Rocky Ford enterprise., 1901-08-23
A Sugar Beet
Grower Trapped.


answer a question for me through
the columns of your rightly
named paper. The question is,
how will 1 ever get to Rocky Ford
with my beets? Last spring when
the sugar beet fever was rading
the country it worked me
up high into the attic of expecta-
ton and made a contract for five
acres. To show a greater syma.
thy for the beet industry, / put in
nearly seven acres, not thinking
much about the distance l had to
haul. Friends. give me a punch
once in awhile by saying, "Your
beets look good to be so far out
from town." would say yes, but
town don't cut any ice out here.
Since I have been making prepar-
alton to haul it may cnt some ice
yet. A short time ago the agri-
culturist OF this district was hero
on his first trip. he says to me:
II you get your beets watered and
cultivated good once more, you
will have 10 or 20 tons per mere.
That did surprise me. That is
more hauling than I ever dreamed
Of. as most people thought that
beets would not do well very fur
out from Rocky Ford. But as
this is IL or II miles out it will
be quite an experiment for all Of
US, for they are doing fine.
But the road! the road! There
is where the trap is, Mr.. Editor.
This end Of the road for 4 or )
miles is something horrible aud
n disgrace for any county officer
to claim connection with IN a pros.
porous, civilized country like this.
This road 10 especially valuable
~ the main outlet to the cednrs
for Rocky and Ford surrounding
country for wood and posts. This
road onght to be in . condition
second 10 mono in the county. but
instead il il about the poorest.
That being the case il causes
great deal OF unnecessary hard.
ships to those compelled TO use il
at all times, good or bad. The
officials have promised time aud
again to come out aud grade il up
in goal shape. But alas, time
goes on and We still have the same
old chain Of mud holes. or else
when il is dry it is very rough.
something similar TO an Illinois
stump road. Many times parties go
after timber in n great hurry aud
get back all right 10 this part Of
the road aud miro down. aud have
to leave their loaded wagons,
grub boxes, bedding and go home,
remain few days then. they have
to make an extra trip with extra
teams TO get their load home.
This is uncalled for and unneces-
sary hardship mud trouble.
The road ought to be graded mp
SO the water could not stand in
and nil over il. Another trouble
IL. the farmers have driftcd into
the habit Of carelessly irrignting
the ronds. This has become
chronic and will be hard to stamp
out, unless the right authorities
take hold of the perpetrators.
But that seems Ms big job as to
get boys TO cut weeds Mt the back
of the field.
Once in n great while the county
authorities drop out here In n
great hurry, some afternoon when
it looks stormy, to inspect the
bridge and the road and no with
good enough sguint with goo goo
eyes and promise too light for
shadow or effort, back they go and
the repairs are relegated 10 the
sweet by and by.
1t is astonishing how such cir.
cumstanees can remain unnoticed
and everybody SO unconcerned.
The bridge, (up TO n few days ago,
has been an open trap NIL spring
and summer, by plank being
out of the floor And BY the
average wood hauler it is not con-
sidered safe at all for the large
loads. 1t is only n question of
time when it will let some good
old taxpayer to the bottom with
his great load of ruins.
This is n good, thriving, law
abiding and good road-loving
community. We pay our taxes.
We have to 90 to Rocky Ford rs
that is our market. The writer is
deprived Of some two acres of land
for the bridge and road uses above
the lawful right of way. Now why
not give us a decent road, either
over or around those mud holes
or reservoirs. We have lived here
six years and have had only one