Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1886-01-22
Additional Local.
The Peoples Highways.

In new country the location and
of highways interests
every land owner. The law makes
plain the routine to be followed in
making the location, and it is for the
benefit of viewers and road masters as
well as the general public that we make
some suggestions on locating and inn
proving roads in Barber county. No
one viii deny that where the surface is
favorable the roads should be located
on section lines. or parallel Herewith,
and be straight.
Agricultural lands may be rendered
almost worthless 10y projecting roads on
the divides regardless OF course or dis
lance. \ certain amount of expense
is justiiiably incurred in adherng 10
the principles stated above. Tie cost
of the construction of a road is in
creased as the length of the road is i'll
creased. The same is true in regard to
keeping the road in repair, and time
consumed III travelling over it. We will
illustrate by supposing a road to be con-
structed leading from a neighborhood
of farmers to the principal trading and
market town, ten miles distant. To
avoid the expense of two bridges, each
10 cost $500, route twelve miles long
Is proposed with no bridges. Two
miles of road, 66 feet i'm width. occupies
IL acres Of land; at $50 per acre, or at
an annual rental OF 81 per acre. The
annual cost of keeping in repair may be
placed at one day with team for each
quarter section adjoining the road.
which is equivalent to S24 annually.
The time consumed, in making a trip
over this road is increased one fifth.
which is equivalent To two hours, ag-
grcgating annually, at. one trip each
week, ten days, or $50. Twenty farm
ers interested in travelling to market at
an expense of 5000 per annum is a
burthen of no small consideration.
We recapitulate and find The total
annual expense of adopting the longer
line to be S32 for land. So for repairs.
and 5000 for time, aggregating tie sum
OF 1855. Now it is clear in this instance
that the short line should be adopted.
Another matter of Importance is the
irregularity of surface, or the proper
slopes for easy, rapid and safe travel.
In order that n team be able to ascend
with case hill with what would be an
ordinary load on level ground The
slope should not exceed one foot vertical
for each twenty feet horizontal. With
out entering into detail OF calculation
we will submit some actual tests:
\ slope ] foot in l54 feet horizontal
requires q full of 2l0 lbs to move 1000
lbs. up the ascent at the rate If miles
per hour. y slope of in 20, 1876 lbs:
a slope of in 26. los lbs; slope of
in 80, l37 lbs. \ horse Weighing 900
pounds can exert pull of 100 pounds
for 10 hours each day on level ground.
n horse can double his eXertion for a
short distance without injury to lin
self.
From the foregoing we may estimate
that two horses will draw 1000 pounds
along smooth road where the maxi
mum grade is foot in %.
In Barber county travel is hindered
and teams delayed by the sudden rise
of the water i'll small as well as in large
streams. The time has come for build
ing bridges and repairing roads. in
order that farmers can go to mill and
To market without risk in fordine a
river. 1t is apparent that bridge
must be constructed to span the Medi-
cine river somewhere near Medicine
Lodge. Begin the location of good
road, and the bridge will of course he
in the road. Farmers in.the south and
west part of the county can be locating
and improving number of lines all
converging toward the river near the
depot grounds and feel assured that
they will soon have a SAFE bridge across
/ the Medicine river. OPTIC.