Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-02-21
SPEND $4,000 A YEAR.
That's the Enormous Sum Spent
Annually on Marshall Coun-
ty Roads.
'Ex-Supervisor Marsh Presents
Some Practical Advice on
the Problem.
Says the Time For Action Has
Arrived--Enough Money
Now Raised.


Now Raised.
Editor Times Republican; There
seems to be little difference of opinion
regarding the desire for better roads,
hut decided disinclination to incur
much greater expense in procuring
them. want better roads but dosnot
yet feel like taxing ourselves addition
ally tor that purpose And it Viii prob
ably be many years before serious
thought will be given 10 other than dirt
roads. excepting perhaps when a much
isaveled road is particularly bad o.,
Where good road material is convenient
and cheap. The pertinent questions
then. are How to make good dirt roads
and how to proceed TO get Them There
IS plenty of law to meet all the needs of
the situation, but road making as now
mostly pursued lacks system, uniforms
|ty and knowledge of road engineering.
There are probably fifty road super
s'isors in the county. each pursuing his
own individual plan, which Will of
course result in all sorts and conditions
eff roads. The greater part Of them, too,
are selected not becalls. of superior skill
but because they may be available Or
Inecd a job. Two things readily suggest
themselves uniform and improved
Inlsthpds of road making and consolida-
ton Of road districts and other changes
Hooking toward greater efficiency.
Marshall county has about 1000 miles
OF highway and spends upon it $4,000
Ter Year. or $50 per mile average. for
read work and bridging This is about
equal TO the yearly expenditures of the
General county fund. over which 50.
much care is used and public solicituds
felt. Mould it not he a good business
procedure to exercise a similar care.
lover the expenditures for highway pur-.
posss?.
How can uniform and improved meth
losis of road making be realized under
the present law? Section l.4s2 of TIM
code says. The beard of Supervisors
I has the general supervision OF the roads
'cf the county ard are TO see that the
laws ii relation 10 them shall be car
ilied MAO fleet What better superyis-
Jon could they exercise than 10 formu-
I'late a general system of road making TO
% carried out by township trustees and
read supervisors?
should be prepared and presented to
every board of trustees in the county
accompanied with the reaues that they
b. carried into use upon the roads under
tllsir eais 81 far at least as they Will
ianfiy 20 local conditions. would it not
4 be a long step in the direction of uni-
form and improved road makingo
e consolidation Of road districts or
ether changes leading to greater eff-
3sisacy. trustees at their April meeting
oaa determine whether their township
lsfIl be organized as one or more road
idsztriicss and determine how, when ana
ssre their road fund is to be ex
sdHd. They can also determine
her any Of the tax can be paid in
sir also as 10 how Il may be paid
her as heretofore to the road super
SCR Or township clerk or certified up
ard collected by the county treasur-
ther taxes have observed this
;n public business that SO long as the
ltlms Is snsnt in talking about doing
thin is not very liable to BIZ done
hut when action is taken the difficulties
wiii be overcome and the Nay will be
opened. Every board of trustees In tte
county should take some action in this
some Of them feel that they arenot ready
TO consolidate tiejr road districts, let
th.m al least make wllatever orgar.iza-
tiun they decide upon al, effective and
efficient as possible II 4, useless ID.
wa.t for a united sentiment, for such Is
not likely 10 occur. and srldrsS or less cri-.
ticisni viii follow almost any departure
from tn. old ways. / bel.ev . 81, is within
the power 81 our public officials TO solve
this road question quite satisfactorily To
the general public, Without imposing
additional taNatinn Nine months OF tho
Year we have excellel roads, a. it is.
They're like the little girl in the nursery
rhyme
When they're good they are very. very
good
But wheIl they're bad they're lust hor
rid
by proper road work the period If
good roads might BE- extended to eleven
months with no create cps ex nens5itnra
than new To get rid Of ths otl,er month
Will cal for an expense far our of uro
portion to the benefits received. OF
course ii would be very nice TO be. re-
iieved from this one month of bad roads,
but would ii no, be- a good business
proposition to first cover the twa
months, by good efficient and systenatiss
Expenditure Of the road taxes now pro-
vided Tor. Before The final bridge Is,
yea he'd there svili be ample time 10 pre-