Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1896-06-04
Good d

With the advent OF the creamery will
come a iemandfor better roads especially
during the spring OF the year. Good
highways are something that is needed
very badly in this county. At the pres
ent time they are kept up by a system OF
tax, whereby the farmer works so many
days or hours in his immediate district
according to the ideas OF his particular
road overseer as to how the road should
be worked, and the result IS simply a
patchwork without any attempt at uni
formity. Ii the labor and money ex-
pended in working the country roads
throughout this county were properly
and economically expended and distri-
buted, we should be provided with as
good highways as any country in the
world. The matter OF having good roads
is pnrely a business one, and can be
figured in dollars and cents. The extra
wear aud tear on vehicles amounts to
thousands OF dollBrs every year, while
the cost in horse.flesh i~sequally as great.
Another item OF no mean dimensions is
the saving OF time. Properly built high.
ways would say money, still we 60 on
in the same idiotic way OF making and
repairing, as was the custom OF our fore
fathers. Every farmer should take an
active interest in anything tending to an
improvement of the roads, for the reason
that he, above all Others, suffers the most
from poor roads. Before the advent of
railroads it was q common saying that
a country's civilization could be meas
ured by its roads, and this is a saying
that still holds good. From q stand
point OF humanity good roads are a neces-
sity. 1t Is humane to relieve a great
percentage OF the burden upon horses
and draught animals. The man OF eco
nomy should favor improvement, as it
saves money, and the bicyclist and seeker
after pleasure will favor it, for good
roads afford pleasure to all who ride or
drive. The subject is one that appeals
directly to every owner OF farm or village
property, and residents, business and
professional men in city and country.
A scientific method of road building is
what is needed, and the graders now be-
ing tried in different townships are the
first step toward this end. Under the
old system OF $ crapers and pillow and far
mer's work it will cost in the nelghbor-
hood OF 500 TO build 100 rods OF road.
A contractor would charge about $50 to
$50 for the same distance under the same
system, while the latest improved grader
will build 100 rods OF good turnpike per
day without the use OF plow or shovel,
at a cost of so. This is considerable of
a saving in time and money, and the only
objection offered is the cost of a good
grader. No farmer would continue to
cut his wheat or grain with a cradle be-
cause OF the cost OF a binder. 1t is the
same business principle, the improved
method and labor and time saving far
more than overb alliances the difference in
price. Objections were urged when the
city OF Webster began to talk OF getting
a grader, but these objections have all
been overcome, and today the improved
streets and'ease with which they are kept
III order so appeal to the citizens that an
cutlery would arise were we to go back to
the old orderof things. In Lac-qui-parle
county, Mimi, there is in active use fifty
two graders and the roads are not only
in fine condition, but the poll tax has
been reduced from $500 to $1.75, and
the days OF labor from three days to one
day. Many other examples could be
quoted, but when a common sense view
oil the matter is taken, it will be readily
seen that a grader is as much OF a neces-
sity today as any otherclass of improved
farm machinery.
Two public trials OF graders are adver-
tised in our local columns to take place
in different townships in our county, and
any township thinking of road improve
ment can get a grader on trial, and if not
exactly as represented will.not cost one
dollar.