Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1904-03-08
NEED BETTER ROADS
J. B. MoWERY SAYS SUBJECT is
ONE OF THE. MOST IMPORT.
ANT BEFORE THE PEOPLE.
Business Affairs Of the Country Much
Concerned in the Move - Favors a
Thorough Organization and Nation
al and State Aid.

itation for good roads which is becom-
ing general over the entire state, J. B.
MoMery, vice president of the Wapel-
10 County Good Roads association,
writes as follows:
In my Judgment this is one of the
most important subjects that we have
before us for consideration and is one
OF the things that has been greatly
neglected. The states that are now
making the greatest progress in road
construction, are those that are real
izing that the common road is the
common interest of all. 1t is about
the only subject in which all young
and old, rich and poor, every class,
color and condition of men may be
equally benefited or injured, by the
condition of the roads. The business
affairs of the country are very much
concerned in this move and when we
stop to consider the Indifference of the
business men as a rule on this subject
of improving the highways of the coun-
try, it seems appalling. The farmer is
interfered with in transportation of
his crops at the proper season. The
merchants grumb1e because he has
no trade.
'The season is passing rapidly and
his goods are passing their time upon
the shelves when they ought to be out
and sold, and still he is ignorant that
he has any concern as to good roads.
think the cities and towns and people
who represent the commercial interest
should have vital interest in the bet
terment of the roads that lead into the
town. Hence, l repeat it, think this
| is a subject that should concern every
individual.
| Move in Right Direction.
/ 1The question is now being agitated
lall over the country and is attracting
attention and it is matter for US to
devise ways and means for the best
possible plan to better the condition of
the roads. We cannot hope to have
our roads macadamized at once, but
the immediate purpose is to make a
start and I believe this is a move in
the right direction. I am strongly in
favor of national aid, state aid, and
county aid in the building of these
roads and we might just as we'll "get
into the band-wagon" for it is going to
come soon. For the present, we will
have to proceed as our finances will
admit of it and the amount of appropri
alton we receive for this purpose, but
this one thing we can do: We have a
uniform system of working our roads
and of adopting the plan of drainage,
for this is the key to success in max
ling the earth roads and is sure
means of keeping them up after they
are once we'll drained. Water is de-
structive to any road, especially to a
dirt road. Therefore, drainage that
will at once carry away rain fall or
melting snow Is absolutely necessary.
Endorse New Road Law.
"I heartily endorse the new road law
as it is a step in the right direction.
yet there is room for some amend
ments and it is pointing in the direc-
| tion of having the road work done in a
more systematic way than we have
had heretofore by the means of adopt
| ing a more uniform system. This
country is almost, if not the richest
in the world. yet it has the poorest
wagon roads in the world SO far as we
can ascertain. Where good roads have
been built, farm values have increased
because it is easier to get produce to
market and life is made pleasanter for
the owner of the land. 1t is quite true
| of any individual buying farm that
he would give more for the land per
acre if it was located on a good road
leading to his market town.
"Now, the question of organization
in our state and county is very impor-
[tant and we never knew of any great
thing in life being accomplished except
by thorough organization and persist
ent work and all we need now Is what
we have needed all the time, to put
money behind the enterprise. The
question comes up how shall we pro-
ceed to get the money? The best plan
that have to suggest is that we favor
the national, state and county aid to
write to our congressman to vote for
Brownlow bill, which is now before
the congress of the United States at
Washington, which provides for an ap.
preparation by congress to the amount
of s24,000,000 to be used for the i'm
provement of the public roads. 1t
provides that $S,O00,0O0 of this money
shall be paid annually for three years.
1t is to be divided among the different
states according to their population,
1 except that no state is to receive less
than $25O,000 of this money, and each
state and county or town receiving
federal aid, must add like amount to
the sum received from the United
States government. This appropriation
is certainly as meritorious and as con-
sistent as an appropriation for the i'm
lprovement of rivers and harbors and
for that purpose there was appropria-
ted in 1903, s32,540,199 which goes to
the benefit of commerce and largely
helps cities. Little of this large sum
is spent in interior states except in the
Mississippi Delta. This bill provides
for the creation in the department of
agriculture bureau to be known as
the bureau of public roads, and pro-
vides for system Of national, state
and local cooperation in permanent
improvement of the public highways.
If this bill should pass, our state would
receive $647,000, which amount would
be of great assistance in the improve
ment of the roads in our state and
, county.
"Let us note what other states are
doing in the way Of appropriations;
| first; New Jersey appropriates annu-
ally state aid of s250,000; the state
pays one-third of the cost, the coun-
ties twothirds and ten per cent of the
counties share may be assessed on the
towns. The state has appropriated
during the past ten years $1,515,16s:
| the counties have snent mora tb,n