The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-19
CITIZEN LABOR
MOST EFFECTIVE
More Skill and Thought Ap-
piled to Road Building
HIGHWAYS IN CULLMAN'
pied Driver-Is an APOSTLE of Good
Roads-Much Interest in
Boys Corn Club
BY WALTER HARPER

| bt WALTER HAM
Hanceville, July Especially 1.-The best
| good roads doctrine l have head in long
time was from a crippled driver for liv-
cry stable in Hanceville last night
We were driving over a public road
that was almost impossible a few years
ago. Though the rains have been very
heavy for several weeks, and wet wealth
er is very damaging to these fat, waxy
| roads in the southern part of Cullman
county, the highway over which we drove
was in remarkably fine condition
For years and years these roads were
worked as most roads were worked In
those days, by the people in the neigh
borhood who were called out by an over
seer for a few days each spring and fall.
The extent of the road work done was to
| throw few shovelfuls of dirt on pine
| tops laid In the ruts and mudholes.
The roadbed was left fiat and no drain
| age was provided. The average oversecr
had no idea apparently of engineering.
and If he did his men were in too big
a hurry to get back to their farms or
their fishing to do the work as it should
be done.
| Citizen LaDOr
The roads in Cullman county are still
| worked by citizen labor and hired labor
employed with f1ve-dollar road tax, but
more skill and thought are being applied
to the task. The people are learning to
appreciate the value of good roads and
have learned something of the art OF
building them. They have found that
drainage is the first principle of road
building and goes long way toward Sc
curing firm, smooth roads
Scrapes and road machines are fur
nished by the county commissioners, and
as a result of more intelligent methods
and better equipment Cullman county
has some of the best roads In uorth Ala
bama outside the pike roads that have
been built at very great cost.
But l was going to tell about some
good roads doctrine expounded by my
crippled driver. / call attention to his
physical weakness because that has di-
rect bearing on this story. The young
man was paralyzed in both lower limbs
several years ago. He is able to get about
with difficulty.
| BY virtue of these infirmities he Is ex-
empt from road. duty without question.
But he insists on doing road duty. and
| for two years served as road overseer
at his own request. This Is in striking
contrast to thousands of people In Ala
bama who seek the most trivial excuses
| to be relieved from this duty to the
state, to their neighbors and to them
selves. zss ~ -fa. .sfle.
| Apostle of Good Roads i s.
81 help build roads because they are
just as important to me, cripple. as
the richest business man or farmer In
| Cullman county" said the young man.
my education is very limited, and
work hard every day for a living for
myself and my little family, hut 1 do
not begrudge one dollar of money or
one hour of the time that I spend on
building and improving roads. Under
the law am exempt from road duty,
but do not take advantage of it. 1 feel
that I can afford to help build roads,
and am glad to do SO.
IF owned a small farm l would put
| every hour Of spare time had and much
that I maybe could not afford into I'M
proving the roads that passed through or
near my farm. l would not ask for help
l.
that other people spend frolicking In put
ting my road in the best shape possible.
II would do this not only to have
good road for my own use, but l believe
the example would have a good effect on
other people In the community, " hich
would In time result in a continuous sys-
tenn"
Boys Corn Clubs
The merchants and business men of
nrfd 10 Aficc IN
tractive prizes for the best acre of corn
raised in Lauderdale county. Mississippi.
and the two bordering counties in Ala
bama-Sumter and Choctaw.
The first prize amounts to over $500,
and there are scores of embryo farmers in
the three counties competing for the va
rious awards The contest is far reachir
In its effect. The boys that have Joined
the club are not only benefited by the
actual cash profits to be had from the,
corn raised, but are being inspired WITH
the Importance Of intelligent farming.
A few days ago drove out to look
at an acre Of corn that is being grown
by Rowan McElroy, a member Of this
club. Rowan Is 16 years of age and ona
OF the most promising young men ii,
Sumter county. His fathers farm, on
which the corn is being grown, is a few
miles north of Cuba.
Friendly Rivalry
The corn is now practically made and
the acre is one Of the finest have seen
IN the state. Without some unusual ca
lamity he will produce far above 100
bushels on the one acre.
am told that there are scores Of
bright young boys in Sumter and Choctaw
counties competing for the prizes and
that the rivalry is fierce though friendly
The work OF these boys is the subject of
The liveliest interest in these two coun-