St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-09-13
GOOD ROADS WORK.
Subject Discussed by Experts in a
Practical Way.

Practical Way.
There was meeting yesterday fore
noon of the farmers attending the state
fair i'll the interest of goods roads
which was very interesting. In these
lectures the subject is clearly illustrated
by models of roads shown at the time,
and after the lecture the matter is gen.
orally discussed by those present. At
this meeting the leading address was
made by Prof. w. II. Hays, of the state
farm school, who discussed public
roads.
Prof. Hays, In his opening remarks,
spoke OF the various agencies now at
work for the Improvement of public
roads. These included inventions of
graders and other machines for the i'm
prOvemeut of the roads. The wheeImen,
in his Judgment, were deserving of
credit for the interest which they had
taken in the improvements of the roads
of the country. 1t was thought by some
that they were prompted by selfish
motives, and to some extent that might
be true, but the fact should not be over
looked that no class in the country will
be benefited so much by good roads as the
farmers. The road work as done at the
present time was frequently done in
slouchy manner. While there was much
poor farming done in the state, the
poorest of all was to be found OH the
road sides, which were usually a mass
of weeds. He would recommend that
the law be so altered that the roads
could be worked right up to the edge of
fha fro nn1-
Such plan would be preferable
to the present system. He would favor
agitatng for meetings to be called
in every county to discuss the road
question in the hope of arriving at some
uniform plan TO be adopted for that
particular county. Drawings should be
prepared by competent persons to slb-
nit to such meetings. When plan had
been fixed upon for the improvement of
the roads of any county it should be
placed in the hands of one man COM
petent for such work. Temporary
improvements should be made only so
far as absolutely necessary. 1t is far
more important to have the grade of
road properly made at first, and when
once made repairs mould be frequent.
When repairs are only made occasion
ally they are much more costly than
when frequently done.
He then outlined what in his opinion
was the duty of the state in reference
to this question. He thought
The State Should Assist
in making good roads; that percent.
age of all the money required should
come from the state, but larger per-
centage should come from the county
or township to be benefited. He then
described by sketches on the blackboard
suitable plans for the construction Of
the roadDed, and also how roads should
be drained. The materials used must
usually be such as are on hand. When
gravel is added it ofteutimes requires to
be mixed with loan or clay. He dwelt
upon the great service rendered by the
inventors of grading machines, aud
thought that i'll consequence they
| should receive every reasonable encour-
| agement.
A. B. Choate, president of the Good
| Roads Association of the State of Min.
neSOta, followed Prof. Hays. He re-
ferred to the good work that was accom-
| pllshlng by the wheeimen through the
agitation which they had commenced.
| They had gone to considerable expense
IN calling conventions, the results of
which had no doubt been worth cousid-
eraDle to the farmers, and he would
| IKE 10 see all parties pull together in
bringing about this reform. He dwelt
upon the faults of the system now in
vogue. 1t was not businesslike. Men
were put in charge of the work of i'm
proving the roads who were often in
competent and inexperienced, aud the
frequent changes made III the road
| supervisors were very unfortunate.
Prof. Hays had on exhibition various
| plans OF different kinds of roads adapted
to various sections of country. These
received large share of attention from
visitors duritg the day.
The meeting was then adjourned till
evening.