The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1893-01-13
OUR ROADS.


roads then ours would certainly rival
those of old Rome, which have for
centuries been in use, but they are
not built that way, and we ask o lit
tie space that we may add our mite
to the much that is being said upon
this question which just now Is of
more Importance than the extension
of the railroad systems, and If the
agitation of it may lead to the build
ing of good roads, that make the first
movement of all crops to market cost
from fifty to eighty per cent less, and
the pleasure ride luxury, then every
citizen is an interested party and that
we may hear from some abler advo-
cate of good rOads,w ask your indul-
gence. That the present conditions
of our roads perhaps few who have
been favored by enjoying good ones
will question Even in some of the
southern states that are far behind
us in many other respects, there were
pixies over which some of us have
tramped during the war, Zone of our
neighbOrs complains of the "splint"
that he attributes to that kind of re-
creation). Many causes are gwen and
probably every official from the Dis
trict Overseer to the President of the
United States has been blamed, but
no matter how much squirming may
be done, the fact remains that The pe0-
pie are to blame, if they do not exc
cute the laws the representatives gave
them, or if the laws ara deficient i'm
either case the remedy is in their own
hands. While our roads are at the
mercy of the elements and at each
heavy rain become more or less i'm
passable for loaded teams, Nature
has given us road bed that few states
of the Union can eqnal. Very few OBJ
stacle sare TO be overcome, implements
fitted to do good work are available
and usually are possessed by every
road district, and the taxes are levied
year after year, (Which in our district
think have never been more than
three mills on the dollar) and if they
were economically, faithfully and sys-
tematicalIy expended our roads would
soon be in a condition far different
from the ones that now confrOnts us.
Our road laws could and probably
will be improved upon, but in the
main, they are not one half as lame
as the pretences usually made in their
execution.
But as it is much better to suggest
a remedy than to merely find fault,
although not the customary thing to
do, We would suggest,
DRAINAGE.
The first and the longest step toward
the lettering of our roads, first of the
side drains, not only at the time of the
"annual road work" but constant
watchfulness of their condition. On
our rail roads one can often see "track
walker" whose duty is to keep one
eye of his spectacles on the weak
spots that may be discovered, this is
much more economical than to have a
washOut or a wrecked train, and lit
tie work now and then OH the drains
as preventive would be money saved
to the taxpayers i'm the same proper
ton. AS an instance, perhaps every
one who travelled the road east of lola
a recent winter, remembers a muddy
gully made across the road by n scrap
er, which, by the last man who used
it in the fall, was left directly across
the ditch forming dam, and it stayed
there al 1CiRtcr.
Next would be to see that the water
had an out let on the iOrer side of the
road, in its natural course" for, al
though the law, (if we understand it,
now gives the Ovcrseer tho authority
to go Oh to the land for necessary out
let. do not recall an instance where
an Oversecr has assumed the authority
in many years. We are of the opinion
that if an amendment was made !
that compelled the owner or occupant
to make an outlet and keep open the |
drain on his land il would be saving !
of many days of labor to repair the
damage done by the ponds that are so
prevalent at such places, and give the
Overseer an invitation TO better plan |
his drains TO his culverts, which under |
the present pond making system, he
sees would be of no benefit and-dOnt.
Now brethren as next week the
Legislature conyenes and our Senator
is ever on the outlook for that which
help the people to a better condition
and has long been out spoken for our
road improvement, and our Represen-
sative lis also ready to acquisce in
he wishes of his constituency on this
question. it seems that this winter
here ought to be some legislation and
here will be if the people demand it.
Hoping to hear through the REGIS
FER from some of you, we are yours
or better road work.
J. w. JOHNSON.
Electric Bitters.
This remedy is becoming as well
Known and so pOpvlar as to need no
nj 4 III rt-1n hax !