The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1907-05-30

We have great system of our schools
so one teacher can commence where the
other left off.
But we have no system by which our
roads are made, and each builder com.
mences where he pleases. He may tear
up what the man does the year before
Ii so both years work is wasted. But
with system So one builder will COM
mence where the other left off, in a few
years we will have fine dirt roads
Ii many of our roads are not being i'm.
proved, as a great many of our people
claim, then our money, in one sense, is
lost. But if the roads were worked
by system, in three years we would
have the greater majority of our roads
made good. Then we will have saved
to the state thousands of dollars, and
have good roads to travel over.
Don't hire man to oversee the roads
because he needs the money, but hire
one that will earn the money.
Inasmuch as we are spending thou
sands of dollars each year on the roads
without the result obtained that should
be, we feel that we should have defined
what a finished road is, and the uniform
system adopted by which such road is
made and maintained.
The greatest difficulty at present is
to get competent men to handle the
road funds that are already raised for
road making.
The work done on the roads is more
in temporary way than permanent
or if one piece of road is made good, it
is at the expense of some other road
which is left wholly unworked.
Now, the object sought is the adop.
ton of a system whereby every dollar
expended will help the next dollar
Expended, and in three to five years we
may have finished dirt roads all
over the State of Iowa that may be
kept at very small expense compared
with the amount we spend now, and
yet have comparatively poor roads tc
travel over. 1t is less expense to keer
a good road in good shape than it is tc
keep poor road passable.
A finished road is nice smooth oval
from 20 to % feet wide, and from Is
inches to 2 feet higher in the center
except in low, wet land, where it must
be sufficiently wide so it can be thrown
high enough to drain itself, or drained
by tile and thrown high enough to sur
face drain. All main travelled roads
should be wider than less Travelled
roads. All roads that are not finished
as stated above should have burrows
plowed on each side 16 to q feet apart
as straight as the lay of the land will
permit. A straight road looks nice anc
can be finished by the same number O
rounds requiring no extra turning
The blowing should be done early il
the spring, while the ground is soft, fol
it plows easier, and it gives the grount
time to mellow before grading, which
should be done as soon as the ground i:
dry enough in the spring. If the pillow
ing is done but short time before
grading, pillow but one furrow on eacl
side of the road.
After the. blowing is done in spring
as soon as dry enough, go over with tn
pillow and scraper and such material a
trustees provide, make and repair cul
verts, throw up low places, pillow il
bitches, if any, and do such work al
graders cannot do.
When this blowing on each side of thu
road has mellowed and is dry enough
put eight or ten horses on grader, or at
tach engine-always have plenty o
power to pull grader-if horses ar
used and the road has bitches on eacl
side, string them out. 1t will taxi
three rounds to throw this in.
Then commence again in same place
cut down as deep as you can with grader
go one round, and then take off ont
team and put on drag and follow thu
grader with drag; that way two rounds
with grader followed by drag finishes
road, and makes it about IS or q
inches in center. Follow last round
with drag, for economy, as it does no
take so much power to pull as grader,ant
!, the same work is accomplished in ont
round that it would take two will
grader.
+ Next year, or any time you want t.
widen road, pillow one furrow on eacl
, side of road and go two rounds witt
grader in same place.
For the last round set the blade a
+ the greater angle, throwing dir
; further last round, then take off on
team and put on drag as stated above
Repeat this until road is the requiret
width.
This finished road may be kept u
) each year with the disc and drag.
The purpose of this system is t.
make the roads good for present travel
duA ludh0 every oolldI opouO III oul
way contribute to the making of
, permanent finished dirt road. TIL
main object is to get the center of tn
road full so the rains do no
tear up what work is done, maxim.
grades little at time makes then
, more solid, and by moving bitches owe
! a little at time they do not get deer
and make grades at a very little cos
by doing little each year, using tn
FUNDS as they come in; instead of make
ing part of the road each year, w
get over almost all of it, and in three o
four years we will get nice finished
road that will be easily kept up at
small expense.
HOW TO FIX HILL THAT HAS DEEP DITCHE
ON EACH SIDE OF ROAD THAT MAKE
THE ROAD TOO NARROW.
, Take spade and throw up little dir
| in bottom of ditch SO horse can wall
without stumbling. Put long double
tree on plow-the length of double
tree must be in accordance with tn
: depth of ditch; if or feet deep TIL
, double-tree should be about or fee
, long. Put one horse in ditch, tn