The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-04-03
DISCUSSES GOOD ROADS.
Correspondent Makes Some Sug-
gestions Worth Considering.
From Mondays Daily.

From Mondays Daily.
On account of the great number of
speakers on the program, it was impos-
sible for a great many of our people to
express their views on good roads and
the few that were called on were wholly
unprepared because they were invited to
listen to speakers from abroad.
The sentiment of the audience was
unanimously against the present system
of improving or rather often of spoil
ing, roads and the poor road boss was
handled without gloves. Not so unani-
nous, however, was the expression of
the audience in regard to state road
commissioners and state inspection of
state roads. 1 am in favor of state aid
for the improvement of our roads more
than / am in favor of state aid for
state bitches, which in many cases mere
ly enhance the value of lands held by
spectators. For roads so built OF i'm
proved by the state there should be Il
state road commission under whose ad-
vice, direction and superintendency such
roads should be constructed and main
tanned. Many states have aided the i'm
provement of roads in various ways
and all have finally agreed that state
aid in this enterprise should only be
expended under state control and direc-
ton, so we may as well profit by the
experiences of these various states and
accept their views as to the best methods
for applying state aid. As to the i'm
provement of our country roads, have
full confidence in the good judgment and
common sense of our county commits
sioners that they will do their duty III
this respect with due care and prudence
If people who elect the commissioners
would only let them alone and not
bring an undue pressure to bear upon
them in the shape of petitions and re.
monstrances then such mistakes as build.
ing the $4,000 Kerns bridge in the wrong
place as is now evidenced by petition
signed by 27O freeholders, would not oc-
cur. The st. Clair bridge is another
example of mislocation and this case
may be true in many other instances.
A state road commission will be OF
great and lasting benefit. The expense
to the state will be insignificant and a
bill appropriating small amount for
the expenses of such commission will
be received with more favor than the
bills providing for the constant raise of
officers salaries in all the state depart
ments. When we look over the national
and state appropriations we must come
to the conclusion that they can stand
great deal of pruning. Large sums are
spent for less beneficial purposes than
the improvement of our highways. 1t
seems to me to be altogether wrong to
undertake the construction of foreign
waterway at the cost of billions of dol
lars and ask our undeveloped country to
pay for it. l refer to the newly under
taken enterprise of constructing the
Panama canal. Connecting the great
lakes with the Atlantic and the improve
ment of our public highways should be
taken up first; thereby giving more peo-
pie a direct benefit.
We have in our state drainage COM
mission and state drainage engineer
whose duties are to supervise the expen-
diture of state appropriations for ditch
ing few counties in the northern part
of the state. The amount asked for
by this commission this year is $780,
600. If national and state legislatures
would be more careful with the respec-
tive funds and make an honest effort to
save money for the improvement of pub
lie roads, great deal could be accom-
plished by aiding the construction of
stone or gravel roads where these sup
plies are reasonably near at hand, and
where these supplies cannot be obtained
the only salvation is to aid the construc-
ton of rural electric roads by state aid,
and even national aid. And is far more
necessary than to subsidy steamboat
lines crossing the ocean. Water rates are
cheap enough now.
The proposed road from Mankato to
Eagle Lake, understand, is to be 80
feet wide. 1t would be better to shrink
the width even one-half and make it
twice as long as calculated for the length
of good gravel road is of much more
than its width. To construct
a 10 foot gravel road upon solid foun-
dation will take 1900 cubic yards per
mile for an S-inch solid covering. This
will show the impracticability of con-
structing such roads in the black soil
district. believe a few electric roads
from Mankato into the farming districts
will do more good to the retail trade of