The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1910-08-19
Iowa Farmers Build Road In Record
Time

Council Bluffs, Iowa. Saturday,
The greatest piece OF road building
the world ever Witnessed was done IN
Iowa when, n the short space OF one
single hour. = line of road $50 miles
In length and stretching entirely
across the State of Iowa was put IN
the most perfect condition OF any
road west Of the Mississippi River.
Weeks and months were spent IN
preparation for the work. but not
piek or a shovel was used until the
designated second was licked on.
Then, as IL By magic, ten thousand
workmen swarmed out to the road
way. and when they ceased work,
sixty minutes later. Iowa had one Of
the finest long distance roads in the
entire West.
and not the least interesting thing
in connection with the tremendous
piece of work Is the fact that not
man of the entire ten thousand en-
gagged on the work received one cent
of wages. Good will and patriotism
alone are responsible for the splendid
showing.
Last winter the Iowa roads became
80 fearfully bad that traffic was prae-
lIIzAI1 hlilEu4 anu lhAA40An noA0 @4lA-
PEELED simply to remain in their
homes. Finally the matter became q
political question. and both parties
got behind the movement. Governor
Carroll called good roads meeting
ut Des Moinea early last March, and
out OF this meeting was evolved the
plan OF river to river road"
stretching from Council Bluffs, On the
Missouri River, to Davenport, on The
MISSISSIPPI. 3 distance Of $50 miles
gtraIgh. across the State from East to
West
Make the river TO river road aB
near perfect a. is possible to mako
Just common dirt" was the sense Of
the good roads convention.
Instead Of appointing new COM
mIIIeeB TO handle the work. the feEu-
lar Republican and Democratic COM
mIttees in each county through which
the road would pass were appealed 10
The chairmen of the committees of
each party we're asked TO get IN the
game and work for the roed Every
BODY agreed 10 do So. and soon
rivalry was created between Republic
cans and Democrats. each to see
which party would hive the most
worlxmen "on the Job when the time
for work arrived
Last Saturday was selected Us tho
daY. and from nine o'clock TO ten
o'clock the hour OF work.
Every farmer along the way vas
personally seen by tie committees
and practically every nan agreed 10
give the one hour that Wa asked for.
- nHNaA - hWtnT HA.=4#
pIoughs, scrapers and road draKs.
and an organization e1naito those en-.
pIoyed In professional railroad build
Ing was worked out.
n the weeks preceding the work all
bridges and enlyerts along the road
were repaired and put IN FIRST class
order, that no delay might come 70 he
road builders when once the latter
started working
The result Of the organization Was
shown. Shortly before nine o'clock
In the morning farmers began getting
out In the road. Hundreds and thou
sands OF plonghs, picks, shoYels.
sefapers. road drags. grading mn
chimes and other implements we're
brought along. Every farmer brought
his team With him. superintendent
and oyerseera had been appointed IN
readiness, when. promptly at nIHs
o'clock, the order was Issued n all
to
and ten thousand determined men
fell to-" Fer an hour they eonIin=
ued working 18th might md main. II
ten o'clock tie lob wag finished and
the farmers vent back 70 their fIeIds.
leaving Iowa the poHsesaor of he
ffEest piece Of long distance roadway
IN The West