Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1898-01-11

BAD ROAD BENEFITS.
rHef KILL HORSES AND HELP KEEP
UP THE PRICE.
They Also Keep the Farmers Sons st
Home and Out OF Mischief How to
Make Poor Roads aud Keep Them In
That Condition-use Narrow Tires.

fhey Also heep the fhrmrfs Sops ~
Home and Out Of Mischief-How to
Make Poor Roads aud Keep Them In
That Condition-Use Narrow Tires.
There is an absurd idea gaining
ground here and elsewhere that better
roads would be advantageous and that
the present methods Of building and
maintaining them are out Of date. I'm
every age and in every country there
has been class Of agitators. dis
gruntlcd. dissatisfied, endeayoring TO
overthrow existing conditions In Rus
sia there are nihilists, who rebel against
the tyranny ~ car; Spain is at present
disturbed By Cuban patriots; IN Canada
there are road reformcrs. The last men
toned are turbulent, obnoxious and aim
ut state of anarchy.
Bad roads are In every way desira.
Bile They kill time. Farmers have too
much time hanging on their hands.
They don't know what "a do with IL all.
Time is money. Farmers have 50 much
money usually that they can afford 10
kill time They have time Ia burn. But
they don't burn their money-Just time.
We have enjoyed the benefits Of bad
roads 30 long that If they were con
verted into good roads we wouldn't
know how To use them. Every farmer
would be- as uncomfortable as a FiJi is
lander wearing a new suit of clothes
aud fur overcoat How they would
perspire I'm the meantime the horses
perspire.
Bad roads kill horses and help to
keep mp the price. Good roads would
encourage fast driving and would there
by encourage cruelty TO horses. Fast
driving is very immoral With good
roads every farmers son would own a
nice top buggy and would be able 10
keep il clean long enough to drive into
town. and they would want 10 spend
half their time in town. Bad roads keep
them at home. They have to stick tO
the farm because the farm sticks 81
them.
These are few Of the reasons why
we want bad roads. But it does not
complete the list by any means There
are many other matters respecting com
merce, society and civilization which
we have not space Ia even suggcst. Of
course. If they have been applied, III
principle, 10 other matters besides the
roads. we would still be without the
printing press and the steam railway.
We would be without religious and ed.
ucational institutions. There would Ia
no progress, no civilization. The sav-
ages Of central Africa would send mis-
sionaries 10 Us.
Still it Is evident that We want had
roads. In making them the first point
10 observe il that water should be- kept
in the road as much as possible. Dig
trenches along each side Of the wagon
track, but do not provide a fall or out
lets % carry water out of the trenches;
otherwise they will be drains These
trenches should hold water and permit
it 10 soak into the roadbed. keeping II
soft. II the surface Of the road should
by any means get dry, the tires Of We
hicles will easily break through the
crust and sink into the soft foundation
The dirt from these trenches, COM
posed Of sod and clay. should be- thrown
into the center Of the road 80 as TO Sc
cure good depth Of mud. BY keeping
the roadway fiat on the surface there
will be little danger Of aiding drainage
to any extent by the greater height Of
81. hA
and is excellent to keep a road IN
muddy condition.
II gravel must te used on the road.
choose a quality containing plenty Of
sand and clay. This will retain mois-
ture and will yield easily under traffic
in wet weather. There should be plenty
Of big stones TO roll around under the
feet Of the horses and the wheels Of the
vehicle. A rotten culycrt. staining
foot or 80 above the surface of the road.
is almost necessary for the making If
bad road in Its ideal state They break
the monotony, carriages and horses
legs
A road grader is good thing with
which 10 make bad roads. although IN
the hands of an unscrubulous person it
may also be- employed in making good
road. Care should be taken 10 choose
an operator who doesn't know how to
make good road and the chances are
that he will bc successful III producing
bad one. Do not keep one man con
stantly employed on 1t, but pass 1t
around for every one and any one 10 try
his hand on IL is just like plow III
this respect. Do not get an experienced
man in the first instance, and see that
no one gets any experience When using
it on gravel road, always turn the
dirt and sod from the shoulders Of the
road and the bitches in 10 the center OF
the road. II gravel can be- covered by this
means, let the maker Of bad roads wear
blissful smile. He has crowned his
efforts with success. IL the gravel road
was previously good, II will he ruined
by this treatment.
Use narrow tires Wide tires have "A
tendency 10 keep the surface smo"th-
Narrow tires cut into the road and arc
harder for the horses to pull but the
man who has the interests Of lad roads
truly at heart must not hesitate. Be
sides, the horses have 20 do the pulling.
The driver can sit on top OF the load
and smoke. What use are good roads,
anyway We must have time 10 smoke.
II these few principles are carefully
followed out our roads will remain
pretty much a. they are at present for
q numb:r Of years.-Municipal Word.