Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-05-03
Northwestern's Work Done In
Realization That It Will
Aid Its Interests
MAKES A BETTER DISTRIBUTION
Bad Roads the Cause of Irregular
Traffic and Consequent Flooding Of
the Markets-RaiIways and Produce
ers Both Receive Benefit From Bet
ter Hishways-capitaI Comment.
to Times- Republican.

Special to TimeS-RepuDllcan.
Des Moines, May 2. - Henry wal
lace believes that the day of the road
grader is gone by and that the roads
of Iowa will soon be In excellent con-
dition thru the application of the King
road drag The Northwestern railroad
which became interested In the idea
OF running good roads special trains
thru the solicitation Of MIR. Wallace
Eis now preparing to carry the idea
further and for selfish purposes to fur
.ther educate the people on the prob
lem of good roads. Superintendent
whalen said the other day that dur
ing the times this spring when the
weather was bad and the roads were
breaking up not over thirty per cent
of the rolling stock of the road was
in use because the farmers were bring
ing nothing to market. AS soon as
the roads became settled again he says
the capacity of the road was taxed
to the uttermost to haul the stun.
Now they desire to get such roads that
the nroduce will come to market in
a steady stream. 1t is possible that
the road will engage a man to devote
all his time to the matter OF GOOD
roads. Thus far the ieea Is not work
ed out. Mr.. Wallace has been invit-
ed to go to Chicago and consult with
the management Of the road as soon
as the Chicago strike is over and at
that time it is possible the road may
determine on some definite plan for
further carrying on the campaign.
Mr.. Wallace says that the idea of
making roads is merely all adaptation
OF the IDEAS used by the potter in
working up clay and that the King
drag used on an old road where the
vegetable matter has been worked out
OF the ground is sure to make good
roads and even better roads than these
made by the road grader. The road
grader pulls the stuff from the gutter
up to the middle Of the road and as
soon as the vegetable matter decays
1t leaves holes. The drag by being
used frequently keeps these holes NIL
ed up and the teams driving over the
road mashes 1t down and that makes
the road. Mr.. Wallace's theory Is that
the pure clay will burn hard In the
sun and If so rounded that the water
will run off readily will stand all sorts
of travel. He says that the reason
water will stand In hog wallow IS
because the bottom has been tramped
solid by the hogs and be believes that
a road will turn water If tramped SOL
i'd In the same way.
The good roads specials have been
discontinued for the present, but as
stated the Northwestern will take the
matter up in some form or other in
short time. The officers Of the road
figure that by educating the farmers
along their right-of-way they will get
the bulk Of the trade in the neighbor-
hood, For instance. If another road
runs parallel ten miles distant and the
farmers on the five miles bordering
the Northwestern make good roads int
Northwestern will not only get a
steady stream of produce but the far
mer living six miles from the North
western will haul his produce over the
good road towards the Northwestern
rather than over the four miles OF poor
road to the competitor. In that way
the Northwestern will have increased
its traffic about 20 per cent.
A man up in the northern part OF the
state has made an Improvement on the
King drag. He has taken a strip of
iron from an old reaper that turns up
a trifle This cuts the dirt better than
the straight edge of the King drag.
Adjutant General w. H. Thrift has
received word from the war depart
ment that additional targets will -be
erected at the government rifle rar,,..
at Fort Des Moines, so that there will
be plenty for the guards to use at the
time of the state encampment. This
will mean saving Of about $500 to
the state. The old grounds at Cedar
Rapids will not be released. The lease
expires some time this summer. Had
1t been necessary to use the old
grounds considerable repairs would
have been necessary. General Thrift
took the matter up with the war de-
partment and has now received word
thru Colonel Thomas at the fort that
the additional targets will be erected.
This will also give Gen. Thrift
chance to use the old targets at the old
grounds for use on some of the COM
pany ranges. They will be sent out to
the companies that deserve and need
them
The decorations at the state house
are making more rapid progress at this
time than for some time. The house
chamber can not be touched for a
couple Of weeks yet for the reason that
the plastering is not thoroughly dried.
The contract with Mr.. Garnsey also
calls for the decoration of the supreme
court room The decorators will not
have an opportunity to get at that,
however, till the middle or last Of June
as the court will be in session on the
second period Of the May term till that