The Colfax chronicle., 1904-08-20
FARMER RAND PLANTER.
rHE GOOD ROADS QUESTION.
The Time Has Come When Antiqust-
ed Methods Of Road Making
Must Go to the Rear.

8 Good Roads s.-When one who has
worked his way up from the lowest
round OF the ladder arrives at that
time Of life when he is willing to admit
that he Is no longer young and active,
he is apt to become rather conserva-
Tive. He may not become brake to
the wheels Of progress, but he will act
rs check on enthusiasts, and do much |
to prevent unwise action. was ap-
pointed a state delegate to the Ma
tional Good Roads congress, which met
In st. Louis in May, and closely |
watched the proceedings of that body, |
listened to the speeches. and especially |
noted who were pushing things and
the Influences at work to make great
impression and bring results. The men
who are now most active in the good
roads cause are automobile makers
And users, road-machine manufactur-
ers, and men who desire TO keep them
selves prominently identified with the
movement SO as to fall heirs to some
Of the Offices that will be created when
congress takes hold of the matter; and
1t takes such forces to make 1t a go.
There were quite number Of farm
ers at the meetings, and some of them
were quite as enthusiastic as the lead
ers. while others appeared to be some
what fearful that they were being led
into deep water and likely to be
Bwamped with taxes.
The one point that met with great
est favor was that good drainage Is the
first essential to good roads. Every
man who has had any experience in
building roads knows we'll enough that
II Ks useless to build road through a
pond and leave the pond undrained.
The water must be gotten away from
the sides of road by surface-draining.
and from beneath the grade by tile
drainage, before a good road can be
maintained. After drainage comes
grading, and the higher the grading, II
1t is properly done, the easier 1t is to
keep the road in good condition. But
1t Is .he silliest sort of nonsense to
grade a road and then leave 1t; vel
that is exactly what is done all over
the country What sort OF road-bed
would a railroad have IL 1t were left
to take care of itself for three years
1t would be unsafe to run train
mile an hour on 1t. A wagon-roat
needs the same kind OF care that II
given a railroad The surface must b.
kent smooth all the time by the u.s.
OF the road-hone as soon after ever!
shower as the soil will crumble- Thi'
means that the wasteful. Anticipates
method of each farmer working out hi
poll and road tax must be abolisned
and that section men" must be hire
TO care for the roads and keep then
up as they are hired to keep up tn
railroads. When this system Is adopt
ed we can have good roads about te
months in every year without poun
OF gravel. Where stone and gravel ar
abundant. hard roads are the ones 7
build; but in the section l live IN
would cost from three to five thousan
dollars a mile to build hard road
There are quite a number of good-road
advocates who are strongly In fave
OF building the main road betwee
towns of gravel or other hard materia
SO that they will be good the yes
round. but it was stated that 1t woul
be much cheaper in the end to bull
trolleys on such roads.
There are quite a number OF me
wSo advocate the erection Of kilns, an
the manufacture Of small, roundt
brick for surfacing bad places along Il
roads and for use on the approach
10 bridges. Where the soil is suitab
for making such brick, the cost
manufacture would not be great, al
they would make as good roads
gravel. In few sections learn tn
are using the waste Of brick and Il
factories for surfacing bad places
the roads. and this material seems
give excellent satisfaction. Where dl
is the only material available, we mu
depend on drainage and repeated no
ing. Four years ago we had ro
commissioner who was q thorou
roadman-one who declared that q ct
tain section of road that is much ira
eIed and is notoriously bad eis
months IN the year could be made go
and kept good by proper and timely
tention. He was told to try his pl
on it. He first rounded it well up WI
! road-grader drawn by eight hors
and cleaned out the bitches on eitf
aide so that no water could stand
them. This was done In June. Att
ward he ran over the road with ron
hone as soon after every shower as
dirt would begin to crumble, filing
All russ, aud leaving the surface p
feotly smooth and rounded. DUR
those two years that section OF
road was the best in the township, .
the cost Of keeping 1t in that conditi
was very small compared with the b
eats derived Now, one would be
n think that with such an object
nm .,eSore them for two years
Snrme.s and village people would
come enthusiasts on such an easy
simp]e means OF having good 70
f,,lly ten months Of the year lnste
however. majority Of them. aided
abett.d by few of those pestifer
pefty politicians to be found In ev
locality, decided to oust this CONN
stoner Lpcause he did the work h
eelf instead of giving the softer
:, a few parasites. The road m
r<.I<I Ixy