The Tupelo journal., 1908-03-20
TUPELo MISSISSIPPI, FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 1908
THE JACKSON GOOD
ROADS CONVENTION

KUAN CONVENTION
In company with Mr.. w. D.
Robins, the publisher of the
Journal attended the Good Roads
Convention of West Tennessee
held last week ct Jackson, Ten
nessee. Desiring to learn some
thing of what other people were
doing along this line and the
methods employed, Mr.. Robins
and the Journals publisher de-
cided to take a run up to Jackson
and see and hear what was be-
ing done and said by those who
are taking the lead in good roads
building in Tennessee. Madison
county, the county in which
Jackson is located, is known
everywhere throughout this Sec
ton for it's good roads. Adjoin-
ing counties are making an effort
to stir their citizens to begin the
work of building roads in these
counties, SO a convention was
called at Jackson and every coun-
ty in West Tennessee was repre-
eented.
The first proposition before the
convention was brought up by a
representative of the Business
Mems League of Memphis, in a
resolution which he introduced
and spoke to, which sought to
commit the convention to the
project of building a public high
way from Memphis through
Nashville, Chattanooga and on
to Knoxville. He introduced fig
ures and facts to show the great
commercial benefit such a high
way through the state would be
and upon consideration of the
resolution the convention adopted
it without a dissenting vote. The
general assembly of the state
will be petitioned to lend the
state credit to the8project.
In listening to the talks made
before the convention and in pri-
vate conversation, Mr.. Robins
and the Journal man decided that
the most feasible plan upon
which to begin work on roads
like those found in this section,
and especially:on beeswax roads,
would be the use OF a drag, which
is both simple and inexpensive.
The roads are first scraped and
put in oval shape with road
shovels. After each rain a drag
is run over them and the clods
pulverized and the low places
filled. The drag presses the
water from the soil and it runs
to the dram bitches made by the
road shovel on the sides and is
carried off. The drag also cov-
ers the tracts made by the first
wagon passing after a rain and
wagons following do not keep
the same track and cut holes in
the road. Wide tiresj are urged
as being less damaging to the
road bed.
A drag cost practically nothing
and can be made by any one who
can bore hole and drive a
wedge. With a goou team 1t can
be run over a mile OF road in
about one hours time, and should
be run on. after each rain.
Those who nave used them testi-
fly to their great value in keeping
the roads in pasSable condition.
The Journal will have something
further to say on this subject
and it is with an earnest desire
to aid our friends away from t.,
towns to enjoy the many advanJ-
ages gained through good roads.
Good roads means more to them
than to anyone else. Better
facilities for marketing their
products; better opportunities to
have good schools and church
facilities are afforded them and
a wider range of social inter
course and pleasure given them
during the season OF the year
they are now cut off from on ac-
count of the condition Of the
roads they have to travel. Our
roads can be improved with but
little cost, which could be in
labor and not dollar and cents.
To talk Of the latter brings Wig
orous protests from some, but
we hope the day is not far dis
tant when these will be willing
to go down into their Jeans, il
necessary. to have better roads
than we now have.
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