Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1909-06-04
GOOD ROAD DRAGCERS
Organization For improving High
ways Formed at Sturgeon, Mo.
BEGINNING OF A GREAT WORK.

How the Members Of the Brotherhood
of Drassers Have Pledged Them
selves to Work For Improved Roads.
conviots For Road Building.
There was good roads crusade re-
Gently started at Sturgeon, Mo-, which
is deserving Of warmest praise. At
the head is farmer, George W. Bat
terton, who has been an enthusiast
on the subject for the past forty years
and who four years ago decided 1t was
time to practice some of the principles
he had been preaching and set a good
example for his neighbors. Accord
ingly he made drag Of oak lumber,
and to the edge of the front piece he
bolted blade Of steel, made by the |
local blacksmith, which acted as a
light scraper to throw the dirt col
lected in front of the drag to the CEN
ter OF the road. When he visited Stur-
geon, three miles distant he attached
this drag to the rear of his wagon or
buggy and dragged the roads both
coming and going. In this way he con-
sumed very little more time In making =
the trip to and from town and In the 7
course of a year had made a road
which he and the residents Of the Sec q
tfon claim to be superior to rock roads u
eleven months in the year, while at no f
time does 1t become so muddy as to
impair seriously it's usefulness In haul
ing heavy loads over 1t when 1t is at
Its worst.
1t Is as smooth and hard as boule- y
ward today, though there were heavy
rains recently for two days at Stur-
geon and In its vicinity. Mr. Batterton bt
is so afflicted with rheumatism he can 81
hardly walk. Still he has made three re
miles Of country boulevard practically pr
with his own efforts In four years. he
With this inspiring example as an II,
incentive the business men of Sturgeon
and the farmers of che country got to- st
gether few days ago and organized go
brotherhood Of good road draggers, Ne
all agreeing to follow the example of tic
attaching drag to the vehicles In col
which they drive about on ordinary wi
business. Several automobilists prom Z
sed to hitch the drag to their motor DIFF
'ars. Bankers, farmers, doctors gar STR
ieners, lawyers, merchants and huck on,
tiers propose to cooperate and devote tio
themselves for one year in making and he;
good roads, no matter gee
What else may happen. dragging is fec
he best, simplest and least expensive A
method to obtain good roads. There oil
nothing which will add SO much TO cor
he prosperity and general advance TIL,
lent of the communities as good tbe
oads," asserts one enthusiast sound sur
lg the keynote of the brotherhood. hea
his should be an example for other has
o1n 10 follow. What has been day
one can be done, and the best has eraI
ever yet been attained in any phase n n
life. The Missouri enthusiasts have II
arted a great work. They deserve foot
ot only praise, but that imitation NOT
h1ch is the sincerest form of fiatterv. sire
mere Is a great awakening Just at a Il
'esent In this matter Of good roads. wifi
he Missouri legislature has passed n nort
Solu'lon Whlch proposes to submit to dive
e people the question of levying a Al
ate TAX or cents on each hundred NIT
iaTs OF assessed valuation, to be set "mo
art and apportioned to the several expt
unties as permanent road fund.
lie Missouri county has recently put
gang of convicts to work on the pub. tn
highways, ordering several portable socI,
'el cages. In which the convicts can the
confined at night. so as not to lose vide
ne transporting them to and from uate
rk- All over the country super- devo
oral boards and city councils are prov
ting together and deciding to do basis
nething besides talk. All these incol
ngs are good, but there Is something this
m better and that is activity on the mobl
t OF the farmer IN road dragging. setts
him set an example and prove to s.
system Is good and feasible and main
islatures, supervisors and city conn has
VIII fall In line quickly enough. whlc
ere has been plenty of talking. 1t is an e
70 now TO go TO work individually 1t Is
collectively. after
York