Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1906-12-21
COOLEY ON ROADS
State Engineer Talks to
Merchants and Farmers
on the Subject

| VII ss1O ~O~JVOs
State Engineer Geo. W. Cooley of
Mione apclis, delivered two valuable
addresses in the city last week, one to
the merchants FRIDAY evening, and
one to farmers Saturday afternoon.
Mr.. Cooley did not say much about
technical read building to the mer-
chants, going more into the general
aspects Of the subject, and emphasize
ing its importance to the pr5speritv
and growth of the city and county. He
said that great as was the progress OF
the United States in many things, the
roads Of the country were fifty years
behind the times. Although it is esti-
mated that So, 900 600 has been spent
on roads in this country, the greater
part of the mileage is poor, and much
very bad There is nov an awaken
ing and the importance of the good
roads movement is being every where
realized. 1t is learned, from accurate
statistics. that while the cost of trans
portation on foreign roads runs from 6
to IL cents fer ten miles for q certain
tonnage, and on railroad l cent, on
the ordinary country roads 20 cents,
an astonishing difference. ore which
in most cases means the difference
tween profit and loss.
The present system has been proved
by its result 8 to be failure. There
are too many road overseeIs, and the
road tax system is system of
waste. A competent, response Die
man, veil paid to do the work. would
accomplish good results. The Good
Re ads association recommends the
abolition of the Office Of comfy sur
veyor, and the substitution Of geuer-
al road overseer, and tne application
OF scientific aud business principles to
roads. In Eennepin county the road
ove1se who Is first of all practical
man, surveys the line of proposed
road, 'plars and protiles are made,
with as much care as railroad en-
ginefr uses or city engineer, and in
that way starts from practical
Foundation.
He pointed out the fact, to which
unfortun attly Little Fells is no tx
ceptior, that rca's Eear or within
city generally the worst. 1t is
a vital matter, dts-rvinx the deep
thought of the merchants. who a q
naturally interested in the develop
ment Of the city's trade.
The spe aker t. II Of the condition of
the state road law uuder which the
state hignV ay commission is working.
It is expected that bv the spring of
1903 th-re will DO $50 600 available
for distribution among the counties
no county to receive less than o2e-
alf Of one per cent, and no county
to receive more than three per cent,
in ratio to the amount expended.
The county doing moe would get
more
The speaker showed bow important
the development Of frst-class road
between Little Falls and Mile Laos
lake wculi be t, the CRY and county,
and that IVES but ore instance. The
! VIII" le address was instructive and
helpful
In talking to the farmers Mr.. Coo.
ley went into details of road corstruc.
tion in a practical and Interesting
way, giving many valuable hints he
took for bis subject dirt roads, as be.
Jog the kind made in this region
without exception. He emphasized
the matter Of draina!e 20. 1t was evil
dent, no matter how we'll a road might
be built, that if three was not proper
drainsge, the expenditure WIS wasted.
The pr ssibilities OF soil SHOULD be stu
died, and care taken that a coed fDun-
dation ba made. The bitches should
be sufficient to carry off the water,
and care shonl be taken to keep them
open. The surface should be kept
smooth and free f: ON rnts and holes
which are death to the road. The
wa'er in the rats STAYS and disin-
tegrates the road material. It is \
bad mistake to ill h. les in sand with
clay. or tho: everse. It is difficult to
get ths two we'll mix3i. and they are
bad read material if not we'll handled.
The road should have thu propar
slope frnm the cen:e~. This is best
done with a road grader, hut rarely
has q machine been so misused as the
grader. The grader is intended tn
make roa6s ont of road material, and
the grass. s1d, waste material alo1g
the road etc., is lot matprisl for 4
good rod, though all right for I'LL
Ing. Use the main road materl.l
you have for your road. Then ret
the surface smooth by use of the drag.
which tss been described several
times ia The herald. The drag is of
g eat value esp ci lily after rain, and
its S stematic use will prs serve
good ri ad, and even make bad read
god.