good ro&d-bcd that w!l%not coat to e.
coed 81 per rod. and sess according to the d.
lance hauled.
Now, il every Commissioner Of Highways In
| tho State whess bauk u creek gravel can be
| had within three miles Will Just ''get ou Ais
ear" aud declare he VIII have good road. tbs
srsult would bs aurpEsiug.
| hls nelxhboss ssylnx. ~ will give tno weeks Of
mors With man and team hauling gravel; now,
| uetphboys, what Will you doin Just 81 soon a
! thres have agreed 10 Jour offer commence
work, Ind the example, With little eauyasaiog.
vii! oe generally followed p7 neatly all thar
neiGhb0rhood. ...... 5000.
Where any township Eosd-fuDds are available
let the Cominssioacrs saJ that 10 the extent
| Of their sh!lstyl they will e1sst the Rlud work.
Coa weather will MAKE our roaos s!nply
! pAt4able until ths next ihsw, when, the earth
hu!n9 fun ot moisture, shey Will again be IN u
fearful condition.
DO uot delay. begin now. Do not pyocsassi.
rate until the big muddy Of December, 1877, Ia
il thuse portions Of the State where shers Is
| no pauk OF creek gravel, some other remedy
| uust be found, that tbs expense OF cuu4tric-
lion would not be 10 large ~ 10 prevent It's b.
| Ing undertaken.
| 1hs editorial hevs referred to 10 stme1y, and
| hops will set your county geaders thinking
| and acting upon this Important subject. But
did not the usitsr get bis ''cast before tbs
hoEse"l Alter With q tbroAd tire" you hare
| goE the wheels 10 they wilt not sinx into the
| mud up To tho hub, Low sfs the horses, I'D To
Ihels kuees In mud, 70 that thsy Can scarcely
| pull theis feet out-how, | ssk. Ii that team 10
pull ths load exen with lhs "brosl 2lres," for
tas stronger they pull tho t!shtsf thuy s1s stuck
| - a.. 49,. h... ,..A ....ho1a =. ru,t