The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-06-25
SPENDING MONEY FOR GOOD ROADS.


county boards in various sections of the
country during the past few months
in response to invitations to tell what
methods are best for obtaining funds
for road construction and how the
roads should be maintained after they
have once been secured.
At the present time there are two
principal methods of raising funds for
these purposes, but Director Page be-
lieves that before plans are set on foot
for raising funds, much should be said
regarding the manner in which such
funds should be expended. If the
voters of county show a readeness
TO spend generous sum in improving
their roads. it us of paramount i'm
portance to them to first ascertain
what class of roads should be con-
structed.
ply because county owns duarries
from which trap or limestone rock can
be secured that the expensive maca-
dam road must necessarily be built.
The qualifications of any rock cannot
be definitely decided upon until labora-
tory tests have been held. Much mon
ey has been almost thrown away in
this country, however, on the construc-
ton of rock surfaced roads, those hav-
ing the construction in charge neg
lecting to call in the services of eX-
pert chemists, and using rock totally
Il. =,
conditions. In many, many cases, the
results were disastrous, the roads quick
ly raveling and going to pieces be-
cause the cementing value was lack
ing.
A county which shows sufficient pro-
gress to bond itself in liberal amount
for the purpose of securing improved
roads should keep its money intact
until its officers have learned exactly
what class of roads will best meet its
requirements: what type of road it is
best qualified to construct and what it
can best afford Those facts can be
secured through the aid of the ma
tional government. the office of public
roads standing ready to give gratui
tous advice and to supply skilled high
way engineers who are qualified to tell
what type of highway would best meet
that county's requirements and to DEM
onstrate those decisions by supervising
the building of stretches of model high
ways, after which local officials may
take pattern.
l. L. rtr,{o off
rials are now showing the liveliest APP
probation of the results which follow
visit by these skillfu men, and the
demands for their services are so hevay
that is is impossible for Director Page
to meet more than twenty per cent
of the requests being filed in this office.
When county officers learn to appre-
ciate the fact that road building is an
art, they will rely more and more
upon expert advice and scientific dem
onstration, and when they have learned
what class of roads is desirable, they
will construct them and then guard
them.
Therein lies one of the most import
ant of all American highway questions.
Americans build as good roads as Eng
lishmen or Frenchmen, but having done
so they rest contented with their eff
forts and let each passing breath of
air, speeding automobile, or drenching
rain blow or wash the road surface
away. In the countries of Europe,
where the well-nish perfect roads are
the pride of the citizens and the envy
and admiration of visiting Americans,
most jealous care is constantly given
careful day-by-day inspection is made
and every depression is quickly filled
and all inequalities rolled or tamped.
Two requisites. therefore, confront
the county supervisors at the outset
first to ascertain what roads would be
most suitable to that particular sec
ton, and to provide for funds to ex-
pend in their maintenance after com
pletion. Those are vastly important
and the nations very small percentage
failure to give consideration to them
Millions of money have been wasted in
building roads which local conditions
made impracticable and out of all cost
proportion to the country's revenue.
There are exceptions to all rules, how
ever, and Pike county, Alabama, stands
as a glittering exception to the usual
construction blunder. There the coun-
ty officials had planned to expend a
large sum in the building of gravel
roads.
w. l. Spoon, United States superin-
tendent of road construction, being
sent to make an inspection of the
county's road possibilities, learned that
seven hundred miles of important
routes needed improvement. He fgur-
ed that the cost of gravel roads would
be $4,000 a mile plainly sum great
er than the county could be bonded
for Conditions, however, were ideal
for sand clay construction and he
strongly urged its adoption. By a
legal proviso the county could be bond
ed for only three and half per CEN
tum of the assessed value of the real
and personal property. The plan was
decided upon and an issue of $l43, 900 was
voted. One hundred thousand dollars
worth of the bonds were quickly sold,
being disposed of in $4,000 allot-
ments.