Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-02-23
(BY d. c. WINGD


We'll, has Missouri learned how to
make good dirt roads without money?
! 1t is infinitely easier than making
| brick without straw. BY the frequelt
use of simple device our common
earth roads can be maintained Al
practically no expense. in admirable
condition. This device is the split-lo%
drag. 1t was perfected by d. Ward
King of this state. There is no pa
ent on it. So far as | know it is not
for sale by manufacturers of agricul-
| tural instruments. Anyone can max"
d drag. In advocating its use no one
can possibly have an AK to grind. II
is an unpretentious tool, almost ride
ulOus in its simplicity, with noble
mission. That such d plain unpOetic
device should have been placed to its
credit in this and other states seems
almost beyond belief Wherever it
has been intelligently employed hard.
smooth. convex roads over which it IS
| a delight TO travel afford convincing
evidence of its efficiency. As the re-
suit of an educational campaign dur
| ms llAt ltNSI N"t NtCilS W tNDlOll llS
merits. the drag is now in extensive
use, especially in the corn belt. 1t
has won its way against prejudice.
| 1t has made good and il is remarka-
BILE how vigorous people push a good
thing along. once they have been
shown.
| First Drag. Hayrack.
| King was moving some rubbish from
bis yard and barn lot. Among the
| junk was the frame of an old hay.
rack. built for d wagon and composed
of two slabs made by splitting a log
! In dragging this relic down the road
to dump it into convenient hollow
its effect on the rough surface was q
noticeable that Mr.. King decided tc
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 4
marked change that the accidental eX
pertinent induced Mr.. King to build ,
drag especially for the purpose whici
this makeshift only partially served.
The split-loG drag was, therefore. :
fOrtuitous discovery. With his new
drag much better work was done, ant
by continuous tests Mr.. King at length
developed d system of earth rOaC
maintenance which is sound in theory
and resultful in practice, II is this
system which is responsible for miles
of perfect road in Missouri and otheI
states. To pass in vehicle from I
road that has been properly dragge
to an undragged road is like passing
from an asphalt to a cobbleston,
Istreet.
Mr.. King maintained mile of pub
lie road along his farm, by use of :
drag, and it was famed as the bes
mile of earth road in that part of thu
state. Intraveling, people went OF
of their way TO use this road. 1t wa!
always good While runabOuts wer,
miring in undragged roads. heavy wa
gons could easily be drawn at tro
over the King road.
Theory of the Drag.
1t is an interesting theory which ey
plains the success of the road drag
When he was a lad on the farm. MI
King with several other chums USE
to make mud pies" and plates, saT
GERS, cups and the like from the pull
ldled earth found on the surface of TIM
road after rains. Most farm boys hav
, busted themselves at similar work.
!. Those who have, need not be tolt
that the dishes, bowls and other pro
ducts of their skill as clay worker
would hold water. The mud used wa
: of such consistency and the soil pal
; ticles were so closely held togethe
that it was impervious. This mud REP
resents the dust made by constan
tramping and wear of the road surface
, When moistened this fine dust form
n paste similar to cement And her