Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-11-12

well kept roadway from Blakesburg t
Ottumwa and from Blakesburg to Al.
: bia would be well worth the time and
money spent on it. Furthermore, he
, stated that it would increase the value
Of their farms.
} He touched upon the old road laws
! and was in>Savor of better road legis
lation. Mr.. RShmond favored the
Albfa-B lakesburg- esstumwa route as
the best and that it remained for the
; people of Blakesburg to get busy and
secure the road through their country
In closing he touched upon the interur-
ban line, which he said would at some
future date connect Abba and OF
Itumwa, and pass through Blakesburg.
Mayor Hartman Of Ottumwa made a
few remarks, stating that he was in
favor of the Blue Grass road and that
good rural highways were a necessity.
i Kendall For Better Roads.
Congressman Kendall, showed that
he was good roads booster by his
remarks in an interesting address on
the highway problem. iowa ought
to have better highways" declared the
speaker, "as it is one of the lines OF
development" He pointed out the
benefits of good highways stating in
this present age that it was an aid in
educating the children, because with
better roads they could attend the
schools more often and if they were
DESTROYS, attend school in Abba or OF
tumwa. He spoke upon the better
ment OF the rural roads in Iowa, in his
belief the establishment OF the rural
free delivery system had helped i'm
prove the highways. He believed that
the present road law was better than
the old one. A uniform system OF
working the roads in each county In
stead Of by townships, In Mr.. Ken
dalIs belief would result In better
roads. In closing he stated that every
farmer along the route between Abba
and Ottumwa should be enthusiastic
over good roads as it not only gave
them better highways on which to get
their crops to market but increased
their farm lands. He told of how
farm property along the river-tO-r1ver
road in the northern part of the state
had increased the value of farm pro-
perty and how farmers went many
miles out of their way to travel on this
highway which has become famous
ali over the country.
Short Talks Made.
Mayor Pabst of Abba also made a
few remarks favoring the Blue Grass
road and pointing out the advantages
to the farmers along the route.
w. T. Harper, president Of the Of
tumwa Commercial association, II
dressed the gathering, telling II the
work accomplished by the good roads
committee of the Commercial associa-
ton He favored the Blue Grass road
passing through Blakesburg. Fred
Jones, an active road booster, who
resides along the route Of the road be-
tween Blakesburg and Ottumwa spoke
of the good results which had been
obtained by the dragging of the roads
between the two points and the fine
condition of the road as viewed by the
Ottumwa boosters, showed that the
drag does much good. He stated that
the farmers along the route were
greatly interested He was positive
that the farmers would aid in improv-
ing the road by donating funds and
working on it and that after 1t was
once put in good condition, they would
always keep it so. Frank Shane of
Eldon, who was elected state represent
:tative at the recent election gave g
brief address He declared that he
was for good roads, and that he would
favor legislation which would result
in better rural highways. While he had
not given the good roads problem much
study Representative-elec Shane de-
clared that he would get posted on the
matter by reading up the Iowa laws
and those of other states, and that any
suggestions which the citizens of the
county might make would be con-
sidered by him. Other speakers OF
the afternoon were Trustee Forsythe,
Asa Berry, John Bells, George Miller,
John Bardel, Guy Hall, l.. Cohagan,
Lester Jay, Austin Jay and William
futile. Some Of these speakers were
Blakesburg business men and farmers
along the line and by their remarks,
all were very enthusiastic for the
roads. John Relnhard and A. L. Rey-
nolds, members of the board of sup
ervisors, W. F. Raber, Martin B.
Hutchinson and G. B. Baker gave in
teresting talks which teemed with
enthusiasm for the Blue Grass road.
Abeaa Starts Ball Rolling.
One of the most enthusiastic adj
dresses of the afternoon was that of
Walter Abegg of Blakesburg. He not
only preached the good roads gospel
and urged the building Of the Blue
Grass road to pass through Blakes
burg, but started the beginning of the