The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1909-02-04
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
Then-Remakina Sand Highways
With CLAY

Misunderstanding Sand Highways
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 In practice was carried out
Now there is levied a road tax In
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 gumbc soil Is fire.
quent. For two decades 1t had been
almost impossible for heavy wagons
in wet weather owing to the great
ruts cut in it. Little more than q
year ago the township entered on the
new plan. It is now dragged after
every rain, and the transformation Il
:
respondent Of the Kansas City Star.
1t is smooth, even and has become
one Of the favorite runs for the mo-
torists Of Abilene owing to itg 1ne
condition. AS matter Of fact, It Il
kept smoother than are the city streets
that lead to it. The same Is true Of
road to Detroit, in the line of the
Kansas City-Denver run for tourists.
1t, too, Is dragged after rains and has
become a 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. Jo-
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 In their
own communities and are giving the
residents Of their locality practical
examples of what can be done In max
ing good roads. Joseph Page says he
/
county, and he feels offended II mo-
/ torists passaal0ng its smooth cqprse
at less than thirty miles an hour. As
result, largely Of their efforts, there
are q dozen drags in constant use In
the township when the farmers can
get time to use them. In the summer,
with SO much rain and such rush
of work on the farm, It has been neg
lected. but now they are at It 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 the
county, p. H. 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 bid for trade by
dragging the roads in all directions
from the city and are asking the farm
ers to come there to trade because OF
the excellept highways leading init
town.
Mr.. Gfeller recently returned from q
200 mile trip to western Kansas II
which he was accompanied by his fam
. lily. They were gone week and had
successful journey. Their car has prov
ed great satisfaction to the family
living. as they do. twelve miles from
town. Now the members are seen II
Junction City and Abilene frequently
and there is nothing going on Of con
sequence In the county that they d.
not attend. The sandy loan Of tn
uplands gives a fine basis for th
dragged roads, and Mr.. Gfeller has be
come an enthusiast on the subject
He advocates this as the solution o
the road question at all times.
Another interesting experiment tina
has been made by the farmers Of th
county who have become interested i
good roads is the repaking Of the san
roads by paving them with clay. Fo
instance, the main street Of Detroit,
, little town FIVE miles east of ABILENE
was for years waste Of deep sant
, The road Is much travelled. and oil tn
motor car parties from Kansas City I
!, Denver go through this street. Th
| town trustees tried to grade 1t up, br
!, were unsuccessful, SO they finally d
termined to pave.
They hauled from the clay bed
along the Smoky Hill river enough ella
: to make a covering for the roadbet
r and this was smoothed down until
; became q fine, hard road, one Of tt
' best in the county. while the sand b
, meath takes up the moisture. and Il
: road Is always dry. This proved I
j satisfactory that other sand roads
e that vicinity have been similarly trea
ed and are passable for every sort I
vehicle The hills that formerly cou
only be traversed by the well equipp'
teams and where motor cars could n
go now are excellent highways, Al
. the cars are frequently run over then
4 Roadmaking has received decid
= impetus since the Introduction OF t
motor car to the rural districts of t
i county. There are more than hu
e dred cars in this county. and the nul
2 Der Is increasing every week. Many
these are owned by the farmers, a.
these are the ones who bring to t
movement for good roads the best
" effort Next years road money will
4 used more than ever for the draggi
rs Of the roads. and the county will ev'
- tually have fine highways in every pr