Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-09-01
IONA Newspapers
THE HAwKEyE HIGHWAY.
[Sioux City Journal


The present high pitch OF public in
terest in Iowa in good roads ought not
10 be permitted 10 wane for lack of ac-
lion. The idea Of river-toTiver drag
ged and drained roads is excellent. The
scheme promises action under what
ever limitations ard handicaps. Such
a road thru our northern zone of the
state viii be a notable gain and may,
by suggestion. pave the way 20 real,
enduring road building-in other words
for practical legislation embodying
conditions under which such building
can go forward.
Such a road. however imperfect it
may be from the inherent ineficiency
Of volunteer effort, nevertheless will
Illustrate the necessity of bringing a
central authority, armed with more
than merely local resources, 70 bear
on road Improvement. AS the case
stands, it is practically impossible to
get built sufficient stretches of scien-
tidcally and correctly graded and
drained country roadway. Even where
local spirit is strong, it has little in
centive TO act, because neighboring 10
calities Will not cooperate. There is
10 dominant authority TO be invoked TO
compel cooperation, or armed with the
power Of eminent domain or lis equiv
alent.
But stretch Of we'll dragged road
across the state, on the line of which
is a continuous series OF county seat
and good trading towns, will at once
have strong influence on the people
OF the various townships and road dis
tricts in nearby territory TO connect
up by improving short branch roads
by their farms Their building a mile
or Two Of improved road means access
to the whole mileage Of improved main
highway and every mile Of such lat
eral Improvement is a powerful present
temptation for further extension. The
effect. it is not 10 be doubted. would
speedily be a total mileage Of connect
ing branch country roads several times
the mileage Of the trunk riverto-river
mileage itself.
Precisely here is the basic point for
and rapid transformation of our Iowa
dirt roads on a permanent footing. Here
a. in the older states east II will be
found thai efficiency VIII not begin
until a central authority, capable of
decision and Of locating a considerable
stretch OF good road al least in a coun-
~, can be called in. In states where
most has been accomplished counties
ara grouped into road districts for
purposes of decision and administra-
ton. A markedly better river-to-river
dragged road. aside from its direct
benefits. cannot therefore fail to dem
onstrate what incalculably better and
more permanent results would flow
from a full equipped compulsory leg
al system which would be the organ
of aroused and insistent public senti-
n1ent. so long crippled for action by
lack OF such agency.
There never will be cheap country
road transportation without large in
vestment in road Improvement under
com petent central authority. A big
share Of the vast sum now annually
squandered in Iowa could with such a
system be applied to permanent bet
ternent. sufficient at least to influence
good road expansion IN many localities.
II is along this line that the Interior
significance of the proposed river-to-
river volunteer highway proceeds. It
will be worth as a suggestion a hun
dred fold more than it cost.