Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-11-10
GRAVEL MAKES ROADS
A Practical Demonstration Of
Value OF Sand and Stone
on Highways.
EXPENSE SMALL, LASTS YEARS
Whore Material is Close at Hand Cost
Is Misunderstanding Use of Cement
for Many Purposes on the Farm -
Chanting cataIpa Fence Posts-Wil-
sons Rural Observations
Special to T,mes-Repuplican.

Special to Times-Repuplican.
Iowa Falls, Nov 1O.-After driving
over the roads in this vicinity for the
past three weeks, have concluded that
the road builders in this part of the
country are following a plan that is
worthy of adoption wherever prac-
ticable. For several years past it has
been the practice to cover a part of the
public highway each year with sand
and gravel until at the present time
there are many miles of road here so
improved Where a good grade was
made and one or two loads of coarse
sand and gravel to the rod applied
years ago. nothing further has been
necessary to make such places passable
either in times of rain or drouth.
Even after the covering is worn so thin
that none Of it can be noticed by the
traveller 1t is to be observed that in
wet times no mud adhereS to the
wheels of passing vehicles, while in
places not so treated travel is extreme
ly difficult. OF course not every local
ity can be improved in this manner
because of remoteness of material, and
in such places the King drag is the
next best thing. One landowner near
Alden has gravel point on his farm
and from it hundreds of loads are
hauled to the nearby roads without ex
pense to the township other than for
the item of labor. This region, which
was once notorious for bad roads, has
at the present time remarkably good
ones.
The amount of cement work that is
being done these days on the farms
is surprising. Hog house and barn
floors. driveways and crib and granary
floors and foundations, walks, cisterns
and tanks are everywhere being made
Of cement. One farmer, Mr.. L. w. Lord,
has built a. milk house with cement
floor and a small platform of the same
on which a cream separator
is to be mounted. Embedded in the
floor at one end are several large bolts,
heads down, on which the frame of a
gasoline engine will be- set when all
is complete. Wonderful change in farm
dairying within the past few years.
Only a short time ago this man was
carrying thick, sour milk to his pigs
and calves after it had stood in crooks
or pans for many hours, and even then
In warm weather a large part. OF the
cream was lost because the milk soured
before it could rise"
A. B. Baxter has employed some or
iginal ideas in the construction Of a
combined milk house, and water tank
that is deserving Of description. The
house, which has a pyramidal roof. is
built at the base of his windmill tower.
The floor is cemented and extending
three or four feet from one Of the walls
is a large reservoir or water tank, the
remaining portion of which is covered
BY an addition to the house built as
an L and lower than the other build
ng. The cover Of the reservoir is
loored and straw is to be placed from
1oor to roof to prevent freezing in
winter. The extended portion of the
.ank is to serve as summer refrig-
orator for butter milk and cream. The
whole presents very neat appearance
indeed. The cost entire will be about |
800.
Several farmers here have this year
.ried fencing in portion Of their corn
fields with woven wire and turning in !!