Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1897-04-29
Better Roads Now.

Wednesday afternoon mass meeting
was held at the court house, which not
withstanding the steady rain, was large
ly attended by business men and far
mers. The object of the meeting was to
discuss the best mode of improving our
highways. On motion OF J. A. Nash, p.
Bickelhaupt of Viola was called to the
chair. After brief statement of the
object of the meeting the chair gave
those in attendance a chance to air their
sentiments on this question that so
| closely concerns us all.
Sam Gardner, of Greeley township,
delights in originality and HE ideas as to
grading were very much original. He
held that in grading hills no dirt should
be taken from the road bed, but from
the sides, no matter how high it might
make the road in order that dirt be pro.
cured for grading the low places. He
was opposed to newfangled graders and
thought that competent men should be
had for road work. Ordinary wheel
scrapers are the thing, Sam thought, il
properly used.
z. Bickelhahpt thought better road
supervisors were needed. Too much
time put in and no work done. All
roads. he thought should be the full
width required by law; yet many. of
them are not to exceed two-thirds of the
required width. Roads are hedged in
too much by trees. He thought that
the board of supervisors should see that
all roads are made the required width
as first step toward better roads.
August Oelke was of the opinion that
the county should own one large grader
capable of handling one thousand yards
Of dirt or more each day. This machine
could be bought on guarantee that it
would work on any piece of road in Au-
dubon county and in the hands of COM
petent men would prove the best means
of better roads.
Chas. Van Gorder was opposed to
costly road graders on account of the
large amount Of our roads on which they
would not do satisfactory work. The
work done last year on cutting some of
our hills was not wasted, the trauble be-
ing that they were not cut wide enough.
A large amount of the work as now done
was wasted and some plan of work must
be adopted that will make all road work
permanent improvement to the high
way.
Supervisor Hoegh defended the grad
ing done last season as all right, but was
not in favor of buying an expensive
grading machine. If some means could
be devised by which all moneys levied
for road purposes could be used to do
the most good he was in favor of it. He
was questioned considerably by those
present and was ready and prompt with
his answers.
Ed Northup found the grading done
last year to be a disadvantage. He was
OF the opinion that system of side
bitches, draining the lower part of the
road as we'll as the surface was one Of
the secrets of better roads. No costly
machines were needed. Men with
spades for the wet portions and teams
and scrapers for the dryer parts. One
man should have charge of the money
and work.
John A. Nash found the grading done
last year too narrow. Banks have al
ready fallen in and made the roads i'm
passible. He presumed no knowledge of
the best way to better the roads, but
was sure something should be done for
the convenience Of all. He thought the
trustees of the several townships should
meet the county supervisors and unity
OF purpose be reached as to the work to
be done. Construct two main boule-
wards across the county the first year
from north to south and from east to
west through the center Of the county.
Next year establish more and so ON from
year to year until the county would have
passable roads. If grader can be
found that will elevate the dirt from the
extreme sides of the road to the center,
Mr.. Nash thought it would be all right
to have such Il machine.
Robert N. Carper said that machinery
had already ruined the county and no
more should be bought. What the roads
needed was work and there was plenty
Of machinery at hand if the people would
use it. MIR. Carper's sentiments were re-
ceived favorably.
DIR. @. Eyer was an anti-machine man.
Frequent reference was made to the
Jack O'Brien road. The doctor thought
that to tile the center OF the road, open
side bitches and make the road the pro-
per width was prescription for that
and similar cases.
The several speakers had short turns
at speaking aud the chair called for
some definite action by the meeting.