Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-11-15
no question that one of the two meth
DDS of relieving the situation should
be adopted.
THE RIVER-To-RIVER ROAD.


THE RIVER-To-RlvER ROAD.
The enthusiasm with which the
good roads boosters Of Wapello and
Monroe counties have entered into the
work Of cooperating in the plan for
the river-to-river road is an Indication
that the stretch from Ottumwa to All
bia will not go unimproved. The ques-
tion now seems to be only one OF the
route to be selected. The need for the
river-to-river road is recognized ana
this section Of the state Is certain to
do it's part.
The condition of the roads travelled
yesterday by the enthusiastic party
of good roads boosters from Ottumwa,
Abba, Moravia and Blakesburg, who
attended the meeting at Blakesburg,.
shows what can be done. Some OF
these roads had been worked intelli-
gently, and they could not have been
improved. Other stretches had not
been worked as well and they afforded
q strong contrast.
It was the general sentiment at the
good roads meeting yesterday that the
primary object Of road work in Iowa
must be to make a road on which the
farmer can haul his product to town
at any time of the year. Improving
the roads for the benefit of the auto
mobilists is a secondary consid Grafton.
The automobilists recognize TINS, Dut
they are enthusiastic supporters OIL
any improvement program, 1or tney
will share in the benefits.
The fact that Iowa roads are not I'M.
proved to the extent that Will permit
the farmer to get to market In all sea-
sons Of the year induces many farm
ers to bring their products to town
when the roads are good and store
them until such season of the year
when the roads are impossible. These
products bring higher price but the
advance in price is no indication that
the producer is making any more
money out Of his products, as he has
been compelled to handle his goods
twice and pay storage prices, which
would operate to wipe out his profit.
The consumer, then pays a larger
price without giving any greater profit
to the producer. If the roads were I'M
proved so that the farmer could get TO
market in all seasons, there would be
more direct connection between the
producer and the consumer and both
would reap the benefit.
The automobilist is interested in
this movement because he knows that
a dragged dirt road is the best pos
sible road for automobiling. An east
ern automobilist after trip over the
riyer-to-river road between Davenport
and Council Bluffs, which has at
tracted national attention and has
brought about the agitation for sec
ond road across the state through the
county seats along the burlington
road. had the following to say IN a
Des Moines interview:
~ have worked in all parts of the
United States as a chauffeur and
have found that the Iowa roads are
the best of all. Not a state west OF
Iowa has roads that will compare with
the roads in this state. In Wyoming
and some of the western states the
roads resemble COW paths. Colorado
has good. roads in places. There are
a few good roads in the south. In the
east there are also some good roads,
hut in no state is there such road
az the riyer-to-river road. The famous
crushed rock roads in the east cannot
he compared with the river-to-river
road. both for effect on durability OF a
machine and the method by which the
route is pointed out to the driver"
The present work cut out for Iowa
"a to improve its dirt roads. This is
generally recognized. This section OF
the state can do nothing more effec-
tive than to supplement the road drag
ping work it has begun by entering
heartily into the plans for the I'M
provement of this second river-to-
river road.