Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1905-02-10
COOLEY ON GOOD ROADS
Head Of State Association
Gives Good Ad-
vice

vice
Geo. R. Cooley, county surveyor of
aenneDin county, and president Of
the Minnesota Good Roads Associa-
tion, delivered two interesting ad-
dresses on various phases of the. good
roads question in this city Tuesday at
the Commercial club. Mr.. Cooley is q
recognized authority on the subject,
and .as result of his visit here q
county good roads association will be
organized. -
There was good attend anoe of
farmers at the afternoon meeting.
Mr.. Cooley went into ..the practical
side of tho matter, showing his audi
ence the dollars and cents part of it.
He gave much valuable advice al to
what could be done with ordinary
material. II has been estimated, and
experience has confirmed the esti-
mates, that ~hereas..i now costs s5
oeuts per ton per mile to haul on poor
roads, with good roads this cost is
reduced to about cents. This of
itself was great argument for i'm
provement, It was generally agreed
that good roads were desirable, all
wanted them but there was diver
gence as to methods and as to kinds.
In ais county $50 miles of good road
had beer built, some of macadam.
but mostly with gravel surface, which
had proven very successful. The secret
was not only in building we'll. but in
maintaining we'll. The gravel surface
roads had cost $40O to 81, 900 a mile,
the macadam 81, 600 to O,OOO. Clay
surface ne did not favor, as being
unreliable in wat weather Scientific
drainage was a part of the art of
good road building. If the roads were
properly built, and facilities for
drainage as they should be, the main
tenance charge would be small. The
problem was "a vital ..one, reached
everybody, and shoul1 be considered
from the standpoint of the common
welfare, .although it meant much in
dividually. It was time to get
through with slipshod.. methods and
reckless expenditures. The people
were entitled TO good roads and tax
payers to 100 cents on the dollar in
work for the money expended.
~ In the evening Mr.. Cooley 7aried
the lines Of his address, giving more
attention to what was being done in
the country at large in behalf Of
good roads. The question was now re-
oognized az Of vital Importance. Be.
fore 1893 only New Jersey gave state
aid to counties; now Maine, New
Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts,
Rhode Island. Connecticut New
York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Cali
fornia. had highway commissions Mr..
Cooley quoted at length from his ad-
dress to the state association Connec-
ttcut pays two-thirds of tho cost. Della
ware one half, Florida gives all of
its internal improvement fund,
Maine appropriates $40, 900 yearly.
Massachusetts gives three. .fourths,
New Jersey one-third and appropri-
ates $3.50. 900 yearly. Massachusetts
gives three -fourths. New Jersey one
third and appropriates $3.50, 900 year.
ly, New York pays one-half and is
considering the issuance of. $50. 900, .
900 in bonds for roads, Pennsylvania
gives two'thirds and has appropriated
36, 500. 600 for use during six years,
Vermont gives one-half. In all cases,
this country and Europe. the best
roads are those built and maintained
by the government. BE had attended
. meeting of the Washington state
association at Bellinghsm, Wash.
where in county of the population of
go, OOO and q valuation of $40. 900. 900.
$50 miles of gravel roads had been
built in the last ten years. and loads
of three to i've tons were being hauled
Is to 20 miles by farmers.
Mr.. Cooley described the conditions
in this state, showing that If proposed
legislation was passed, Morrison coun-
ty would receive large benefits, get
ting much more than paid out. and
supervision would be such that
honest work would be done. He went
very fully into the question of state
and national aid. BE, urged the or
gsnization Of county association az
= help locally and to the movement
in the state.
It was decided to carry out Mr..
Cooley's suggestions, and preliminary
organization of the Morrison County