The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1909-12-02
THE BALDWIN FLATS
That Part of Road Which Has Been
Treated to Coating of Rock is
in Excellent Condition.
But the Rock Must be Kept in Place
Until the Entire Roadbed Be-
comes Solid and Level. :

Baldwin and Spencer Brook farm
ers have had good object lesson in
the past ten days as to the value of
crushed rock on the road across the
Baldwin flats. What was formerly
the worse piece of that execrable
road in wet weather has been covered
with crushed rock and the contrast
between the piece of road so treated
and the piece that has not been
treated to a coating of rock is great.
But the part that has been covered
with rock needs a little attention;
ruts are being worn down in places
and the loose rock should be raked
into these ruts and the roadway kept
level. It behooves the town authori-
ties Of Baldwin to give their attention
to this matter, that is if they are at
all DESTROYS of getting any further
assistance from the state highway
commission in securing enough rock
to cover the remaining bad stretch. of
road next spring. If the entire
stretch of road across the flats was
put in the same condition as the
quarter Of a mile nearest to town it
would be worth thousands of dollars
to the farmers who are obliged to
haul their produce over it. It would
cost the town of Baldwin only trife
to keep the rock in place until the
roadbed becomes solidifed. Once
that piece of road has been treated to
a liberal coating of rock it's entire
length it will require very little
work to keep it in excellent con-
dition at all seasons of the year and
it will be a pleasure to ride over it.
Next spring the roadway should be
widened so as to permit of the free
passage of teams, as it is at present
it is positively dangerous. But in
the meantime the ruts made by wagon
wheels in the loose rock should be
filed up and kept level until the road
way becomes solid. There are 25 or 30
wagon loads Of pulverized rock at the
railroad track which should be ap-
piled as top dressing, but now it is
too late in the season to get it hauled
and spread on the road: it will be all
right to apply next spring if the road
is kept in good condition until cold
weather sets in this winter.
The writer has taken great in
terest in having this miserable piece
of road permanently repaired and has
given freely of his time and limited
means with that end in view. Now
if the town authorities of Baldwin
will manifest a proper interest and
care for the work that has been COM
menced we will guarantee that enough
crushed rock to cover the entire road
from the Mile Laos county line to the
WOOdman hill will be forthcoming
next spring. But one of the condi-
tions that we will insist upon is that
the rock already spread shall be kept
in proper position until the roadway
becomes solid, and this is a matter
that should be attended to without
delay. If the ruts are not kept filed
up and the roadway level the wagon
wheels will cut through to the black
sticky mud in very short time. If
the roadway is kept level water will
not lodge in the wheel tracks and the
top-dressing when applied next spring
will make the road as hard and
smooth as a city pavement.
When this piece of road is once
permanently repaired, and the only
way it can be permanently repaired is
by applying a liberal coating of rock
or gravel, it will save the taxpayers
OF Baldwin hundreds of dollars
annually, for great deal of money
has been already wasted on the road
in question and to no purpose. All
that will be necessary to keep it in
excellent condition the year through
will be to fill a rut hole occasionally
and keep the ditch open to drain of
the water.