Rocky Ford enterprise., 1909-08-06
WILL R. MONKMAN. Publisher.
FRIDAY, AUGUST Q, 1909
Subscription Ratss
THE SPLIT.LO0 DRAG
A Simple Device for the Making o.
Good Roads.

Last week the Enterprise had an article
upon the cost Of bad roads and one OF
our readers. whose interest was engaged
by the subject, in his home paper. the
Evening Report Of Lebanon. Pa. came
across the following article upon a sim
pie and cheap device for making good
earth roads, that We gladly reproduce. in
the hope that It may be given tr,al:
"A few testimonials by people who
have had actual experience with the OBJ
jet spoken Of will often carry more
weight and conviction for some persons |
than lengthy sxpositions Of the merits OF
the object in the finest English. Below are
appended number Of testimonials telling |
what the writer's think Of the King
Split-log Drag system Of road maintsn-
anee. In their simple language they carry
conviction with them.
The first is from Albert B. Croft. Sec
retary Of the Supervisor Board OF East
Hempfeld township. Lancaster county.
Pa. who says: First of all road dragging
smooths the road. We have found that
out since We have been using the drag
The second thing is that road dragging
makes the road bed firmer and enables
it shed water quicker than a road which
has been undragged and neglected. The
third thing we have been shown 1--WE are
from Missouri. too. and must be convineed)
has been that the right time to work on
the road with drag is Immediately after
q rain.
When we first began to drag our town
ship roads many Of my nsighbors were
sksptieal. So were we. But IS things
went on the proof was demonstrated, and
now we are beginning to wonder why
we did not learn Of this system sooner
and why We did not adopt It years ago.
The principle ofworking up soft, sticky
mud Of clay or loan character means
that il will grow hard when left to the
rays Of the sun. And Il 10 this idea Of
working up . soft road bed after every
rain. Of smsaring over The entire road
surface thin layer Of soft pliabls mud
which will dry and become hard. that J
now realize Is giving Us our solid road bed
whsrs the drag is working.
Our Supervisor Board pays the farmer
who drags the roads by his farm IS esnts
Per hour for his labor. We are planning
to put more drags on our township roads
very soon. We have - miles Of dirt
roads in East Hsmpfsld township. our
assessed valuation Is $4,000. 900 and our
road tax 10 two Mills"
"ln Salisbury" says another advocate
Of the King Drag. I'VE have about two
miles Of streets. alleys and roads to keep
up. Our assessed valuation is about
$4,000 and do not think it costs over
$25 or $50 = year for the two miles out
side Of permanent construction. Last
Spring we (ssvsral Of Us who were advo-
Gates Of the King Drag) prevailed upon
council to give the Drag trial.
As usual. some Of the council as well
as number Of citizens were skspieal
but the Drag was put to work one sunny.
windy day with the usual result Of .
smooth. firm. hard. dry road while at
either end Of borough road the township
roads were soft, rutty and muddy. which
Of course in time dried of with ruts and
holes still there to bs worn down by
traffic, which msans dust, thereby fur
nishing the first and only essential sls-
mens for a muddy road. with the first
rain.
1t was the general opinion Of our
citizens that the Drag has put the streets
and roads in better condition for IS or
Sc than they could Be put in for SIS
with the road machine. Long aftsr all
roads bad dried off and smoothsd down
people driving through the borough said
they could tell At once when they drove
onto the road that had been dragged in
the Spring it being harder and smoother
and less dusty.
The only obisesion can offer to the use
Of the King Drag 10 that its first cost Of
building is SO small and the cost Of opsrat-
ing it SO insignificant As compared with
the magnitude Of its results that people
are afraid it is some Kind Ct get some
thing for nothing scheme and are afraid
Of being swindled int a aking good roads
without paying the pr.Ge.
When every farmer in Pennsylvania
owning property adjoining public high
way will own and make systematic use
Of the King Drag then. and not till then.
will the roads Of the State 5s any better
than they were f'ty or hundred years
ago under the Presen. system Of main
tanning dir. roads,
As regards the efficiency and econ
ornie value OF the King Drag the follow
ing letters from Frank Livsrrnore. one Q.