The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1909-04-08
DIRT ROADS ADVOCATE
Farmer Shows They May Be Had
at Small Cost.
HUNDRED DOLLARS PER MILE

ss~N0st1O 0O1@Nu0 ] Ill WILLIE
Earth Highways, Scientifically eulis
and Regularly Maintained, Are De.
sirabIe, Says P. J. Jewett, Whsss
Cost Of Rock Roads IL Too Heavy.
p. J. Jewett, farmer near Butler,
Mo-, has written to the Kansas City
Star as follows on the subject Of good
roads:
l have been reading with interest the
various letters and editorials In ths
Star on the subject Of good roads, a.
l read with interest anything on this
subject anywhere. Although a farm
er. am also good roads, man.
I am pleased to see the interest
shown. and, while l don't want to
knock" I am afraid the cause IL be-
ing injured by its friends who write In
that they seem to think no road good
one unless it Is made Of rock at a cost
Of $1,000 to 5000 mile.
will state as briefly as can how
the subject looks to me, and believs
will voice the opinion of Is per cent
Of the farmers in the corn belt.
1t is evident that If roads are made
In the country the people who live
there (fnrmers) must either do the
work or pay for it. Individually !
have little interest in roads other than
those in my immediate neighborhood
and those leading to my market In
twenty-five years I have not driven %
far that could not get back the same
day If have to make trip Of any
considerable distance take train.
| am not vet able to keep motor car
for pleasure and am not willing to
make roads for those who are.
l live in an average township In
western Missouri that has sixty miles
/ of road. Our assessed valuation b
| S350.OOO To make rock roads at the
lowest estimated price per mile. $3.O00
would cost $780, or more than half
| the value Of all the property in the
township. To make one mile at $3,O0
would require a tax of So cents ou
/ S1OO A rock road Is never the beS(
road If it was we would not avoid II
as we always do, when the ground b
dry and speed rings would be made
that way It is not permanent, and TIN
cost of maintaining six miles would b
more than we now put on sixty
know that the idea Is to improve thu
most important roads first and th'
others later. but the one who lives 1
mile from the improved road can tak<
no more than he can pull over the un
improved one.
1 note the argument that can tax,
larger loads. make better time, &c
better prices. all Of which l admit. bu
my present income would have to b
increased very much to enable me 4
stand This cost. also note that goot
roads will enable me to sell my farm
for a greater price. Suppose I don
want to sell. We are not all specula
tors Would an acre produce more i
it's price was 500 than it would II !
was $50? Without doubt would pa!
twice as much tax. If I want to sci
It's different. though much like life IN
surance-a game you have to die f
beat
Do you see why farmers prompt!
vote down anything along this line
In Missouri the farmers killed the te,
cent state road tax. that was really II
their favor. because they thought
was to bui.d state road. In whicl
they had no interest.
. Don't think we are "mossbacks.
We want good roads and appreciat
their value. but II we must make ther
!. we insist that they be Of kind thu
| we can afford and that will suit OF
, needs
) Why not try good dirt roads? wit
, the exception Of a few miles. say !
per cent. near the towns. where trave
, converges, good dirt road properl
! maintained would be the very hes
1 possible eight months In the year.
e good one ten and passably the othe
4 two. believe 500 mile woul
make good dirt roads In our township
. and with 5000 more we could grad
e down the hills. grade up the To-
4 places. tile cut the wet ones. properl
: grade and Glitch them and put in col
: crete cuIverts where bridges were NJ
+ required-in fact, make a modern roc
+ road without the rock.
As to maintenance, mile OF thirs
foot road can be dragged once for
: cents. An average OF ten times wi
be ample. But let's say fifteen. m
: we have cost Of $3.50. A grad'
should be run over the road once
year to open bitches and mainta
proper shape. Two horse graders Al
now made that will do this work
$3.50 mile; plowing furrow in ditch<
50 cents. TO sum up. then, we ha'
this result:
u COST PER MILE
Construction ::.. ~"
: MAINTENANCE ONE YEAR.
a Dragging -..-........---.-.--.. S'.oo
:, Grading -..........".-.-.... z0
PloWfng .....-.........-.....-..... ~ ~
= \ permanently good road. getti
better every year. as all dragged roa
do.
Looks good, doesn't it? Best Of |
Is It's true. have kept n mile
II oxoro ro rood for tho laSt civ vo0rQ