The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1910-06-10

ncbo 4A Az w. Wv
by the operation of the split log drag.
This instance related by Mr.. Henry
Harlow, mayor of Onawa, Iowa, who
had finished his first split log drag
according to, Mr.. Kings directions, to
be tried on a single block of Main
! street in his town. He relates that
he finished the drag before noon, and
at 1 o'clock put. it at work on the
street which was then hub deep in
gumbo mud, being almost impossible.
After using the drag for four hours,
at 5 o'clock in the afternoon, wagons
loaded with 1000 pounds of hay we're
being drawn over the street withor
making hardly a perceptible rut. This
would seem almost incredible. But
the United States government is now
issuing a special bulletin on working
dirt roads with the King drag, and
their experts recommend this method
of road working as not only the most
economical, but the most effective for
keeping them smooth and hard.
Last winter at Greenwood I OBJ
tanned permission from our super
visor to have one of these drags con-
structed on the plans submitted by
the government. This I had done at
one of our local lumber mills, by saw
ing a log in half down the length of
it. Then the half of the log that is
for the front or cutting section of the
drag is reinforced for about one-third
of its length with a piece of thin steel.
The drag is made of a light poplar Or
ash log about s or 10 inches in dia-
meter, and 8 feet long, split in half.
These are fastened together with oak
or hickory cross pieces fitted, into a
Pinch anger hole, there being three
Of these cross pieces-one near each
end and one in the centre. A floor
of rough planks laid about two inches
apart is put on for the driver to ride
on: also to carry pick and shovel so
that he can fill in any holes or wash
es that may be in the road. The Sec
tons of the road where we have used
the log drag for several months are
now smooth and hard and they do
not become muddy to any extent nor
cut into deep ruts. The department
Of agriculture at Washington will
furnish their bulletin on the King log
drag to any one who will write for
it. It costs but little to have one
made, and when it is in%telligently
used will prove. all that is claimed
for it as the best method for improv-
ing dirt roads. We have experienced
such good results in working the
roads leading into Greenwood that
our street department is thinking Sc
riously of adopting this method of
working the dirt roads in the city
with the King drag.
Now a word In regard to CONNER
cial organizations and the methods Of
conducting same so as to hold a per-
manent and united membership. The
Merchants association, Of which I
have the honor of being secretary,
has tried to solve this question, and
we think with some success, by: Sc
curing to every member a constant
service Of value to him in his bust
ness every day Of any time that he
desires to make use Of it. On blanks
furnished to each member b"
the association arranged for that
purpose, a credit rating on every
customer dealing with each mer-
chant is listed with his color, oc-
cupation, address and the experience
the merchant has had with this par
ty in paying his accounts, whether
he is prompt pay, medium pay, slow,
and undesirable, or whether he is en-
titled to no credit at all. And all old
accounts that are accumulated by the
members are sent into our collecting
department for adjustment. These
are handled and the debtor informed
that # some satisfactory adjustment
is not made in a given time, then the
account will be listed in a book open
for the inspection Of all the mer-
chants, and we send him a list of the
members. We have found this a very
effective means Of collecting old &C
counts. Then if we fail in every way
to appeal to these debtors, or to effect
a settlement, then all accounts are
published for the information of our
members. In this way the merchants
are kept informed as to who owes &C