Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-03-29
Country Roads.

Just now everybody is grumbling at
the embargo on the business of the
country, and wishing for a freeze.
The story of why the Irishman did
not fix his shanty will apply to the
present case.
The roads cannot be fixed while it
rains" and with cold weather they will
not need fixing.
As o o as the roads in any way again
become passable, in the rush to make
up for lost time and hurry produce to
market, the effects Of the next thaw
and rain will be forgotten.
For twenty years | have written many
articles that have been published, urg-
ing the Importance of this subject upon
the attention of the people of this and
other States.
Several times | have called the atten-
ton Of our governors and legislators to
the Importance of a better and more eff
fective system.
A number of times | have called the
attention of our State Board of Agricul-
ture to the subject. One year | sue
ceeded in getting them to offer a premi-
UNI for the best road, and then that
sleepy lot of Solons dropped the sub
ject.
| have been an Overseer of Roads,
and also Commissioner of Highways,
and have had ample and practical expe-
rience in road matters.
Some years ago | got mad and said |
would have a good road from my resi-
dence in Ellington to Quincy, and I've
got it.
Now, if some one in every ncighbor-
hood in the State will get mad-very
mad-at the waste of road taxes and
the slipshod manner of working high
ways, and start out among his neighbors
and say, Come on, boys" and keep
mad; keep on saying, Come on, boys"
there would be hundreds of miles of
good gravel road in Iowa in less than a
year.
There are, in many parts of the State
creeks where immense bars of gravel
are to be had for nothing but the haul
ing. There are also ridges and beds Of
bank gravel. Either of these will make
q irst,class and cheap road-bed.
State that cross these creeks over beds
of this material, where to-day the roads
each side for miles are a sea of impass-
able mud.
FOr years it has been a matter Of as
constituent to me to see road-Oficers
hauling, blowing and scraping, within a
stones throw of these immense beds of
gravel.
The winter season is the best time to
put on this gravel, because the farmer
has the time and the teams, otherwise
idle. The frost will only require addi-
tional picking, and a man and team can
easily, these short days, make four loads
G day and haul two and a half miles.
Dump the gravel in the center of the
road, breaking. with a hammer, all the
large rocks.
Commence with a single track. Three
good loads will make IA rod, five feet
wide and ten inches thick in the center.
No grading is required, for the gravel
itself fills up the road and makes its
own grade. AS soon as the travel has
packed the gravel, and perhaps made
ruts, n load to the rod will fill up the
ruts, and you have a good road-bed, that
will not cost to exceed 81 per rod, and
less according to the distance hauled.
Now, if every Commissioner of High
ways in the State, where bank or creek
gravel can be had within three miles,
will just get "on his ear and declare
that he will have a good road, the result
would be surprising.
Let him (or any other NAM start out
among his neighbors, saying, Il will give
two weeks, or more, with mar and team.
hauling gravel; now, %neighbors, what
will you do?" just as soon as three
have agreed to your offer, commence
work, and the example, with a little can
vassing, will be generally followed by
all that %neighborhood.
Where any township road funds are
available, let the Commissioners say
that, to the extent of their ability. they
will assist the good work.
Cold weather will make our roads
simply passablc until the next thaw,
when, the earth being full of moisture,
they will again be in a fearful condition.
Do not delay. Begin now. Do not
procrastinate until the big muddy of
December, 1877. is forgotten.
In those sections where there is no
bank or creek gravel, some other rene
dy must be found, that the expense of
construction would not be so large as to
prevent it's being undertaken.
After with a broad tire" you have
got the wheels so they will not sink in
to the mud up to the hub, how are the
horses. up to their knees in mud, so that
they can scarcely pull their feet out
how, | ask, is that team to pull the load
ever with the broad tires for the
stronger they pull the tighter they arc
stuck in the mud?
Let the horses have a good foothold
to pull on, and, while a wide tire is desi.
rohlo II Is not 81 imnOrtant- k X