Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1907-07-15
VALUE OF GOOD ROADS
Riow They Increase Home Trade
In the Bad Weather Season.
ADVICE FROM A NEW DRUMMER
-je Tells the Local Merchant Why
Business Is Dull During the Winter
and Sprins-Farmers' Wives Buy
Through the Mail.

Business Is Dull During the Winter
and Sprins-Farmers' Wives Buy
Through the Mail.
The new drummer entered the office
uf the Grand Central hotel with Il
scowi on his face and several smother
eli inprecation just inside his lips lie
4aAG the appearance OF man VINO
>sl,ted to use extremely not language,
buL the sight of the Methodist church
:ust across the way and the Baptist
church down the street restrained him.
In other words, he was swearing mad.
He was really an old drummer,
though new to this particular town.
Tits was the first time he had made
f,sa place. The drummer had come in
overland rom the county seat, twenty
miles away, in Il spring wagon hired
from the livery stable. His two sample
trunks were in the back part Of the
wagon. They We're splashed with mud.
There was mud even on the seat cush-
ioa, and the drummers clothes were
yellow with mud. The drivers ap-
parel was simply caked with it, but he
1id not appear to mind little thing
IKE that. He was used to 1t. The
horses also We're caked with mud, and
The wheels Of the vehicle carried sew
.,aral pounds each of the yellow sticki-
ness.
well. | never" calculated the drum
xaer as he wiped the mud from his
fingers before taking up the pen to reg
lister his name This is the worst l
ever struck. Why don't you folks
around here build some decent roads?
You've got plenty Of material right at
maud. There's rock enough along the
roadside to make the finest roads in
the land If you would only put it where
it will do the most good"
''Oh, we don't worry" said the hotel
clerk. marking room No. % opposite
the new guests name. We've put up
with muddy roads from the beginning
and got along fairly well, and reckon
we can continue to navigate"
Navigation - that's the row, all
r1glt," said the drummer. "You ought
20 hire boats klstead of wagons in
-Shis section. Why, some Of the places
we came through today would float a
.shiff"
The local newspaper editor was
standing by the desk. He smiled
rrimly.
1--WE been preaching good roads to
the people of this nelghborhood for
years" he said, "but they don't seem
10 take to the Idea. They are pretty
good people, too, but they've formed
the habit of putting up with mud In
the muddy season and don't kick much
They say their fathers We're content to
drive through the mud when necessary
or stay at home till the roads dried out,
and they think they ought to be content
TO do the same"
''Huh!' the drummer grunted. Flows
business here in the winter and
SpringY
Mighty poor" replied the dry goods
mighty poor, for fact
People out in the country don't seem to
DO any trading except in summer"
when the roads are good" contin-
led the drummer II thought as much
that is. they don't do much trading
people are always buying something
SOL ewhere when times are as good as
they are now. That you may put down
AS fact. Where do they buy from?'
'"Well, certainly not from me-" said
she merchant.
"Of course not, because the women
can't get into town. It's the women
who do most Of the buying. You know
that. The farmers wives come to
town only once a month or SO during
the winter. owing to your miserable
roads. They do buy things, though,
and can give you a little tip. They
buy them by mail. They read these
large and luscious catalogues sent to
chem by the big city mail order firms,
and they order through the catalogues.
Did It ever occur to you that IL you
had decent roads you would get a
much larger winter trade from the
country? No? Well. think it over I
have Just been reading some figures.
The state Of Iowa, for instance, has
100000 population. 1t has 10O,430
miles OF public roads-what they call
roads-but only $50 miles are Of mac
adam and passable every month In
The year. What do you think of that?
Then take Missouri That state, ac-
cording to these figures, has more than
100000 people, with 10000 miles Of
public roads. 1t has only about thou
sand miles of we'll built highways
Illinois IS still worse eff for good roads
Most OF tho states line up just about
the same. What can you expect"
ITS new idea" said the merchant
ueeISly, 'and I'm going to think it
over and talk 1t over with some Of the
other town people. We've been think
ing our editor here is a good roads
crank, but I'm inclined to the opinion
now that he has more common sense
than the rest Of u.s."
BURR JOYCE.