Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1892-08-25
BETTER ROADS FOR ALL
A STRONG ASSOCIATlON THE
RESULT OF THE ROADS
CONVENTION.
1t viii Be Known as THE Iowa
Road Improvement Assoc
ciation."

The Better Roads state convention
was called to order in Y. M, c. A. hall
at Des Moines on the 10th by Chairman
j. c. Cummins, of the Des Moincs Pro-
ducers' Association, who introduced
Gov. Roles. The governor, among
other things, said that he looked upon
the convention as one of the most inn
portant TO the state of any that had
been called for many years, He wei
coined the delegates on behalf of the
state to the convention.
Hon. +. IL. Thayer, editor of the
Clinton Age, was then introduced as
temporary chairman and addressed the
convention on the need of better roads.
He advocated government aid, and
system of state, county and township
aid and cooperation.
o. l.. L. Brown was made Secretary
and S. IL. Sperry Assistant Secretary.
A committee was appointed to select
the various committees, after which
Hon. A. C. Topper, state dairy com
missioner addressed the convention on
Good Roads-Ther Influence on the
Material Welfare of the State. He con-
tended that good roads added to the
comfort and cconomize the time of the
farmer. There is no branch of com
merce which would not be bettered by
good roads.
President Chas A. Schaeffer of the
State University spoke upon the sub
iect, Good Roads-Their Influence on
the Intellectual moral and social We'll
fare of the state"
a IAlt nd
dress on Good Roads, How Best Built
in Iowa OF Iowa Material and Pro-
ducts" Mr.. Dey's conclusions were
bed thoroughly. Where necessary as
in crossing valleys, sloughs or points
where the substrata is likely to be wet,
use thing as you would on farm land.
| would use tile drainage to much
greater extent than has been done in
road making. Second, make your
grade not less than sixteen feet in
width, rounding it slightly. Where
practical, cover the surface with gravel,
broken stones or burnt clay; follow the
system of Macadam or Telford. Third,
in making your road bed have the
land plowed SO that the surfaces are
broken and Will pack, forming a com
plete and thorough mass. Fourth.
provide by legislation as soon as prac'
tica bic for the protection of your reads,
by broad tires where heavy loads are
to be moved, Fifth. recognize the
fact that no road, however well built,
will take care of itself, and that an an
nual outlay is imperative"
The committees were announced,
after which the convention adjourned
till afternoon, at which time Major
Hoyt Sherman read a paper.
The Committee on Permanent organ
ization reported Permanent officers as
follows: Judge L. ii. Thayer, Presl-
dent; c. NJ Wright, Senator Bloom,
Henry Gillespie, |. Thompson, Judge
j. S. Stacey, J. w. johnson, }. Van
Vliet, w. O. Mitchell, G. NJ. Reynolds,
VIM. Thompson, II. c. Wheeler, Vice
Presidents; O. l.. Il. Browne, Secretary;
S. Ii. Sperry, Assistant Secretary.
In the evening an address was made
by Hon. n. y. lIolbrooll, after which u
general discussion was INDUCED IN.
The convention then adjourned till 0
o'clock the next morning.
Upon reasSembling on the morning
OF the 18th the committee ON executive
board announced the selection of the
following district members of that body,
who are empowered to select vice
presidents and other officers and an.
nounce them later: First district,
VIM. Steyh, Burlington; Second, Peter
A. Dey, Iowa City; Third, J. NJ. Mum
ccy, Jesup; Fourth, &. II. Brackett,
Charles City; Fifth, James luill, Cedar
Rapids: Sixth, Chas. f. Blake, Ottum-
wa; Seventh, J. G. Berryhill, Des
Moines; Eight, w. o. Mitchell, Corning;
Ninth, J. c. McCabe, Logan; Tenth,
&. L. Tremaine, Humboldt; Eleventh,
II. c. Wheeler, 0debolt.
Ex-Gov. Gear, chairman of the com
mittee on resolutions, reported the
following. which were unanimously
adopted:
Whereas, The imperfections of the pres.
ent road laws of Iowa, so far as practical
results are concerned, are more manifest
year by year; and
Whereas, The growing demands OF
great state, the necessities of its people,
the requirements of its greatly increased
population, call, with an emphasis that
means from om great com monwealth,
demand for action, demand for change
in our present road laws that shall make
them more forceful, more fruitful of prac-
teal results and
Whereas, At delegate convention of
the counties cities and towns of the state,
called to consider the condition of the com
mon roads in the state eighty eight coun-
ties and 100 cities and towns in all parts of
the state are represented by duly accredited
delegates; and
Whereas, This large representation is in
dicative, not only of deep and widespread
interest on the subject. but also of pro-
found dissatisfaction with existing condi-
tions of our highways and with the opera
ton of our statutes for the working of
roads; and
Whereas, 1t is deemed admissible that
steps be taken by this convention thus hap
PLY convened, to continue the agitation
now begun until it shall result in a perma-
nent system of road betterment
Now, therefore, be it resolved, That it is
the sense of this convention that an i'm
perative need of the people of Iowa at this
time is the inauguration, at the earliest
practicable day of a thorough and bust
ness-like system of road improvements, to
the end that so far as the state and its
constituent parts can effect the same, the
expense of getting tho productions of Iowa
to market may be reduced to the minimum.
Resolved, That until further legislation
can be had the county associations herein
contemplated are recommended to take the
following steps:
|. 70 set on foot a movement in every
township in their respective counties, look
ing to the consolidation OF the road dis
tricts in order that said townships may avail
themselves OF the pefmlSSlye provisions OF
chapter 200 OF the acts of 1884.
2. To impress upon boards of supervis-
ors the desirability of levying the county
road fund tax, provided for in section !
of the acts above mentioned
B. Where it is apparent the public inter
ests will be best subserved by a larger i'm.
mediate expenditure upon the roads than
the levy above contemplated TO urge upon
the board of supervisors the propriety of
submitting to the people the question of
voting higher levy or the issuance OF
bonds for the purpose of expediting the
improvements contemplated.
T. To agitate, in cities and towns, the
question Of the propriety of expanding
money beyond their limits in improving
the highways leading thereto, under the
authority given by tho statute
Resolved, That in view of the fact that
our present system OF collection OF road
tax in labor has been productive only of
disappointment, not alone to the general
public interest but to those in whose inn
mediate interest it is collected, we there ,
fore favor the collection of all road tax, !
except poll tax, in money
Resolved, That the thanks of this con-
yention and the people of Iowa are due to !
Judge e. H. Thayer, our worthy chairman,