The Richfield recorder. (Richfield, Idaho) 1909-1931, 1909-07-15
Richneld, Idaho, July u, 1908

Rlcnueld, ldanO, july u, l9Os
In a comparatively recent talk will
Mr.. Paul F. Kartzke, Chairman o.
the Board of County Commissioner.
of Lincoln County. [ was impressed
with the far reaching Impotence ol
the recent declaration by thd' Board
that all section lines in Lincoln Coun-
ty should be county roads In the
first place, the Lincoln County Board
is composed of men of wide expert
ence and knowledge in the develop
ment of new country where only oc-
casional cross country roads and high
ways have existed. Again, ranchers
have doubtless often brought to their
attention the difficulties and losses
attending the absence of any super
vision over the location of highways
They have seen these old roads block
AIDED by the erection of wire fences
around the land some settler on a
desert or homestead entry. Those
were few and far between but with
the passage of the Carey Act. the or
ganization of companies to take ad-
vantage of that act and the segrega-
ton of vast areas of land under the
act, the phenominal sale Of these
lands and the thrush of settlers from
all over the country to cultivate the
ground, raise crops and market them,
it did not take long to see that the
regulation over the location of new
roads would be not only wise but
necessary.
To my mind, the average settler
now in Lincoln county on Carey Act
land was influenced to invest here by
the elimination of a quasi knowledge
of the practical results which actual
ly could be accomplished on this
land by irrigation, the reading of the
literature mailed in such enormous
quantities throughout the country
and faith in his ability to turn large
profits from his investment, together
with not a little of the spirit of ad-
venture. This refers to the average
bona fide settler and not to the pure
spculator in the individual rights
granted by the Carey Act.
l do not believe that this average
settler, coming here from territory
where, very likely, the origin of the
country turnpikes and highways is |
lost in the traditions of Indian wars
and the dim past, realizes he is going
to undertake to develop a paying
farm in a section where roads and
highways and even cartpaths are al
most as scarce as trees. Even when
he comes on to the big land drawing.
even if he goes out to roughly cruise
he selection he has made, often thru
4 locator of repute, he does not gen
orally realize what the lack of ac-
feasibility of his farm to the nearest
senter of distribution may mean to
he cash value of the crops he will
dtSl iiy 10 raise.
But as soon as the settler in the
lew tract disposes Of his home pro
'erty and starts for his Carey Act
ling to prove up and begin cultiva-
ion, he is at once brought face to
ace with the Importance Of roads.
md what he does at first may affect
large number of other settlers =
round him and especially between
is land and the town. He must cart
ut the materials to build his house.
arm and sheds, he must go back and
orth for provisions, water, tools. i'm
perhaps live stock and ev-
q chickens. He is in a hurry to
rove up. Shall he drive across. .coun-
y by the nearest route, perhaps on n
'me established roadway: or shall
? break in new road where the n
ornament road must be located? The Il
tier coures may necessitate MANY S
with his neighbors, some it
whom may not yet be on the tract B
Id it surely will cali for several "
lys of gratuitous work grubbing the a.
ge brush, plowing, leveling and per el
Ips filling in here and there over al
me coulee bed or low spot. re
1t is right at this point that the et
libre of the settlers is established. te
S action will be a sure indication
the character of the man as well al
of his business sagacity. Per- ri
ps he argues that he can use the dc
oss roads or old highways for some
lie and therefore will NOT break in
2 other and the right roadway m