The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1899-08-03
BE tier HICHW AVS.
1t Is Up to the Business Men of
Princeton and the Town
Authorities. ~.".".. I'd
One Thousand Dollars Should Be
Raised Without Much Effort
in This Village.

+ 9 4
LastWeek the UNION referred to the
great Importance of good roads. If
Princeton S business men wish to re-
tain their present lucrative trade with
the farmers of the surrounding coun-
try steps must be taken Immediately
to secure better roads. The county
commissioners of Mile Laos county
are to5be commended for the generous
road policy they have pursued in re-
cent years, but only small share of
the county road funds can be ex-
pended in the south end of the county
In: years gone by the south end of the
county received the lions share of the
countysroad fund, but now the north
ern and central portions of the county
are fast settling up, and the settlers of
| those sections are justly entitled to
their proportionate share of the county
road money.
The town of Princeton until quite
recently embraced all of Mile Laos
county, save three congressional town
ships, and the greater share of road
funds raised by the town were ex-
pendedsin the improvement of roads in
relationship of Princeton (36-26). A
fewyea agothe village of Princeton
completely severed it's connections
with the township of Princeton, and
since that time the village has been
separate road district, and no taxes for
township road purposes have been
levied within the village limits. The
two southern tiers of sections of
Princeton township are in the sandy
belt. The soil is highly productive,
and the roads that traverse these south
ern sections are the main thorough
fares leading into the village and are
constantly lined with teams, especially
in thefall of the year. It is to the
Improvement of the roads in this belt
of country and their continuation in
the adjoining counties of Isanti and
|Sherburne that we wish to call atten-
4 ton, As ~. .
I Only the other other day the writer
was talking with a resident of the
fourishing village of Alexandria, and
he informed us that last year the citi-
zens and the municipal authorities Of
that village jointly raised $1,000 for
the improvement of all roads leading
into the village: the money was
judiciously expended by committee
appointed by the citizens and the vii
lage council, and the business men Of
Alexandria are more than pleased
with the results obtained
If the highways leading into Prince
ton are to be improved this season the
business men OF Princeton must take
the initiative. No great amount of as
sistance can be expected from the
several towns, and the village as a
village has about all it can handle in
putting in an electric light and water
plant. Undoubtedly the town su-
; pervisors of Princeton, Bogus Brook
and Greenbush will cooperate
heartily with the citizens of
Princeton village, as also will the town
boards of Blue Hill and Baldwin in
Sherburne county, and Spencer Brook,
Wyanett and Dalbo in Isanti county.
The farmers who live along the roads
that are to be improved will also lend
helping hand, and the farmers who
are obliged to traverse these roads to
get to market will certainly contribute
their share.
How do you propose to improve these
sandy roads? OF COURSE it. would cost
an immense sum of money to make
permanent improvements on these
roads; permanent improvements can
: not be effected in one nor inv half-a-
dozen years. But a good thick coat
ing of straw or slough grass on the
sandy stretches of road will work a
wonderous change, and if the treat
ment is repeated for several years
good hard roads will be the result.
; Where it is feasible coating of gravel
and clay would be more satisfactory
: and lasting. The authorities of Green
bush town have demonstrated what
clay and gravel will do for a sandy
road-and by the way. the town of
EGreenbush is. getting a splendid sys-
tenn of roads. The cost Of strawing d
& piece of road is comparatively small,
land thousands Of tons sof straw are
wasted annually in this vicinity.
I Princeton business men have derived
an immense trade from the country
I. east Of here; if they expect to retain
that trade they must assist in improv-
ing the roads leading in that direction.
Farmers will not haul produce over a
long stretch OF bad road if they can
\ avoid it. Heretofore they have hauled
II their produce TO PrincntOn$ hAcausn