The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1903-05-22
ALErrER.
CONTINUED FRONTAGE 1.

CONIlN JED fiON fA6t 4.
even yet there is good reason for many
of the farmers about the county to feel
uneasy for fear they will lose their free
delivery routes Mr.. Daboll told me
very plainly in the course of the CONVEX
sation that he had understood that there
were some Shiawassee county farmers
now receiving the service who did not
seem to care much for it, did not care
enough about it to even work out their
legitimate road tax, to say nothing Of
voting any extra sum for the improve
ment of the roads in their townships
and districts. He further plainly said
that he expected within few days to
go after some of these cases. and unless
there were evidences of an honest de-
sire to meet the department half way by
providing good roads for It's carriers to
drive over people need not feel aggrieved
Il the service were discontinued in sew
eral instances.
AS you all know, the powers of q
highway commissioner are decidedly
limited 1t is little indeed that he can
do unless the sentiment of the township
is strongly supporting him and then
even it is decidedly limited by the
amount of the appropriation which the
township itself makes. But there is too
much at stake now to wait for the &C
ton of any highway commissioner or
town meeting. The only thing which
can be reasonably and safely done by
every farmer who enjoys the benefits of
freerural delivery, or who hopes to under
join at once with his neighbors, or those
of his neighbors who are public spirited
enough to join with him, and make
beginning on the roads over which these
routes are run. Do not plow them up
and drag all the sods from the side of
the road into the center, piling them in
huge windrow. Mark out the places
where water stood over the road one,
two, OF three feet deep last spring, and
lay ont drain which will keep your
entire roadbed dry. Drain your road
bed first of ALL, then grade it, and leave
the sods away outside of both roadbed
and drain. 1t makes better fertilizer
anyway. than it does roadbed. Then
when you have it thoroughly drained
and properly graded, don't be afraid Of
getting on too much good gravel. Dol
lars spent in such work now will return
good interest every year as long as you
live, and every dollar so spent will in
addition increase the value of every
acre of your farm, making an increase
In the aggregate far greater than the
amount expended.
But the matter cannot be put off.
Since writing the first of this letter
have been informed that Inspector Da-
boil will probably be in this county to
rearrange the rural free delivery routes
sometime next week. He will probably
spend from two to three or even four
weeks here looking over every road.
For the benefit of the farmers of the
county who have already been enjoying
the service, and those others who will
enjoy it if the conditions are found up
ON examination to be favorable, sin
cerely trust that every farmer who sees
this letter will unite with every one of |
his neighbors who also sees this, and the |
others whom he may tell of it; to put |
the roads of the county in better shape
than they have ever been before. One
thing is certain from the remarks made
10 nae recently by Inspector Daboll, no
extensions of the service will be made.
and some places which now have service
will lose it, unless there is more evil |
dsnce of determination to make the |
roads of the county fit to be travelled
over at all times Of the year.
Yours very truly,
U. s. RACE,
Highway Commissioner for Caledonia.