The Iola register., 1902-04-11
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENTS.

JlOn IOf HOOu fO0dS WnlCn DegAn
few years ago, really initiated by the
manufacturers of bicycles and the
clubs of bicycle riders, has had for
one of its results the establi ishment of
Road Division in the Department of
Agriculture. Congress makes an APP
preparation Of about $40. 900 annually
for carrying on this work. For the
most part the money is expended in
gathering and publishing facts relat-
ing to the proper construction of
roads, in testing road material and in
paying salaries of road experts. The
most important and practical work of
the Division durir ~ the past two years
has been the construction of model
roads in number of States of the
Union. In order that these sections
of road may be built, the Division CO.
operates with the railroads, manufact-
urers of road making machinery and
the locality where the road is to be
built. The railroads furnish trans
portation, the manufacturers furnish
the machinery and the men to operate
it, the localities furnish the common
labor connected with the work, and
the National Roads Division furnishes
the expert engineers and road makers.
BY means of this cooperation a sec
tion of road can be built at practically
no expense to the government and at
very sligh. expense to the locality
which will serve asia model for a large
scope of country The railroads get
their money out of it by running eX-
cursions, while the manufacturers re-
gard their expenditure as an adver-
tisement fortheir machinery.
Soon after coming here last fall
called on the men in charge of this
road work at the Department of Agri-
culture, and endeavored to secure
their promise to construct model
road at lola as soon as they could
make 1.-THE necessary arrangements.
They entertained the suggestion in a
very favorable manner, and promised
to give lola an opportunity to be
heard when the next roadmaking train
goes out through that part of the coun-
try. Another result OF the visit was
an invitation to me to attend Nation
al Good Roads convention, which was
to be held at Charlottville, Virginia,
where road was being constructed
under the supervision of the depart
ment from Monticello, the home of
Thomas Jefferson, to the University
of Virginia, the great institution which
he founded. That convention was held
yesterday, and was very glad to ac.
cept the invitation TO attend it, for a
special train was put at the disposal
of Washington visitors, and a very
distinguished company made use of it
TO visit the historic old town.
1t was the first time had ever been
farther south OF Washington than
Mount Vernon and was greatly in
teresled in observing the nature of the
country through which the train pass
ed. To man accustomed all his life
to the black soil and the boundless
fertility of the Missouri and the Mis-
sissippi valleys this looks like "A
poor, poor country. 1t is hilly, OF
course, and the soil is red and thin
and sterile | presume that without
constant fertilization it would be
practically worthless. and even with
the utmost care that can be bestowed
upon it, it must yield but a poor re.
turn for the labor involved in sowing
and cultivating and reaping the har.
vest. | was surprised to find so great
proportion of it still covered with
timber. For the most part the trees
are small, probably the new growth
that has sprung up since the primeva
forest was cut down and made into
lumber. | presume so much of the
country is allowed to continue IL
forest for the reason that the soil IL
too poor to repay the toll of clearing
Off the timber and grubbing out thu
roots. Once in awhile there appears {
country house that might almost b,
called a mansion, but these are yer!
rare exceptions, and doubtless indi
cate an ownership of many hundred
of acres. For the most part the farm
houses are small and old and rusty
with the inevitable outside chimney
at each end and with nothing abou
them in the way of orchards or out
buildings to indicate anything NOR
than the most meager method Of life
1t is not a cheerful country.
1t is an interesting countr5, though
and beautiful to look at when on
leaves out details and lets his visiol
take wide range so that it sweep
over the grassy valleys, just showing
a tinge of green, and the timbe
nnrnnnd hilla a.unllinm into Ihn In "