The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1907-05-31
TIPS 0NG00D ROADS.
Col. G. w. Cooley Discusses
Highway Building.

pathlnaSlerS ana OunerS were present AT
the \. o. u. w. hall this afternoon when
President +. w. LossOw of the Blue
Earth County Good Roads association
| called the good roads meeting to order,
and others came in later The farmers
had just returned from spin in auto
| mobiles, in the city and out toward
Henry Heinzeman's farm, north of the
| city. Twenty four automobiles were
! used to give the visitors this treat and
he ride was thoroughly enjoyed. 1t was
the best good roads convention ever held
in Mankato.
Mr. Lossow said that city and country
| had come together again. He said that
| in Europe the roads were made good for
military purposes, but in this country
there is no need of this for military
purposes. but good roads are neverthe-
less needed The time will come when
the farmers will all own automobiles.
| built in Mankato. What the farmers
need now is instruction, and one of the
best road makers i'm the country is pres
ent.
| Lieutenant Governor A. o. Eberhart
| was the first speaker and talked of good
roads legislation. He was glad that i'll
Blue Earth county there is no such feel
ing against legislation as there is in
many parts of the state. The farmers
of Blue Earth county are broad minded
and progressive, and the progress made
in road improvement in this county is
not exceeded anywhere. Mr.. Cooley was
consulted in preparing the legislation.
OF the three on four laws passed, two
are insignificant. Towns are allowed
to raise two mills instead of one for
road purposes, by taxation. The law that
we are especially interested in now is
that which provides for road supervisors
and township inspectors. The sentiment
in favor of paying road taxes in money
is rapidly growing, and the proposition
would probably carry if submitted to
the voters of Blue Earth county. The
matter of having county superntend-
ent of highways was left optional with
counties. He may be the country sur
veyor The attorney general CONSTITUTES
the law as compulsory. Town road in
spectOrs are to take the place of the
present road officers. 1t was thought
| that this would educate the farmers so
that they will want law to provide for
the payment of road taxes in money.
Senator S. d. Works said that as
citizen he had always considered the
subject of good roads as important, and
as a legislator it has become more I'M
portant, because since passes were abol-
ished it may be necessary to walk to
St. Paul and catch rides with farmers,
| Sn ho rfan
| Senator Works spoke of the opposition
| that developed to good road legislation
in the last session of the legislature.
He said that he hoped that constituents
would continue to write letters to their
members, as it tends toward good legis
lation. The feeling of opposition to the
cities was one of the worst things in
| the legislature. If Il man wanted to
play to the grand stand he got up and
| said that the measure under discussion
was in the interest of the cities. This
| is wrong, for the interests of city and
country are identical. Another objection
was that good roads were for the bene-
| fit of wealthy automobilists. As mat
| ter of fact, good roads benefit the farm
ers more than the autOists. Another OBJ
/
proved were those going to the cities.
If this, is so, it will benefit more peo
| pie in the country than the Improvement
of other roads. Another objection was
| that it tends to eentralize power into
boards. 1t would be better if there were
| more boards and the sessions of the
| legislature cut in two and turmoil and
unsettled conditions cut off. Men who
make study of anything will act more
inteIIigently than others. He would fight
| for the highway commission before the
next legislature to the best of his abil-
ity.
| George w. Cooley of Minneapolis was
introduced and spoke on Earth Roads,
| Their Construction and Maintenance"
In this country what is meant by roads
| is the common, ordinary dirt roads. The
only instruction that he had received
| from the state highway commission was
| to construct roads such as the necessi-
| ties of the people require, and to eX-
pend state money in doing some perma
| nent good. whether it be in daining or
i'm grading In building good road
some sort of a system must be follow
ed. and this was the idea of the legisla
ture when it passed the bill providing
| for road superintendent.
Mr. Cooley described what is needed
| in preparing good dirt road, starting
| with the drainage. Perfect and contin-
| uous drainage and good foundation are
| very essential. I'm draining, it is impor-
| tant that each road superintendent look
| out not only for his own drainage but
that of the neighboring districts. The
greatest fault with earth roads is that
| the middle is the lowest, with shoulders
| between the center and ditch.
Mr. Cooley said that the roads that he
| had today seen northeast of the city
| were the finest he had seen i'm the state,
| and showed intelligence of high de-
gree road drag or a road machine
will do splendid work, if continuously
used road grader should be used 10
cut off and throw away the shoulder of
earth. 1t is not proper material Tor
| road making. Then the drag will round
| up the road. The shoulders prevent
water running off. and are apt to be
crowded to the center of the road, which
| is very bad. Sod holds water like a
| sponge and should not be on the road
| bed Sand also holds water when there
| is CLAW underneath. The secret of road
1 construction is to use the same kind of
ii