The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1910-06-08
WEDNESDAY, JUNE .. 1910.
THE eooD:RoADs PROBLEM.

CO0el0ef8 Olo IL Oel0R CIV.
en- to the subject Of road improve
ment, q problem that confrouts the
public authorities Ia various parts OF
Montana. and which is the subject Of
large expenditures annually in every
county throughout the state. In Chou
teau county alone, the annual expend-
itures for road purposes range from
go, 600 to $50, 900 q year, but with
some 5000 miles Of public highways
in the county it is apparent that the
work of improvement is spread yer
90 large an area that very little pro-.
gress is made In any particular To-
cslity.
That seems to be the general exper.
fence in most Of the counties, but here
comes the BilliugsiG azette with q story
of practical work in road improve
ment that deserves attention. The
story, accompanied by pertinent sug-
gestions, is to this effect:
Nine miles Of modelroad, without any
especial preparations or application;
and all at the cost of some display OF
enterprise, intelligenceiand hustle, and
the small sum Of 1918 or $1.04 per
mile. That is n demonstration OF
what can be done In theswsy of high.
way improvements In the county sur
rounding Billings. o. With such q show.
ing there would seem to be no reason
Why there should bessi.single foot of
poor roads in the Yellowstone valley.
The Billings Land & Irrig CATION com.
pauy, through r. E. Shepherd, con-
structed the road mentioned, the work
being done on the Runtley road east
OF the city, and the split log drag was
the instrument used. The work demon
ctr rates the value of this humble appli.
ance and the illustr alton of it's
efficiency should encourage every farm
er In Yellowstone county to look after
the highway running past his place.
1t is obvious that If each man would
care for the roadiupon which his farm
fronts, we would not be forced to con.
tend with the!mud;and ruts of neglect.
ed highways in:any part of the country
and with so small an outlay OF time
and money required, there would seer
to be no excuse why all the roads
should not be good and kept good,
especially when it is stated that il
would cost not to exceed 81 per mile &c
keep the road in good condition for a
year, this price being based upon the
price of labor. OF course if the farm
er should do the work himself, be
would be out nothingibut his time, and
what time he consumed in keeping uE
his road %wouldlbe paid for many times
over in the increased facilities which
he would possession the marketing o.
his crops.
The county ownsIgrading machines
and doubtless would be willing to de
as has been done by q neighborine
county which placed q grader in every
road district. WithIsuch q machine
the roads could be placed in prope,
condition, while the use of the spill
log drag following aistorm would keel
them 90. Doubtless the county would
be pleased to loan thesgraders to tn,
farmers, and it is certain the maio,
part of these would be willing to &c
their roads to grade because of tn
convenience which it would be to them
selves.
All OF the details maybe worked on
1t the coming good roads congress
but if the proper amount of interest /
displayed by the people the improve
ment OF u highways will be in full
swing when that bodyeconvenes. L
the light Of what has been done by MI
Shepherd and others it would look a
though there al no longer any ex
cuse for poor roads in Yellowston
county.
QAn R0An ENlCI A-t@A