Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1881-12-29

but it is at the best sickly growth
compared with that which follows when
the bounding life blood courses free and
unobstructed through the veins.
In the present age of competition and
rapid growth it is necessary that every
means be taken advantage of by individ-
uai or community to maintain their posi-
ton in the business scale. A county
that lies dormant under mountain of
mud One-half of the year cannot, how
ever, be said to use its resources to the
best advantage and as nothing remains
stationary, but advances or recedes, the
direct corollary is that we must fall be-
hind its more enterprising neighbors.
Small profits and quick returns is the
present order in business circles, vet
how can merchant live up to this rule
when he has to hold his stock in hand
for weeks or months waiting for custo-
mers who in turn are waiting for good
roads. Again, how is the farmer to
take advantage of bargains offered
when a wilderness of almost impossible
mud intervenes between himself and
the merchant. Each party is in this
case mutually DISTINGUISHED, SO to speak,
and can trace their losses directly back
to the road system that provides hog
wallows for roads when passable turn
pike is promised. Under the present
system, as has been proven by fifty
years.experience in this section, and an
hundred and fifty in older settled sec
tions, good roads are impossible.
If such be the case why not change
the system for one able to meet the re-
quiremcnts of the times? In some
parts of the country the demand for
good roads is met by the establishment
of a toll road by private parties, the net
result being that in few years the in
habitants of the section through which
the road runs have paid by direct taxa
ton in tolls more than it would have
cost had the town or county built the
road from public funds.
But few towns refuse to grant aid to
any railroad project proposed, but hest
tate long before putting few extra
dollars into a passible turnpike with
out which the railroad is comparatively
a useless luxury, 1t is certainly as
necessary that the main thoroughfares
of county should be passible at all
times as it is that railroad should
be clear of distractions. But in order
to obtain this wished for result there is
Dut one mode of procedure; that is to
inaugurate and carry forward each year
4 system of macademizing at least
the main thoroughfares between the
principal towns in this county. The
first cost of building road of this kind
is what has operated thus far against
any change, yet it is extremely doubtful
if the aggregate cost of Il strip of ma
cadem road at the end of ten years will
be more than has been expended on the
same extent of ordinary dirt road while
the advantages offered by the former
by furnishing paSsablc carriaA way
at all times will be hundred fold
greater than those offered by the pres
ent system.
We're such line of well made turn
pixies built, farmers living on either
side would have the means of reaching
the markets at any and all seasons Of
the year while those living a few miles
away could double up to the macadem
as is done now in the south part of the
county on the road leading from Hazel
Green to Galena, and then bowl easily
along tot their point of destination.
Until some concerted plan can be agreed
upon the different towns in the county
can start the bali rolling by filling up
the worst part of the roads in their re-
spective districts with macadam, grad
NtNAi 'Ntti II III tiilitt tiItCblOH.
In fact strip Of macadam is as good
an evangelizer rs can be found, as no
one who has once passed over it will
wish to return to the sloughholes that
proceeded it. Another argument in
favor of tins method is the fact that a
few rods thus laid in the worst places
can be done at cost that will hardly
be noticed, which, with yearly additions
will soon give the district in which it is
built strip of turnpike that with
little attention in filling up the depres-
sions each year will last lifetime and
be always fit for travel. 1t is certainly
but justice to their fellow inhabitants of
the county that each town should weigh
the matter carefully and do its share in
thus establishing chain of good turn
pixies throughout this county which in
three fourthS of its area is dependent
entirely upon its roads for transport
tation