Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1909-04-17
DIRT ROADS ADVOCATE
Farmer Shows They May Be Had
at Small Cost.
HUNDRED DOLLARS PER MILE
Earth Highways, Scientifically Built
and Regularly Maintained, Are De-
sirable, Says p. J. Jewett, Where
Cost of Rock Roads Is Too Heavy.

MO, mas 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 the
Star on the subject of good roads, as
l read with interest anything on this
subject anywhere. Although a farm
er, am also good roads man.
am pleased to see the interest
shown. and, while | don't want to
"knock," | am afraid the cause is be
ing injured by its friends who write in
that they seem to think no road a good
one unless it IS made of rock at a cost
Of S.. 900 to $1,000 a mile.
| will state as briefly as | can how
the subject looks to me, and | believe
l will voice che opinion of 10 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 farmcrS) must either do the
work or pay for 1t. Individually |
have little interest in roads other than
those In my immediate neighborhood
and those leading to my market. In
twenty-five years have not driven SO
far that could not get back the same
day. If I have to make n trip Of any
considerable distance | take train.
am not vet able to keep Il motor car
for pleasure and am not willing to
make roads for those who are.
| live In an average township In
western Missouri that has sixty miles
of road. Our assessed valuation IS
$3.50 600. To make rock roads at the
lowest estimated price per mile $1,000
would cost $1SO0OO. or more than half
the value of all the property in the
township To make one mile at $1,000
would require tax of SO cents on
500. A rock road is never the best
road. If it was we would not avoid It,
as we always do, when the ground is
dry and speed rings would be made
that way. 1t is not permanent and the
cost of maintaining six miles would be
more than we now put on sixty. |
know that the idea Is to improve the
most important roads first and the
others later, but the one who lives
mile from the improved road can take
no more than he can pull over the un-
improved one.
l note the argument that | can take
larger loadS, make better lllllH, eel
better prices, all OF winch admlt, pul
my present income would nave 10 DE
increased very much TO enable me 10
stand this cost. l also note 'Ilat Good
roads Will enable me TO sell my 1arlh
Tor a greater price. suppose uoh
want |" SeIl. we are io' All Sle'ui"-
Tors. Nonld an acre prouuce more IL
ltS price was wv" 'll"'l 1t "ouiu IL u
was sou: without o"upt l "oulu pay
twice as ilu'n '"A: IL l Nnh' !" S''''
IL ulhereL'' 'llouSh '"u' iiAe i!lc M
surahce" s""ie W" la ~ VIC ~
pe"''
10 you S'e WHY i"i iiii'i9 'i''hi'''!
No'e "o"" "i! 'li''T "'','S ',''n 'i,''
III hlSS'"'I ''le i"i 'I''i N''''H ''ie '.''
cent Sl"'e ron'' '"N' 'i',' was i'",'! ~
'ieir l"N"l' o''"""' 'he! 'i'"9',' u
was 10 pu'iu "'''c i'""' III ''' II
they nad no interest =,
Don thlllN we are iiioSSo"chS.
we wait s"'u i"''H anu app
lhelr N"lue' puI IL we nluH' iii''Ne 'neii'
we lhSlSt lr't 'he! pc ol Ni"u 'h"'
we can aurora ana '''t VIII S"'' ou'
needs
why not 'r! Soou u'rl r"huS' WIN
the exception Oh lew H'lleS' N"! l"
per cent, near tne toWlS' where uiNel
conyergeS. q good dirt road properly
n,ointoiuod yvouId bo tho worry host
IT.. ., +, A., ~ ,
good one ten ana paSSapIy the o'her
Two pelleNe Flo' 'liile "ou''
hlaAe soou ulrt ro''uS III ou' 'oN Iship'
ana Win S-oo more we '"ulu Sraue
down the mis- eraue up the 10"
places, tlIe out the wet ones properly
grade ana dl'ch them ana put III con
crete culNertS Where orluSeS were not
requlreu-lh I"c'' hlahe illoue'h ro'N
ROAD without lhe Fo'k'
AS TO lnalh'chailce' lillle Oh lhlrtE
1oot ROAD can De dragged once lot oo
cents An average OF ten tiilleS VIII
be ample but lelS say hlleeh' anu
we nave cost OF sou. n grader
should be run over the ROAD once Il
year to open ditcheS ana MAINTAIN
proper shape. Two morse graders are