The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-05-22
Large Attendance At the Good Roads
Conference This Afternoon.
Much Interest Is Displayed In the
Talk BY Mr.. Cooley.
0verseers Will Profit BY the Gather
ing.--Those Who Were There.
From TUESDAYS Daily,

rom tuesdays DAILY.
The good roads meeting of township
supervisors and others, held at the board
of trade room this afternoon was attend
ed by about sixty persons, who filled the
hall completely. The unexpectedly
large attendance, considering the busy
season for farmers and the bad roads,
showed gratifying interest. The meet
ing was a success.
The following are some of the gen
tlemen who were present.:
F. w. Lossow, st. Clair; Mark L.
iWildes, Mankato route 4; Geo. Schultz,
route 4; Jacob Schwickert, route 8; John
j. Miller, route 3; Anton Hartung, route
g; Otto Juliar, Mapleton; Dennis Smith,
city; j. Nolan, Oshawa; M. Borgmeier,
city; John Anderson, Smiths Mill; M. Y.
Hoagland, Eagle Lake; Mic Juliar, city;
M. F. Crane, Garden City; Lester Elem
/ ing, Vernon Center; Frank Nickerson,
Rapidan; P. ]. Pertroth, Rapidan; JOS.
Kern, Good Thunder; John DUNN, Ma
pleton; A. Little, Mapleton; Eric Hol-
berg, Good Thunder; Robert Swartout,
lefty; Andrew Hotengren, Mankato route
IL; Michael Huehl, Eagle Lake route l;
1. ]. Romack, Eagle Lake; c. c. Johnson,
Rapidan; G. E. Mcneil, Mankato; w. E.
Thomas, Butternut.
F. w. Lossow called the meeting to or
! der. He said that better roads are an
absolute necessity and for this reason the
movement will not die until the enemy
has been conquered. Farmers have to
90 out on the rodas in all weather
Roads may not be constructed that will
never be muddy, but they can be made
so as not to be muddy as long as they
, are. There is no ground for prejudice
against the city in this matter, as it
pays one third of the taxes and the
road fund is all spent outside of the
city. 1t has been claimed that the auto
mobile riders and manufacturers are
backing the good roads movement. If
this is so, it is WELL 1.-THE man who
would rather walk fourteen miles to save
! nickle is no benefit to the farmers. The
most skilled men are employed in the
manufacture of automobiles, and they
cost great deal. The government should
give the states some money to help
; build roads, 100000 to each instead of
sending package of cabbage seed. He
introduced Geo. w. Cooley of Minneapo
lis, who gave an excellent address.
Mr.. Cooley said that he had built roads
for forty years, and done nothing else
the past five years. He said that the
roads that are needed the most should
be improved the most, but they should be
SO located as to be of the most service
and avoid hills and sloughs. 1t will also
save cost over locating along section
lines regardless of the topography of the
country. We should build for all time.
AS a general rule the roads should be
laid out so as not to have valleys that
cannot be drained. 1t is mistake to
build wooden culverts, as they rot out
and cave in Drainage is most impor
tant thing.
Besides plows and scrapers, first class
road machine should be secured, and
made good use of. The road should be
so made as to shed water. Gravel is not
always the best material to use unless
there is something to make it bind-es-
pecially with river gravel.
Railroads are being made twenty feet
wide in cuts, with five foot gutter on
each side. 1t will not do for travel to
pack a clay road, as the first rain
will spoil the work done. A heavy roller
should be used. The main point in using
gravel is to make it consolidate with
the material underneath. A two foot
ditch with stones on the side, fiat stones
on top, and packed with gravel will
take care of the spring water. Tile is
not good, as freezing will burst it. To
have good road in the spring, water
must be kept away with it.