Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1907-02-07
BETTER SYSTEM OF ROAD MAX
ING URGENTLY REQUIRED
SPllT-L0G DRAG THE THING
State Aid in View Blu. Not at Hand
Highway Taxes Should Be Paid
in Money-Systematic Action
Needed Throughout the Common
wealth.

The system of road-bulding in
vogue in Wisconsin since the days
beyond which the memory of man
goeth not to the contrary has failed
utterly because it has been mere
makeshift based upon expediency,
with the question of future utility
left entirely out of consideration.
Otis w. Hotchkiss in his recent bal
letin upon Wisconsin highways points
out that "One OF the causes for the
high cost of and poor results shown
for the money spent on Wisconsin
roads is the almost total lack of any
idea of the. necessity of maintaining
the road after it is once constructed"
The valuable old maxim, "a stitch in
time," he says, is altogether too
rarely applied, either by cities with
reference to their streets and pave
ments, or by towns and counties with
reference to their roads
Anyone who is familiar with condi-
tons can tell numerous instances"
says Mr. Hotchkiss, "of where few
shovelfuls of dirt or a few hours
work applied in time would have pre-
vented serious washOuts or the de-
struction of a road almost beyond re-
pair which later cost much time and
money to replace" If the truth
could be ascertained it is highly
probable that it would appear that
the greater part of the great sum of
over two millions, which roads are
at present costing the people of the
state is spent in rebuilding roads that
could have been kept in good shape
by much smaller amount if the
work had been done in time.
The point is vital one, whether
the state is to continue the old
method or adopt wiser and saner
one OF course the adoption of a
better system of road building, even
if at once taken up, will require sew
eral years before the benefits can be
realized and in the meantime the
question of maintenance is one of
pressing and present Importance. And
in this connection the following from
the commissioner of highways of the
state of Maine is to the point:
Ordinarily the chief work done by
country people on highways is re-
pairing the damage consequent upon
neglect Why this neglect? Simply
because the people are trying to fol-
low old, obsolete methods poorly
adapted to these times of intense
business energy and economy. Much
may be learned from the methods
employed in maintaining the rail-
roads. The means adopted to keep
up our highways would be con-
sidered extravagant for them The
principle of economy forces them to a
better system-one of constant and
continuous work of repairing.
The split-log drag is the best rcad
machine made and by its use the
best results are obtained in keeping
dirt roads in repair. To show what
can be done with this machine the
following statement of the work done
and the results accomplished on q
stretch of road in Waupaca county is
given:
The road was a single-wagon track
with brush growing right to the ruts
to begin with. This brush was cut
out and the road plowed. When the
sods had dried they were shaken out
and thrown to one side. Three teams
and four men then took grader
and turnpiked the q mile that was
to be fixed. 1t took them. one day and
a half to do all this. After each
rain one man took three horses and {
split-log drag and went over it sew
eral times. He estimated that he
had spent a total of about three days
in thus dragging. From this record
il is evident that the total cost Of
making threo-quarters of a nile o.
the best dirt road to be seen in the
state was only about SIS. Aftel
This the dragging alone will keep i
in good shape and will cost not t
exceed Sc per mile per year Wher
II is considered that the average roae
tax available throughout the state i
over $50 per year for every mile, 1t !:
evident that our roads should be il
far better condition than they are
now.
The split log drag is effective ant
nv its iudicious use dirt roads may b.
kent in repair at minimum OF cost
II may be supplemented by the use o
wide-tired vehicles in the transpor
tation of heavy loads, that is, the roat
when once well made may be pre-
served if the wagons used by those
who drive over it with loads are snf
fcieutlv wide tired. As to the propei
relation of size Of load to width o
tire the Pennsylvania department O
agriculture says that the maximum
weight allowed per inch of width o
tire should be $50 pounds. The widtf
OF tire should be increased proper
,ionately with the increase IN weigh
of load. 1T must be understood tina