Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1897-08-24
PRACTICAL RoAp-MAKiNo.

PRACTICAL ROAD-MAKiNo.
The subject of good roads is Of vital
| interest to every farmer in Iowa and
| indeed to every person in the state, for
all are interested more or less, in hav-
| ing the public highways passable at all
| times. In many sections of the state,
stone Is out of the question in the con-
| struction Of the roadway, gravel and
even coarse sand, are not to be had,
while brick paving is too expensive to
be considered. In these sections there
are only two methods of road construc-
ton that are practical and the combin-
ing Of both is the only feasible means
whereby good roads can be secured on
| the heavy prairie soil of Iowa. re-
fer to tile drainage and grading, for it
| is only by providing an outlet for the
surplus water druing the season of
heavy rainfall, and the raising of the
grade above the surrounding level, that
, a road bed can be kept passable for
teams and vehicles. Tile drains, prop
| erly laid, with a uniform and sufficient
| grade and good outlet, can be de-
pended upon to carry away any excess
OF water, and an elevated road bed,
| properly crowned, and made with due
|
| ground, is the only roadway within the
reach of the farmer on the prairies of
Iowa.
Road grading machines are now SO
/ perfect in construction and in adapta-
bility to all classes of work that may be
required of them, that the only reason
they are not in universal use in every
! township and road district of the state,
1 Ia 10 fa n nj CO
ors and farmers know how to operate
them in such manner as to secure the
best results. The writer candidly adj
mits that he was. until the last few
years, opposed to the purchase of road
grading machines by the township in
which he resides, and his opposition
was based on the large number of men
required to drive the horses, usually a
man to each team, and the poor quality
of the work performed. But having,
as superintendent of the machinery de-
partment of the Iowa state fair, arrang
ed for contest of road grading ma
chimes, and witnessed the work, l was
compelled to admit the machines, when
properly handled, are destined to be one
of the prime factors in the solution of
the question, "how are good roads to
be secured in Iowa?" Realizing that
the great majority of farmers in the
state. when road grader is purchased,
are lacking in practical experience,
necessary to its successful operation,
and that the time of the agent, who eff
fects the sale is necessarily limited, and
no opportunity afforded to become
familiar with all classes of work,
school of instruction in road grading
was inaugurated last year, at the Iowa
| state fair, and several hours each day
| devoted to practical work. A grand OPP
| portunity was thus afforded to every
actual or prospective road supervisor
| to receive instruction in this great
work to handle the machines in all
kinds of soil, and receive suggestions
and advice from men who by reason of
natural aptness for the work, and
many years of practical experience had
become experts in handling these ma
chimes.
The Fleming Manufacturing COM
pany of Fort Wayne, Indiana, and the
! Western Wheeled Scraper company of
| Aurora, Illinois, two of the leading
manufacturers of road making machin-
cry in the United States, kindly placed
at the disposal of the writer their ma
| chimes, with horses and driver, and an
| expert to operate the machine every
| day of the fair without cost to the So
| ciety, and roads were made on the
bluffs and in the ravines, among trees
and stones, that were the marvel of
those who saw the work. "On the last
| day of the fair final contest" q quote
| from the forthcoming report of the
Iowa State Agricultural society" was
held, and section of a hill and ra-
vine was speedily converted into
| pasable road, the work being done in
such manner as to call for unstinted
| praise from the onlookers. To facili-
| tate the work of the judges, score
| card was prepared by the superintend-
ent of the machinery department. and
while it can no doubt be improved up
on in future contests, as a beginning it
may not be without value and it is
| herewith appended:
Score card for road machines, Iowa
state fair 1896:
Quality OF work. ............. 15
Simplicity of construction. 15
Durability. 1890. .......... 10
Ease In handling. $50. 49,. 10
Lightness of draft. ....... 5
Bank cutting. ......... -. 8
Flowing. .......... ......... 10