Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1909-1915, 1910-12-09

!. HEAD IN G0(
Nels K. Mattson gives his opinion |
Of a recent article which appeared in
the Intero Ocean recently with refer
ence to good roads. The Idea struck |
Mr.. Mattson so favorably that he has
sent the comment broadcast and In a
letter to the Inter-O Ocean gives his
ideas along the same lines which we
quote In full: i5: z}.E ,.,, s., <
New Rockford, N. D. Dec. 6, 1910.
Editor Inter- OCEAN,
The Inter Ocean quoted lately a few
remarks made by Gen. Fl. M. Creel Of
Devils Lake on the good roads ques-
ton calling attention to the way In
which the work on the highways was
being generally conducted It appears
that the general "hit the spike on the
head" with sledge hammer. Too Of
ten we do the road work when we
have nothing else to! do Just because
we MUST work out our poll tax or
land road tax to get it out of the way,
Often a bunch of US are left to our
selves to do the work as we please and
to- quit at or before the appointed time
without any regard to the quality Of
the work DONE, Often we leave few
scrapers full Of dirt or green sod some
where on the section line, almost any
place just SO that we can get credit.
for the work whether 1t be hindrance
to public traffic or not. But how long
brother farmers are we to continue In
this manner? How Is an army of sol.
diers conducted or handled? We have
a commander.in-chief at it's head who
gives orders to his generals and the
generals to the colonels and so on
down the line until the soldiers per-
form their duties according to the wish
Of the commander-in.chief. Our edu-
cationa1 system is conducted In like
manner from the state superintendent
/ Of public instruction through the coun-
4 ty superintendent VINO see to it that
the courses of study as outlined by
state superintendent is followed up by
every pupil in the state. Well, we call
! that good system. How much would
the pupils learn and what would be the
result if they were turned loose to do
as they pleased from 900 A. NJ, until
4:00 p: M. without qualified head to
govern them. Would we not feel that
the money paid out with a system like
that to govern it would be foolishly
wasted? From my experience and OBJ
servation I believe there are several
thousand Of dollars wasted every year
through this back numbered road work
system. If a road grade can t be COM
Ep1eted it is more of a detriment than a
benefit But we are asked chow do
you propose to remedy the evil?" Let
us follow In the wake Of latter day
civilization, if we can not. take the
lead. Let us petition our representa-
tives in the next legislature to pass a
law to have the road work let to the
lowest bidder on contract and have
the road tax paid In cash instead Of
work. Such road work to be done ac-
cording to "plans and specif il
/ I may call it such, and not to be paid
for until accepted or o. KID by com
tpetent highway engineer whose qualifi-
cations must be the same as the state
highway engineer or IL an engineer
can not be- obtained let the county
board appoint some one with a little
\ common sense to supervise the work.
Minnesota voted for: a good roads
amendment at the last election by 25,-
900 majority. The state of Washing
roads and for the surveying Of country
roads In 1908. And If We but. look up
what other states are doing we will
i ind that they are advancing along the
fsame lines. sf5;a NJ
MY experience IN the real estate bus
mess has taught me what land buyers
look for the first thing. In every In
i ton appropriated ss40, 100 for state
lstance where the roads tributary to q
farm are poor I failed to make sale
a LOT the farm. s$t.5 s:iF5
believe one days work each year
Is entirely Inadequate Tor our needs,
Il we would feel no loss ii the money II
4 we spent one week instead be one day
4 working out our road taxes. If we
d had this done for paid to have it done
4 By competent contra ctor there would
tbe no doubt hut what our farms would
q increase In value many times greater
q than the work would amount to- bs.
q lieVe like SO many others, however
n that the main thing IS to stop the nse
a less waste Of funds on the present
Il headless road work system and join
lone another in the encoura cement 10
\ ward the ablishing q system off laws
road work. I We can not TAKE TIN
LEAD III this matter let uB &c aeasi
make an effort follow the crowd h
yours Tor good roads.
HE'S x. AEATTSON,
l. n