The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1910-08-06
Good Roads Builders and Good Roads
"KnOckers."

TACT, ana dctudl WORK Will III dH prOO-
ability begin on them within the
next few weeks, We shall be pleased
to have full and free discussion of
the subject, whether it be from those
favorable to the plan or from those
disposed to kick against it.
In another column it will be seen
that "Uncle George" comes to the
front in an article, Good Roads Still
Looming Up," in which it is little
hard for Us to tell whether he is
boomer or a knocker against good
roads. However, he is disposed to
be pleasant, and whether practical
or not, we give him his say in the
matter. He ought to have a pretty
fair idea of the lay of the land in ward
five, where Mr.. Virgins built his II
miles of dirt roads, and from it eau
tell as to the advantages of road
building in that section of country.
One thing, however, is mentioned
by Uncle George, aud that is the
reputed big cost OF road building in
some localities, of $500 to $500
per mile. He ought not to take
stock SO much in the reports of road
knockers as in the reports of the
road builders. In this issue of the
Chronicle We publish a recapitulatioD
of the cost of building Is miles OF
good roads in DeSoto parish, from
which it will be seen that the total
cost OF building the 10 miles WAS
81, 347 81, or an a verage of $756.51
per mile. We have seen the state
ment made that this road cost all
the way from $500 to $4,000. In
deed, the Mansfield Enterprise.
newspaper published in DeSoto par
ish, has been guilty OF asserting that
the cost of this road to the parish is
from $4,000 to $4,000 per mile, and
n number of newspapers have repeat
ed this absurd statement. Uncle
George is certainly too old and too
sensible man to he caught by the
absurd chaff of such silly knocking
In the building OF highways in Grant
parish, there need be no fears of any
such extravagant cost. The aver
age cost will certainly be less than it
has been thus far in DeSotO parish,
because we can cut out and avoid
some of the expensive mistakes that
they made.
On the third page of the Chronicle
of last week will be found picture
of the ''split-log drag" in common
use all over the country. We recom-
mend this machine on the authority
of the National Good Roads CON-
mittee as the cheapest and best for
general use, and will be pleased to
present anybody with a pamphlet
exactly how it is made. The
split-log drag, in connection with
Mr.. Virgins machine, is just the
thing needed to keep up the country
cross roads leading to the Good
Roads System that Grant parish will
build. We, hope to zee every CON-
munity in Grant parish go into the
good roads business, and SO many
become builders" that the knock
ers" won't have any encouragement |
for their knocking.
The true secret of having good |
is first to have high class
roads for our main highways, as d
pattern or model for construction,
and neighborhood pride and emula-
ton will then be excited to improve
the lateral roads leading TO the high
ways. The building of high class
roads, OF course, will be more expens-
i've than the neighborhoods can
stand, but it will give the people an
IDEAL to pattern after, and the educa-
tional feature is pleasant and profit
able to all. The very simplicity of
the split-log road drag, and it's great
effectiveness in maintaining splendid
roads, at an absurdly cheap outlay,
commends itself to all who give it at
and there is no reason why
Every community should not have
good dirt roads by it's use.
One Hundred Acres of Fine Rice.
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