The Republican., 1894-08-23
ADVANTAGES OF WIDE TIRES.
They Would Improve the Roads and
Lessen the Expense of Repair

Our rOduS WOulu DG muCD DGJIeI
but for our wagons. The road be-
comes a nuisance because we allow
a public nuisance called wagon to
run on it and cut it to pieces. Now,
let us look at these wagons of ours.
They have four wheels, with narrow
tires, ranging from l to 4 inches in
width. The hind wheels cut exact
ly into the same ruts which the
front wheels have made. All this
can be prevented by a reasonable
and proper construction of our wag-
ons, carriages, carts, etc. A wagon
should have wheels with very wide
tires. The two front wheels should
be set under the wagon about 80
inches apart, the hind wheels re-
naming as they are now. If this
IS done, the hind wheels will roll
down the outside ridges left by the
front wheels, and both front and
hind wheels will cover the tracks
made by the horses hoofs, and i'll
stead of cutting the road will render
it smooth. The front tires might
be even 10 inches wide and the rear
II inches in width.
There are two things with which
we nave to deal IN references to the
condition of our country highways.
The one is bad roads, which will
never come into a good condition as
'ong as we retain the narrow tires.
The other is wide tired wagons,
which will improve our roads per-
manently. Which will the people
select?
What a blessing would it be not
only for our own country, but for
the whole world, if the universal
adoption of wide tires would give
us better roads, reduce the taxes
and diminish the work of keeping
the highways in good condition
throughout the entire year.
By the use of vehicles as they are
now constructed the roads are spoil
ed even in dry seasons, as the mar
row cutting wheels will grind the
surface of the road to dust. Wheels
with tires 10 and II inches wide
cannot grind the road, therefore
not make so much dust, and the lit
tie dust which will be created will
with every rain be pressed upon the
road like a layer of asphalt.
Every ram and every load will
help to pack the surface of the
highway more firmly. The farmer
will be able to draw his loads at any
time of the year and not depend
half as much on the weather as he
now does.
The meanest roads we have in
winter, when after a spell of rainy
weather a frost sets in. Then our
roads are torture 10 man and
beast, all the natural consequence
of our present fashionable vehicles.
If they only had reasonable un-
dercarriage with wheels wide enough
and arranged as roller in sections,
we would not haYe to endure such
awful roads.
Very often in winter we have
rainy weather turning all at once
INTO snow, By the use of wagons
as they now are snow and mud
are mixed IN the most thorough
way, and there is no thought of
sleighing under such conditions.
Wide tired wagons will press the
snow down firmly on the road and
soon make good sleighing.
These roller wagons will improve
the roads instead Of destroying
them. Every load which is drawn
over the road will work out cer-
tain amount of road tax. The
cost of repairing the roads would
be greatly reduced. If we main
tam proper side grading toward
Jhe bitches, so that the water will
easily run into them, and if we rake
the stones once year out of the
road once year the repairing Is
dOne.-hol. Geo. Buch, in Good
|