The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-10-11

same, bonds to be authorized by vote
at the..annual town meeting. 4. I'm
der the county act the board of chosen
freeholders of any county may desig-
nate certain roads as county roads, and
improve the same by the issue of
county bonds, townships to pay one
third of the costs. 3. Under the
county state aid law, whenever the
owners of two thirds of the land
fronting on any public road will un
dertake to pay tenth of the cost of
improving such road, the board o.
chosen freeholders may cause such i'm
provements to be made, the state paw
ing one-third of the costs up to. at
present, the limit Of $3.50, 600 per year,
Under the township state aid law,
wherever the owners of two-thirds of
lands fronting the public road will
undertake to pay One-tenth of the cost
of improving the same, the township
committee may cause such improve
ments to be made, the state paving
one-third of the cost, less ten per
cent, and the township 81 per cent,
the township forever keeping the road
in repair.
The rate of taxation for road pur-
poses in any county must not exceed
one-fourth of per cent annually.
One Of the most practical talks of
the session was given by Mr.. G. w.
Ross of the engineering corps of the
Massachusetts Highway commission,
and also formerly street commissioner
of the city of Newton, Mass. He ex-
planned fully the work of construction
the methods, cost, nature of roads.
the maintenance Of the same.
In Massachusetts the state paws the
whole cost. Macadam is the prefer
able road built, the standard being Is
feet wide and inches deep, sometimes
but inches deep. In sections where
stone costs too much gravel is used, and
on all roads where it is practicable to
obtain gravel, the shoulder outside the
macadam is made of gravel The state
owns II steam rollers, a machine of
ten tous being the one mostly used, it
being less liable to break down bridges
and giving better results on gravel or
soft roads than heavier one the ten
dency of a heavy roller on soft road
bed being to make soft quaking mass
instead of compacting the road, 1.-THE
city of Albany, N. Y, the past season
discontinued the use of a 13-ton roller
for the same reason.
In the Cape Cod district, one man
and team is given eight miles to main
tain in the mountains eleven miles,
the man and team to work the whole
time.
The Commission has trunk system
of /, 800 miles mapped out and have
800 of it built. The appropriation is
$780, 600 and the commission have been
offered $500, 900 but decline it as it
could not be pro6tably expended. Mr..
Ross stated that good road enhanced
the value of adjoining property and
was a great saving in time and labor
to the users of the road, two-horse
team doing the work that three for
merly did. In this talk, as in most of
the others there was shown a DISPOSE
ton to adapt the methods to the neces-
stiles of the case The convention
had no time for the long winded the
orist. He was kindly given "leave to
print his document in the official pro-
ceedings. There were many other
valuable papers, which we cannot
print for lack of space and time.
INC NCouIuliUDS.
The following sentiments were
adopted in suitable resolutions:
That the government good roads
Office should be enlarged to a road
bureau.
That $3.50, 900 be given annually to
this work.
That the work of the National Good
Roads association be highly COM
mended.
That the Illinois Central and the Lake
Shore and Michigan Southern rail
roads be rendered vote of thanks for
their hearty support of the good roads
work.
That rural free delivery be rapidly
extended.
That the excellent work of the
League of American Wheelmen be
commended.
That the government should carry to
rapid completion the contemplated
system of roads in the Yellowstone
national park.
That convict labor, where practic-
able, be employed on our highways.
Conclusions.
We see no good reason why Man
kato, situated as it is in the heart of
the stone industry could not pro6tably
own and operate a stone crushing
plant. using a class of stone that has
no value to the quarrymen, it being
too hard and brittle for commercial
purposes and being but bill of ex-
pense at present.
This plant could be operated as eff
GENTLY as our 2"m roller and our
waterworks p :" products
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