The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1905-04-13
GOOD ROADS BRING
BIG TRADE TO CITY
Those Affected See End of
Long Suffering Through
Neglect

Good country roads means every
thing TO st. Paul; Increases in all
branches of trade and more money in
2 the pockets of local merchants" said
DR.. T. c. Fulton. legislative represent
ative from White Bear, yesterday.
The bill recently passed in the leg
islature providing for better roads by
authorizing the Ramsey board of coun-
~ commissioners to expend money ap-
propriated for roads at their discretion,
means merely that road building will be
placed on solid. substantial business
basis, that will involve little expense
and great efficiency
The board has been crippled in the
past by reason of the fact that il had
neither the money nor authority to build
the kind of roads that this county
should possess. Under the new bill,
however, the county will soon have
first class roads that will last for scores
years entailing in the meantime little
expense for repairs
The bill. while specifying no mate
rial, Will undoubtedly result in the lay
Ing of heavy macadam roads. The
present macadam roads are of little
value, the layers being too light and
wearing away under travel and adverse
weather. The roads leading to the
northwest are not good, due to the fact
that the commissioners heretofore have
been without authority or money TO
lay the roads as they should have
properly been laid. and to keep them I'm
repair.
No More DAZZLING
There will be no dabbling with road
making in the future and everything
VIII be conducted on solid business
basis. In the past little stretches of
road have been laid here and there,
but no continuous road OF any quality
has been built. The commissioners can
now proceed to build roads entire that
VIII be credit to the county and will
be of a quality equal to any in the
United States
trade that IL might have had in the
past by reason of the fact that the
roads were bad. Farmers with wagons
laden with produce destined for the
city found il impossible to traverse the
roads leading TO this city. The wheels
sank into the mud and mire and sand
up TO the hubs frequently. and at the
least 1t was a terrible strain on the
horses. As result much of the trade
that rightfully belonged to st. Paul
went to Minneapolis, and st. Paul was
the loser.
The gain that the city will secure
when the roads are completed will be
represented in cash The produce deal
ers VIII secure greater trade and the
TIT ldADlCES ScCuIe IOT Inelf
produce will be spent in St. Paul. What
this will amount to in the course of ten.
or twelve years cannot be estimated"
Representative Alvin Rowe of the
Eighth ward, regarding good roads.
said:
The county commissioners have now
the power to act If they build the
roads as they should be built, laying
the macadam thick enough, il will be
one of the best things for the city that
has ever been done. The roads should
be built right to last for years without
necessitating repairs. As an instance
of what can be done in road building.
there is the stretch of macadam on
Rice street which has been laying now
Tor some five or six years and on which
not II has been spent for repairs
Roads Are Bad
The present roads to the north are
very bad. There is a stretch of good
road one mile this side of the 500 rail-
road crossing. but from there TO Anoka
county the roads are very poor indeed
A cut at the 500 crossing, near the new
bridge. is typical of the greater part
OF the road. The road in this cut is
nlled with sand and mud and il is next
TO impossible to drive drought the cut.
The banks to the height of twenty-five
rect on either side of the cut were made
so that rains wash down the sand and
make travel through the cut impossi-
bic.
All the county roads should be plac-
ed in good condition. and the highways
leading into the city, including por-.
tons of the city streets, should be
made as good possible. Under the pro-
visions of the new bill giving the coun-
" commissioners the power that they
sought. / think we viii be able to Sc
cure the roads that are badly needed
Doth by the city and the farmers"