Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1891-05-21
NUMBER 40.

far more quickly. 1t has been estimated
by excellent aut horities that the present
slipshop method of road making and re-
pairing. with It's system of working out
the taxes" and the delay and wear and
tear, cost each household not less than
ten dollars year. This is far more than
the cost of schools, and almost as much
as al State and Federal taxes combined.
1t seems to be impossible, however, TO
make much impression with arguments
of this kind. The country people look at
the first cost of the proposed improve
nent, and refuse to look beyond that to
the benefits which the Investment would
bring.
The great increase In the ''summer-
boarder industry during recent years
ought to exert powerful influence in
the right direction. That industry has
become so important in New England
that two governors in that region, those
of Maine and New Hampshire, called at
tention to it In their annu al messages
last January. and suggested plans for its
further development. The governor of
New Hampshire estimated the amount of
money left in the State during the pre-
vious year by summer visitors at s. 600, y
100. There are many other States in
which this would be reasonable estimate
of the revenue from the same source.
The editor of Vermont newspaper went
into particulars upon the value Of this
industry at the close of the season in
August last, and in the course of his an
alysis said that the presence of one thous-
and city boarders in rural country was
equi, alent to the bringing in of 500, 900
in monev to be left in exchange for the
products of the inhabitants: that the good
effects were felt in every farm in the
country, supplying close at home good
market for all its prod:cts; and that,
taken all together. the summer boarder
industry leads all others, brings in the
most money, and pays the most profit
The same authority went on to say,
''But the summer-boarder industry never
can be built up if the people go on spoil
ing the beauty of their roads by cutting
and flowers, which are the very things
that the summer boarder comes to see
and enjoy.'' He was dwelling especially
upon the esthetic side of the road ques-
ton, but what he said affords an equally
strong argument upon the practical side
OF it, for there is no surer magnet for the
summer bOarder than well-made roads
which afford pleasant driving at all times.
There is not rural town within board
ing distance OF great city which could
not at slight expense assure itself all the
city boarders that it accommodate by the
simple process of Systematically and in
telligently improving and beautifying its
roads. If it were to appoint town COM
mittee with power to employ experts, or
to obtain expert advice, and 10 carry out
the suggestions thus obtained in road i'm
proven. Mt. the mere public advertise
mcnt of that proceeding would attract
boarders from all directions. The ex-
pense would not be great. In nearly
every case the gravel or cracked stone
necessary for the construction of serv-
lceaDJe. WGll-uFaiUeu TOdu
ed within moderate distance. There is,
for example, in many counties in the
several sections of this State, a kind of
soft red sandstone to be found i'm great
abundance, which crushes readily under
the wheels and makes hard, firm road
bed which is never dusty and never mud
dy. which is yielding to the horses feet
and most agreeable to ride over. Ordi-
nary gravel can be used with almost
equally good results. The main thing is
to secure something like scie ntific knowl-
edge in the construction of the road and
in the mixture of materials. The vicious
idea that anybody can make a roadIby
shoveling dirt into the middle of 1t from
the gutter, or, what is the same thing in
wholesale form, hauling it there by
means of ''scraper, - must be abandon
ed at the outset, ana not only abandoned
but prohibited. Until that is done no
reform will be possible.