Milford chronicle., 1909-11-05


Composition Of Sand and Gumbo
Would Do When Properly Handled
Many Benefits Realized.
Until recently the farmers south OF
Dodge City. Kan, were put to all sorts
of inconvenience getting to town with
their crops for market In that section
Of Ford county is as good wheat land
probably as can be found in the state.
The owners Of these lands are for the
most part Germans. and their success
in raising large crops was proverbial.
But they had one particular legitimate
complaint That was the condition Of
the road between their farms and
Dodge City.
For about two and one-half miles
the main county thoroughfare passed
through the sand bills. This sand
hill road was about the worst to be
found in that section There were
places in which the wheels sank into
the sand halfway to the hubs. while
the remainder Of the distance was
most difficult Of passage. In the
places where the sand was deepest an
empty wagon drawn by two horses
had hard work getting through. There
was only one time when this road was
in a fairly good condition, and that
was directly after a hard rain. It
would then pack itself hard But this
good condition would last only a day
or two, ana as rains are not overfre-
quent In this part Of the state the sand
hills road was bad nearly the year
around The citizens Of Dodge City
realized that they were confronting a
serious problem, for many Of the farm
ers were threatening to move away.
They appealed to Representative Ed
ward II. Madison. who became inter
ested. He went to the good roads bu
reau Of the department Of agriculture
in Washington and asked that a roads
expert be sent to Ford county. The
request was Immediately granted. w.
l. Spoon was sent TO Dodge City
After looking over the sand hills he |
made this reassuring statement:
Your people can have as good roads |
as anywhere in the country and with |
as little expense as anywhere. I'll |
show you how to build 100 yards of
good road through the worst sand, and
with that lesson you can continue it."
In the low places in the sand hills
Mr.. Spoon found close to the proposed
road a gumbO-like soil which he mixed
with 20 per cent Of sand. With this
mixture he constructed a road that
after a hard winter and almost con
slant travel is still like a race track.
The proposed road was first lined
center stakes and side stakes set at the
required distances The roadbed sur
face was plOWed. disorganizing every
1art ofsit The harrow was then used,
turf aud grass from the
and. The grading and leveling fol-
owed, making easy grades where re-
luired. The road pillow was again
Used. this time outside the stakes.
Three burrows were thrown to the
takes, making brace to hold the
lay in the roadbed. On top Of the
lay bottom in the road trench were
pread sand and gumbo care being
AIKEN that no grass or roots were left
n it. The mixture Of sand and gum
10 was slanted so as to shed the wa
err Time hardens the gumbO land
mixture.
This 100 yards of experiment walked
p the farmers and the city folk Of
lodge. Immediately two and One-half
liles additional road were construct
d. For nine months the road has
TODD the test. and the farmers in 9TH
r parts Of the county are building
Imilar roads.
what benefit has been derived from
MS road Improvement? was asked
7. J. Fitzgerald lieutenant governor,
large merchant in Dodge City.
That's hard to answer" he said,
because the benefits have been so
ANY and varied. The town people
ave had an increase in business, and
le farmers have made more on their
-oduce because Of the ease in which
ley get their stuff to market. But,
Dove all. the farms south Of town,
hose owners had to depend upon the
u Avdus nav AHNASd9Vu Az faiuS ~
II cent. This is not an estimate, but
unded upon the transfers actually
ade since the new road was built.
nr people, who a year ago were de-
ondent and saw no remedy for the
ID road conditions, are now enthusi-
tic good roads builders"
How to Avoid Making Ruts.