Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-03-10


ting acros country from Hutchinson
> to Kingsley. Kan, and the other fol-
lowing the Santa Fe main line IN a
northwesterly way, around the great
bend Of the Arkansas, meeting the
other at Kinsley and thence running
along with the railroad to the Kan
sas-Colorado state line.
There, the state of Colorado picks
up the highway and carries it, stu up
the Arkansas valley, still along the
Santa Fe railroad, to Pueblo, from
where it is planned to take II on to
Colorado springs and Denver.
The laws OF the state Of Kansas,
| because of the constitution, do not
| permit the state TO engage In works of
internal improvement. Hence it is
not tho easiest thing in the world to
build a great highway like this, which
lends still more interest. The work
must be done in three ways: BY utfl-
ling the township road levies. which
run from $100 to $500 per town
ship; by aid from the county commits
sioners, which Is generally in the form
of bridges, etc, unless there Is q
county road, i'm which case the COM
missioners AN spend a considerable
amount of money. and by private sub
scription. All three methods are be-
ing used. In Colorado, of course,
where there is nc constitutional inhi-
bition, the state highway commission
and the counties can spend large UNI
OF money.
The Kansas roads the western
Kansas roads--are principally COM
mon dirt roads, and not hard to build.
SO the township boards win follow
the lines laid down by the county en-
Slnetts, and unite, county TO county,
enc 70 cftd, q continuous east-and-
west road mus forging the great high
Way If there are joys in the road; If
there are turns for a half mile or so.
thefc Is q strengthening out process
put INTO effect. q new road laid out, or
something else done 10 make the o
as continuous as possible.
New bridges and culverts' mainly Of
concrete the modern construction, are
put in where needed. Roads are
Graded, using the ordinary scrapers,
the big road graders. cuts and fills
made, n tho King drag put on-the
King drag Is the standard split log
drag-unul gradually a crown" Is
nut on the road and 1t sheds rather
than retains water. Then the road Is
kept In constant repair.
At frequent intervals, very sandy
patches are encountered. Here Il
search is made for clay, gypsum, or
gunbo. n That Is mixed with the
SAND. filling the voids, and making n
binder" Such roads become firm
and smooth as pavements. like rock
or macadam, and impervious to water.
Much of this sandhills road work has
been lone in western Kansas, notably
at Garden city, the most progressive
Of the smaller cities along the trail.
Seven miles Of almost impenetrable
sand was bound" with a gypsum
clay mixture. and now forms what
State Engineer Gearhart calls the
best road in the state of Kansas" |
There are a half dozen Of these in
western Kansas.
Entering Colorado. crushed rock
and tailings arc used, making a fine
thoroughfare. There are miles and
miles Of such roads in eastern Colo
RADIO.
The history of the new Santa Fe
trail is interesting. The idea orig |
mated in the mind of c. H.. Scott.
roads editor of the Hutchinson |
(Kan.) News. Happening in Garden
City, Kan. one day Il year ago, he
it to X. II. Faxon. editor of
the Garden CITY Evening Telegram,
had promoted the famous Gar
den CITY sandhills road the year be-
fore. The two nut their heads to-
gether, and decided on a campaign for
the Arkansas valley speedway, as it
was first called. For more than six
months these two conducted the best
campaign of road publicity Thai the
west has seen, gradually enlisting the
support of every from
Hutchinson. Kan, to Pueblo, Colo. 1t
eliminated In a great conference held
time ago at Hutchinson, when
more than 500 delegates, including
representatives of commercial organ-
Izations. farmers institutes. board of
aounty commissioners. MAYORS, motor
clubs. and public-spirit-
ed citizens generally. met in conven-
lion and definitely laid the plans for
new Santa re trail as il was de-
eided TO call it. The r%esolutions OF
that conference form probably what
4 the best document on good roads
4xtant Mr. Faxon Was president Of
he conference and Mr.. Scott was sec
retary. The organization was made
with an executive and a