Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1907-01-30
GOOD ROADS At SMALL EXPENSE.
THE "MISSOURp' WAY OF WORKING ROADS.
AN ACCIDENTAL "DISCOvERY."

The following article has been
handed us by member of the Oco-
nee county grand jury with the re-
quest that we publish the same:
In Missouri we have learned how
to make good dirt roads without
money 1t is infinitely easier than
making brick without straw. BY the
frequent use of simple device our
common earth roads can be main
tained, at practically no expense, in
admirable condition. This device
is, the split-log drag. 1t was per-
fected by d. Ward King, of this
State. There is no patent on it. So
far as l know it is not for sale by
manufacturers of agricultural imple-
ments. Amy one can make drag.
In advocating its use no one can
possibly have an ak to grind. 1t is
an unpretentious tool, almost ridicu-
lous in its simplicity, with noble
mission. That such plain, unpoetic
device should produce the remarka-
BILE results which have been placed
to its credit in this and other States,
seems almost beyond belief. Wher-
ever it has been intelligently en-
ployed, hard, smooth, convex roads,
over which it is delight to travel,
afford convincing evidence Of its eff
cheney. AS the result of an educa-
tional campaign during the last two
years to exploit it's merits, the drag
is now in extensive use, especially in
the corn belt. 1t has won it's way
against prejudice. it has made
good, and it is remarkable how Wig
orously people push a good thing
along, once they have been shown.
Road drags are not new. They
have been used in different parts of
the country for half a century, but
never until few years ago has their
practical Importance in road making
been sufficiently demonstrated to
secure their general adoption. Like
almost every man who defiantly
pulls out of the common rut and
makes a step toward better things
and better living, Mr. King was
roundly ridiculed by neighbors and
others who witnessed. the initial
work of the. drag. Of course he was
locally known as "crank." Many
of those who have adopted his drag
have earned similar titles.
1t takes a courageous man to start
something new in farming commu-
nifty. AS class we farmers resist
innovations almost to the extent of
making ourselves absurd in the eyes
of an intelligent public. 1t is sur
prising with what.!bulldog tenacity
we hang to traditions, old methods
and scrub stock. y But the drag is
sweeping us toward a brighter day.
One improvement paves the way for
another. Betterment is infectious
so is dilapidation.
One day, several years ago, Mr..
King was moving some rubbish from
his yard and barn lot.I Among the
junk wass.the frame of an old hay
rack, built for a wagon and composed
of two slabs made by splitting log
In dragging this relic down the road
to dump 1t into convenient hollow
its effect on the rough surface was SC
noticeable that Mr.. King decided to
try it out further, so it was dragged
over the road four or five times, fill.
ing in the deep wagon tracks, smooth.
ing the surface and producing such q
marked change that the accidental
experiment induced Mr.. King tc
build drag especially for the pur.
pose which this makeshift only par.
TALLY served.
The split-log drag was, therefore
a fortuitous discovery With his
new drag much better work was
done, and by continued tests Mr.
King at length developed system OF
earth-road maintenance which is