Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-10-13
MARSHALLToWN CLUB PLEDGES
TO RAISE THAT AMOUNT FOR
ROAD DRAGGING.
PLAN TO OFFER PRIZES
AND OTHERWISE COOPERATE
Actual Cost Of Dragging Roads So
Cheap When Known That Possibii-
ties Are Wonderful-kins Scores
Business Men For Bad Roads in
Their Own Town.

MarshaIItown business men are go
ing to cooperate with the farmers in
dragging the roads in this part Of the
county. They are going TO spend ST.
900 or more in bringing about gen.
eral habit of dragging roads and
special committee has been appointed
to raise the money. Such was the ac-
ton of the MarshalltoWn Club $ esday
evening after being scolded and lectur-
ed for two hours by D. Ward King,
of Missouri, the man who has immor-
talized an old fashioned split log drag.
Mr.. King told the business men Of
the club that they were to blame for
the frightfuly rough roads lying ad-
jacent TO their city and within their
corporation limits. He shamed them
for roasting the farmers for not drag
ging the roads when team would get
stuck on the dirt roads OF their own
city. He told them that permanent
stone roads were the ideal thing and
that any community in which land sold
at 500 per acre could Well afford TO
ship stone 100 miles by rail with which
to build hard roads. He also said that
any town which could find gravel
within three miles of its roads was in
excusably negligent if ii failed to use
the gravel. However, he said that the
reason people did not build stone roads
was because they did not want them
and until such time as they did want
them it was his mission TO tell them
how to build good dirt roads almost for
nothing.
He cid not attempt to explain how TO
operate King drag. He assumed 20
be speaking 10 business men only and
his remarks We're addressed 10 their
lack of interest in the value Of good
roads to everybody. He tried 20 rouse
them 10 action and succeeded admir-
ably so far as those present were con-
oerned for the club pledged itself to
raise $1,000 for road fund.
Several plans are being discussed to-
day. Mr. King favored Offering prizes
and some of the money will be spent
this way. He told them how one road
supervisor in Owassa township. Hardin
county. had every mile of road in the
township dragged regularly at his COM
the law allows him for contracting the
work to neighboring farmers. This
could be put into operation in any
township in This county if the people
only cared to do it.
A business man of some experience,
has figured ii out that a boy or farm
hand with a four-horse team and drag
can drag a mile of road thoroughly in
one hour and a half Al fifty cents
Per hour or s. per day he can we'll af-
ford to drag a mile of road for sew
entyfive cents per dragging. The T.-R.
once contracted mile Of road an en-
tire season at this price. We all know
that in a season of eight months we
will not have rains oftener than once
nten or twelve days on an average and
at this average SIS per mile per season
will pay for dragging roads with a
King drag.
There are eleven main highways
leading out of this city. The MARSHALL
town Clubs $1,000 road fund would
actually hire the work done in dragging
every one of the eleven highways sew en-
miles out from town for an entire sea
SON But this is unnecessary for the
farmers stand ready and willing to do
their share. Each township has money
for road work and the farmers them
selves will contribute to the fund if the
merchants and automobile owners are
willing to put up fair share.
1T has been suggested that we de-
scribe a special road district with Mar
shalltown as the center and sides seven
miles distant each way. This would
take us to the Tama county line on the
east, to the far side Of Timber Creek
oh, tn no tc, 10 cir
of Taylor township on the north and
half way across both Marietta and
Washington townships on the west.
1t would include all of Linn, Timber
Creek, LeGrand, Marion, Taylor and
Iowa townships with half of Marietta
and half of Washington and points in
the corners would be as much as four
teen miles from Marshalltown. There
would be approximately $50 miles of
main roads and cross roads in the en-
tire district. Suppose we had meet
ing of township trustees, road super
visors and farmers in each township
and arranged to put every mile Of
these roads under contract to be drag
ged at seventy-five cents per dragging
It would cost about $3.50 for the entire
district. Marshalltown business men
and automobile owners could well af-
ford to contribute $1,000 per annum
The farmers living on 7S4 quarter sec
tons would contribute another $1,000
by subscription and the road funds OF
six full townships and two half town
ships ought to stand the $4,000 or per
haps the board of supervisors could
spare $1,000 and let the farmers off en-
tfrely. Every farmer would be paid
for dragging the roads as he should be
and every mile OF road would be drag
ged every time it rains.
As Mr.. King told the merchants good
dirt roads are so very cheap that no.
body will take the time to get them be-
cause they are so cheap.
Most everyone present knew more OIL
less about the use Of the drag but the,
ala not know how to obtain the con.
certed action necessary to start the
dragging. King stirred them up II.
offered one suggestion entirely new il
this locality; that of spreading grave
on the roads with manure spreader
He advised hauling the gravel in The
ordinary farm manure spreader ant
giving the road frequent application
Of gravel Of about an inch deep eacf
limo. This idea struck everyone a.