The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1910-08-10
CORN IN IOWASTATEI is TALL
SIGNALS USED TO GUIDE TRAF.
EIC ON COUNTRY ROADS.
An extraordinary Story of Tunneling
Across the State. A Map and
Compass Needed.

Compass Needed.
MACON, Mo.-''The man who trav-
o,s overland through Iowa these days
. simply taking his life in his
hands said Harry M. Rubey, chair
man Of the democratic state commit
foe and president of the Rubey Trust
% of Macon. Mr.. Rubey returned
this week from Lake Minnetonka,
where he left his motor, and jour-
neved back by rail.
"When we crossed into Iowa at
Coatsviue," Mr.. Rubey went on, 1--WE
we're met by a sort of flagman who
wanted to know if we were going
far upstate. l told him we were
going clear through it, and he want
ed to sell us a map and a compass.
thinking he was trying to josh me
7 waved him aside and drove on.
The roads up there are magnificent
YOU know, and if it wasn't for VIOLA
ting the law we could have skinned
over them faster than railroad
train.
Corn the Conversation.
NO, We didn't break any laws,
and III tell you why. AS we pro-
crossed into the state we'd stop at
wayside inn every now and then, and
the sum total of the conversation
was corn, corn-always corn, moth
ing else Pretty soon we got into it.
Gradually the stalk alongside the
road became higher and higher. Mrs.
Rubey didn't need her sunshade ex-
cept at midday.
The forks in the roads delayed
US, if We struck them when the sun
passed the meridian. Then I'd have
to shut down while Luke HunkIer.
the maChinist, Skinned up a telephone
pole to take observations so we could
get the right direction. We'd have
saved lots of time if we'd bought that
fellow compass, but who'd thought
Of crossing a whole state through
tunnel Sometimes the stalks were
so high that the tops overhung the
road completely, shutting out the
sunlight.
flaSman WORKS the Wire.
'NoW, you'd hardly believe it if
YOU didn't know me, but it's as true
as democratic principles that that
corn follows the road so closely that
they have to station fagmen at one
end when the road curves to prevent
collision.
When one team or auto is in the
block of a curve no other is permit
ted to enter. The flagman manipu-
lates a signal by wire He warns the
car on the other end that there's
another car in the block, and he'll
have to wait.
This system has only been in
stalled on the main highways, but it's
being extended as fast as possible.
A number of collisions have oc-
Cured on curves where there were
no t1agmen.
i used to read the story of Jack
and Bean Stalk with a skeptical
grin, but IOwa's corn crop this year
gives 1t a distinct air of FEASIBILITY.
Will Use the Lightning.
How will they get the product?
mat what occurred to me, and |
asked a man l met up there. It's
simple enough. They'll run a strand
vi Dark wire around the field, about
Cne height of the butt of the corn,
connecting each row with a fine cop
per WIRE, and then put up tall light
nIus rods on each corner. The first
eleCtnc storm that comes after that
viii level the stalks so a wagon can
uIIFe III and the farmer can yank
Iue ears off. never saw the scheme
uled' but it looks all right. | don't
see no" else they could do it. But
gay, wouldn't you like to be up there
IN harvest timer"
=, MIR, Rubey turned to his desk and
moughJfully picked up an agricuI-
Iulal report.
3, vi course" he said, casually, "if
tE are any names to be used in
-; tllS interview I'd rather you'd lay
onto Hunkler. He's the fellow
b mat climbed the telephone poles. l
I Laten any time to be. answering
letters about it,"