Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1906-12-06
How to Make Good Dirt Roads

The Illinois Central road has given
ITSELF to the cause of good dirt roads
and has issued an illustrated pamph-
let on the subject. It seems strange
that we have advanced so little In
the science of road building. 1t re-.
manned for farmer down in Nilsson
ri, d. Ward King, of Holt county. to
develop method by which the very
finest kind of roads can be made of
dirt with the minimum of exnensa
and the minimum of time. He began
ten years ago to work the road ha-
tween his own front gate and that of
his neighbor. He did not wait for the
road supervisors; he did not ask helm
from the township or county. He
simply mad drag out of a spI;t loo
and after rain or wet spell used tais
drag between his front gate and bss
reighbors. After a year or two othar
farmers, driving over this road saw
now infinitely better it was than tbs
dart roads immediately adjoining II
which had not been dragged, and the
method gradually spread. II 6nanv
attracted the attention of the socr.
tary OF the Missouri state hoora :.
agriculture, and after Investigate,
ne was SO impressed with its valuo
na1 ne arranged with Mr.. King 70
!oin the institute corps of that s.o.o
ana tell about his road drag and bis
metnod OF using it. In the last vear -
Two MI. King has attended institutes
IN great many other states. Bverv
one VINO mas had an opportunity 70
see rne work Of the split log dras baS
at once become convinced tbet -
soises me question of making good
ine booklet describes this mathos
~ oe1ali, explains the philosonou ~
~ now to use the split log H. :. ~
s'aane and surfacing. and point nau.
.ne dement's which will accrue to tsa
~ l VINO uses it intelligentlv ana
" snow its special value VIII. anu
on ,ne roads in the prairie seot ased
VI me United States where the o.ionS
an annual rainfall of Ok ;na Sneie is
soi, ana a deep, rich, and noroU "
The spIit-Ios Road pr,o
las las says the pamphlet ..p - inc
veg we do not mean a bar Inc
many people understand W. as SO
m nut a drag made of a kplitIor Term.
-
loo sr ~ taking strsdght. gr.ia :. -
os from seven to nine ,aat ~ STAINED
ma a aOout ten or twelve inches i ienstn
1aeo Ihls log is split or - aia,
@ enwise and the two ha,va. saver
sidas .narty inches arart, the se' ON On
ns forward and srm lr
fastened together by three bars made
of oak, Usage hedge, or other hard
wood. The illustration and descrip.
tlon beneath it shows how the drag
is constructed. The log should be of
light timebr; box elder. cottonwood.
beech or something of that sort II
is better not to have it oak MIR. King
says that the best split log drag he
ever used was made of red elm. After
using the drag for some time it will
be found necessary to shoe the front
log with piece of iron three or four
inches wide. An old wagon tire maKss
good shoe for this purpose. The iron
should be put on the right side of the
front log and extend not more than
tnree hfths OF its length. It should not
project more than fourth of an inch
peloW the edge OF the log Do not face
the entire front log with the iron
The length of the drag can be any,
where from seven to nine feet. The
longer 1t is, the heavier ii will pull
one good farm team of horses weigh
ing from LOO to 1000 pounds will
nanoie q seven7foot drag nicely. A
heavier team will be required for
heavier drag.
AFTER somewhat careful study of
me various types of drags, we are
convinced that the split log drag is
me best. and that when for any rea,
son II Is NOT convenient to make the
ore OF split log the nearer you can
come to the split log The better it will
We. IN some places where a log eau
not be obtained a telephone pole
ABOUT twelve inches in diameter can
oe secured This will make splendid
urag Some towns are using drags 2x
l2-inch plank.
What spIit-Ios viii Do.
1t win naturally seem to the farm
OF VINO has not heretofore investiga-
eeo cne matter very foolish thing TO
auempt to improve the roads with
sucn cheap and simple implement
as rnis split-log drag. Its efficacy how.
ever, when properly handled, has been
50 frequently and so fully demonstra.
eea, not only in Missouri, but in
oiio. Iowa. and other states. that we
are ruily warranted in saying to every
farmer: Don't stop to argue. but
lake a drag, and try It. If you do
your part the drag will do the rest
Inc drag will convince you when mo-
thing else will"