The Meeker herald., 1891-12-12
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
THE PRESSING NECESSITY FOR
IMPROVED ROADS. o..
Had Enscis Of Marrow Wagon Tires
Hotstion Of Crepe imperative =.
Leaks en- the Farm-hh-ep
Notes snd Home hiEts-
Oar Country Roads.


Ihave heard American farmers say
that they were opposed TO having the
public roads put In charge OF civii en-
gineers; that they had no desire to DO
scientific" and were opposed to sci
on,liic" management OF the public
roads. think have heard you ray
this Let me tell you in the most
friendly way in tho world that you
could not. to save your soul. help being
scientific. You nra scientific when you
pain, your house. pu, tallow ON your
boots. grease on your wngon'aSio'
hone your razor. smoke your hams
iumIga,e your hennory. or take pep
permInt for tho stomach ache That
patent incubator OF yours is u Perfee,
marvel OF science. II Is not wise to
think man Is more scientific than
you are simply because he may know
hing or two In his particular limo
OF business which you do not He
might obiee; TO your knowledge for the
same reason, for In many things your
superior wisdom makes you more SCH
ent!tic than he Is Besides. your ave-
rage civil engineer is likely To DO one
o! the best fellows In the world, and
II he IA worth his salt you will find
him wide awake. practical and Inter
es,lng; democratic In his ways plain
In his dress. and with head full oil
good sense. Ho Is always looking Tor
IDEAS and no Will concode your supe.
rIor knowledge OF farming and b glad
10 learn OF amy valuable thing that you
may toll him. lilo may 70, know tho
difference between timothy aud mullen
stalks ou, he can chow you how to
build road rs good Ms the best In tho
world and ono tina, will last FOR forty
generations. llo will tel you tia, ],
needs something besides horse power.
axle grease nad profanity To move n
loaded wagon from farm 10 market;
tina, tho harder and smoother your
road 4, made the shorter your distance
becomes from farm 10 town. aud the
les power will DO required In haul
your produce.
Did you ever wonder why II IL tina,
III. grcn, railroads o! the country nrc
constantly improving ,holr roadbc'ls
adopting Improved rails and employing
section gang,' TO constantly keep
their tracks In tho best condition. ]
will toll you why II Is. Years nso Il
WAS found ,hn, the COS, OF running n
grca, railroad limo was decreased by
every improvement which tended TO
lessen the grades aad make tho track
smooth and hard; and the bcs, engineer
ing talon, Ia q world has been ON.
ploy,i 20 bring these railroads 10 their
pruson. condition OF excellence. Twoa-
iy-aTa years ago before tho general
adoption o! the long ,olld.fnecd steel
rail. tho power required to move tho
rolling stock WA considerably greater
than n: present. In 1870 IL cost tho
Now York Central railroad company
about ono md on..slS'h cents TO novo
each ton o! freight over ! mil. o! rail.
road. This seems very small sum.
bu, a. small Ms ~ may appear II WAS
reduced In 1882 ia about nvo mill.
Other railroad line. show eorr,-
spending decrease In running cxpcnscs
nil duo TO tho improvement OF tho
tracks or roadbcd.
Next 20 water nothing IL 80 dcs,ruc.
tiv. OF good road surface m heavy
vehicle running on narrow wheels Il,
has boon proven over and over again
tina, wheels with ti-inch tires cause
oaly oao-hslf tho wear on n road tina,
results from tho uso o! wheels with
~. inch tires II used 10 DO tho rul. In
England To mako tho ,lro inch wide
for every 800 pounds of load or vehicle.
TIN, l.. n tho vehicle nad load weigh
cd . tons finch tires would b. used;
but 1, was not found profitable 10 In,
crcnsc tho width much beyond q
inches. except In cases where wagons
wcro used without springs whom they
were sometimes made rs wldc ms q
inchc.
You ought to treat this matter oI
wheel tires rs you do other thing, iH
which you arr interested and give u
tho snmo sensible consideration thai
you apply TO tho things about yong
home. When you bull, your hous,
you commenced by putting down n l6'
inch s'ono foundation. and on tim. yot
built tho framework Of the supcrs;ruc
turc. You hnyo made tho foundation
broad 10 proven, tho settling of loat
which was intended to remain uumoyct
| As iollk vs. II AsA-ts N'N wv
should know that tho weight per incl
upon tina; foundation is Ices than one
quarter the weight pcr Inch upon YOU
narrow wheel tires when you go &
market with heavy load. 10 say moth
ing OF the fnc, tina, your wagon carrie
moving load and is therefore mucl
moro likely To disturb tho foundation
than though Il remained quiet You
wheel tire is designed 10 touch tbs
ground Mt one point only. and when /
Ia pressed into the earth 10 as TO in
crease this point Of contact. the powc
required 10 move n wagon and its loat
increases very rapidly. You shoult
Use wido- wheel tires. md should en-
courage your noighbors TO use then
also.-From The Gospel OF Goo,
Roads" by Isaac d. Potter.
special Farming.
After nil, tho question OF spocia
farming resolved itself into this; n
coil can stand continuous cul,iva.io,