Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1906-06-14
cOMMON SENSE USED.


roads. While one district will con.
tain certain smooth graded roads
with side bitches and no stones. the
adjoining district will show the OPP
posite extremes and both with
equal facilities for making good
roads.
Plainly the cause of such condi.
ton 10 Ia the way the roads are
constructed and repaired. This
brings the credit and blame up TO
the man in charge of the work
whether he 10 called supervisor,
overseer. superintendent or com.
missioner.
The experience of our home dis.
uict may be OF some interest TO
other road workers. This road dis
trict 10 in the western part of Wayne
county, Indiana. II is a populoue
county and a great deal of heavy
hauling is done on the roads at all
times of the year, except in the win.
ter thaws when heavy loads are for.
hidden by law.
From the very beginning the care
and supervision Of the roads OF this
district had been under men who
lived in the country neighborhoods.
That 10 to say, no one except
farmer had ever had control of the
road work. -.
The roads were not in good cen.
dition, Notwithstanding there was
gravel in abundance TO be had at q
small price per load. 1t was not an
unusual thing for loads TO stall al
times when there was no real occa.
sion for the roads to be in an i'm.
passable condition.
Mud holes and ruts were the rule,
and where gravel wac placed on the
roads il was in punches, unevenly
spread. Stones were lying in the
roadway and after rain there was
a ditch in the middle of the road
worn by the feet of horses hitched
to single rigs,
There was no complaint made es.
pecially. Everybody seemed to
think the roads were az good as the
money would pay for, and 40 the
condition went on from year TO year
with but little improvement aud no
plane for a change.
Three years ago, however. the
work Of supertending the roads in
this district was voted to DR.. N. +.
Canaday, a .practicing physician
DR.. Canaday had been driving over
these roads for 30 years, day and
night aud in all seasons of the year.
He was frequently stuck in the mud
and not always was able to return
without broken and damaged We.
hicies. DR.. Canaday had purchased
an automobile few months before
his appointment as superintendent
and with il travelled over the roads
for many miles in every direction
He had his ideas about road build.
ing and started 30 put them in f"rce
at once.
DR.. Canaday declares he had
never especially observed the con-
dition Of roads before he begah- to
use au automobile then he found
he was forced q, take note of every
nut, stone, gully dith and turn. He
mentally repair ed every defect he
encountered aud gave much study
10 the subject of repairing roads.
Under his supervision the roade
soon assumed another appearance.
He eliminated the middle ditch, he
caused drains or open bitches to be
kept open at both sides OF the road.
he graded every foot Of the roads
over again, lac had gravel placed on
every mile of road under his charge.
every load of, gravel was screened
at the pits an ID stones already on
the roads were collected in heape
and hauled off. w.,
Grass seed was sowp on the sides
of embaukmr=nts and the grass pre-,
vented washing. Where q bad place
was known 10 exist 10 a road DR..
,Cauaday caused that particular
spot Of road TO be eatirely rebuilt.
He too& out! tile old material and
built up q 90 nud foundation and ON
top otfhat 1he coil and gravel at
hand. ~, 60
E At frequen tsihtervals Q man was
sent.over the road with . wagon
with gravel Depressions
that. might wear into holes were
looked for and filed up and tamPed'
down. Wherever a spot appeared
70 be wearingjt was given iustant
Alteration. All this work wss done
with the uSdhl ssmount Of monF,
devoted tothe roads Of the district
These roads have become famous.
and DR.. Canaday has been fairly
swnmped with Enquiries &c 20 how