The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1894-09-14
ROAD IMPROVEMENT.
The Question Of Better Roads Receiving
Attention from Farmers.


Attention from Farmers.
The attention which the question of
good roads is receiving in agricultural
states and sections is very encouraging
TO all advocates of better wagon trans
port. 1t is now agreed that better roads
would be positive gain to the farmer
directly and indirectly. AT the late
Iowa convention the loss to the cream
cries and their supplying farmers
through bad roads was stated to be %
per cent. The main question now open
for discussion is the financial one-how
can good wagon roads be secured so as
to distribute the burden of cost and
maintenance equitably?
The recent Missouri road convention
divided roads into three classes: Macad
am or gravel roads are of the first class;
such roads should be built upon the pc
tition of majority of the abutting
property owners, not less than % per
cent. of the cost to be paid by them.
Well graded and drained dirt roads are
of the second class, and should be built
at the expense of the county. To pro-
vide the money, all dramshop licenses
should be diverted to road fund, be-
sides a special tax not to exceed fifty
cents on each 800. 1t is also rec
commended that the state of Missouri
lend its credit to the counties for road
purposes up to 10 per cent. of the as
sessed value and an amendment to the
constitution be made TO that end, and
that congressional districts shall also be
road districts, with a roadmaster for
each, appointed by the county court.
The Iowa convention recommended
general road plan for the state, with six
roads running east and west and six
north and south. the average cost being
estimated at 81 800 per mile The state
could be divided into three OF five dis
tricts, with rOadmasters for each, these
men to constitute state board, who
shall employ an engineer and designate
a general plan-no less than twenty
miles TO be undertaken at one time. 1t
was urged by the convention that work
should begin when it can be shown that
$4,000 miles Of good roads can be built
in five or ten years, SO that when COM
pleted no person in Iowa will be found
living more than four miles from per-
feet macadamized road.
1t was optimistically asserted that this
mileage could be constructed without
any increase Of taxation by having the
state issue s. 600, 600 of per cent. bonds,
and by authorizing cities TO grant aid to
be expended outside their corporate linn
its, but in their counties. In both con-
ventions papers We're read and speeches
made by prominent men pointing out
the benefcent effect of good wheeling
upon the farmers. Good wagon roads
to the cities and send fewer farmers and
their wives TO the insane asylums.
These conventions will serve the good
purpose of sitting out an equitable
scheme of road payment. The plans
recommended in Iowa and Missouri
propose practically to shift the burden
from the farmer to the community, ex-
cept in regard to first class roads in Mis-
souri,, which are TO be built upon the
petition of abutting owners, who must
pay at least one-quarter Of the cost. lt
is very doubtful whether the community
at large should bear the whole expense,
though it would be right for certain
share to be charged to the state and a
certain other share to the county. If we
wait for abutting farms alone to carry
the reform through we should delay
good roads indefinitely. What proper
ton of the expense will the different
classes be willing to pay toward this de-
sirable reform? Delay will be no mat
ter of regret if it permits the perfection
of plans in advance. Good roads in Eu-
rope have been the work of centuries,
and in solving our own problems we
should plan wisely and for the distant
future.-New York Post.