Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1908-10-12

TRIBUTE TO AUTOS.
How Kansas Has Felt influence
of the Machine.
RURAL ROADS TRANSFORMED.
Farmers Have Taken Up Motor Cars
and Improved Roads In Order to Use
Them--Semakins Sand Highways
With Clay.

With Clay.
The farmers motor car has worked
a transformation on the country roads
of central Kansas. For many years
there was Indifference regarding the
roads. The Old fashioned plan OF
working the road in theory and doing
nothing ia practice was carried out.
Now there Is levied road tax I'm
cash. and the money is used to hire
competent men TO do definite work In
Keeping the roads In good condition.
A striking example is the road from
Abilene TO Enterprise. six miles along
the bottoms where gumbo soil is fire.
quent. For two decades IL had been
almost impossible for heavy wagons
In wet weather owing TO the great
ruts cut in 1t. Little more than
year ago the township entered on the.
new plan. 1t is now dragged after
every rain, and the transformation Is
notable, says an Abilene UKan.) cor
respondent OF the Kansas City Star.
IL Is smooth, even and has become
one OF the favorite runs for the mo.
torists OF Abilene owing TO its fine
condition. AS n matter OF fact IL IL
kept smoother than are the city streets
that lead to IL. The same is true OF n
road to Detroit I'm the line OF the
Kansas CityDenver run for tourists
Ii, too, Is dragged after rains and has
become very attractive highway
Those who have not been over the
roads cannot comprehend the change
that has taken place In them
Up In Hayes township. eight miles
from Abilene, are two brothers. 10.
seph and Isaac Page, who own motor
cars. They are enthusiastic drivers
OF their touring machines and have
learned TO appreciate good roads. They
have taken up the road drag I'm their
own communities and are giving tho
residents OF their locality practical
examples OF what can be dono In max
Ing good roads. Joseph Page says he
has the best half mile OF road In tho
county, and he feels offended II mo-
florists pass along Its smooth course
at less than thirty miles an hour As
result, largely OF their efforts, there
are dozen drags In constant use In
the township when the farmers can
get time to use them. In tho summer.
with so much rain and such rush
OF work on the farm, It has been neg
lected, but now they are at II once
more. The tendency OF the farmers In
that part of the county toward proper
road work has greatly increased, and
the road tax is being used with bet
ter effect than ever before
One OF the farmer motorists OF tho
county, L. II. Gfeller OF the northeast
part Of the county, was asked by the
city officers of Junction City recently
to show them how to make good road
drags that would keep the roads lead.
Ing TO the city In good condition. They
intended to make a bid for trade by
dragging the roads I'm all directions
from the city and are asking the farm
ers to come there to trade because OF
the excellent highways leading into
town.
Mr.. Gfeller recently returned from q
200 mile trip TO western Kansas N
which he>was accompanied by his fam
| lily. They were gone week and had
successful Journey. Their car has prov
ed great satisfaction TO tho family,
living, as they do, twelve miles from
| town. Now the members are seen In
Junction City and Abilene frequently.
and there IT, nothing going on OF con
sequence in the county that they do
| not attend. The sandy loan OF the
uplands gives fine basis for the
dragged roads. and Mr.. Gfeller has be
coma hngtocf hn cub
He advocates this as the solution OF
the road question at all times
Another interesting experiment that
has been made by the farmers Of tho
county who have become interested I'm
! good roads IS the remaking OF the sand
roads by paving them with clay. For
Instance, the main street of Detroit, o
little town five miles east Of Abilene,
was for years a waste OF deep sand
The road is much Travelled, and all the
motor car parties from Kanras City 10
Denver go through this street Tho
town trustees tried TO grade II up but
were unsuccessful, so they finally de
termined 10 pave
They hauled from the clay beds
along the Smoky Hill river enough clay
to make a covering FOR The roadbed.
and this was smoothed down until It
became n fine. hard road. one Of the
best In the county. while the sand be
meath takes up the moisture. and tho
road Is always dry. This proved so
satisfactory that other sand roads in
that vicinity have been similarly treat.
ed and are p0ssablc for every sort OF
vehicle. The hills that formerly could
only be traversed BY the well equipped
| teams and where motor ears could not
90 now are excellent high ways, and
the cars are frequently run over them
Roadmaking has received decided
impetus since the introduction Of the
motor car 10 the rural districts Of the
county. There are more than a hun
drcd cars i'm this county. and the num-
Der Is increasing every week Many Of
these are owned by the farmers, and
these are the ones who bring 90 the
movement for good roads the best Of
effort Next years road money will be
used more than ever for the dragging
OF tho roads. and the county Will even
/ tually have dne highways In every prin-
cipal direction connecting the towns.
How 70 peat an Undertaken: Cough
and Coughing end in Coffin. Cure the