The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1910-08-19
Railroad Experiences IN i States.

Rarely does one man IN = season
lave an opportunity Of Judging At
first hand the conditions Of roads in
fifteen different statez. Such m ex-
perience was that Of L. II. Dean. who
accompanied the Regal aplugger' ON
its recent six thousand mile journey.
or his experience On various high
ways Mr.. Dean writes -
THE entire United States could
we'll afford 10 look 10 the East for
samples of whaf MAJ he accomplish
ed i'm the way Of good roads. Pro
crossing east from Detroit re began
10 see more Of he maeaIam road as
we got east Of Cleveland From there
on TO Boston one could readily real
ize that millions md ben spent on
making these highways NhaI they
should be. Massachusetts. appar=
emily. side from tie maeadam. las
found 1t advantageous also - Use oil.
This State exceeds al others In this
respect
West Of the Mississippi ofganiza=
tons for the improvement Of roads
have not reached the perfection they
have In the East. Nth the exception,
| might say. Of one State. Iowa In
this respect Iowa exceeds Any Of her
neighboring sister States. The great
river to river road from Council
Bluffs to Davenport. known as the
great White Sign Post road. Ii AZ
fine a piece of highway n one would
care to travel over. Not only Il the
road itself perfection. but no traveller
need be In fear Of wandering from II.
At distance Of every quarter of i
HniIa HhIIU uIRu Az.
placed all along II. When the rnaa
turns a hand pointing it direction
stands ready 10 direct The UayfaFer.
Aside from this sign post road one
finds nearly all the roads IN excellent
condition. There Is no doubt IN my
mind that a great deal Of credit for
such highways should be given to the
man who invented The King drag.
Iowa farmers are more skilled In the
use of this drag than contemporaries
in other States. There are few sec
tons of the entire country over which
we Travelled where this DRAG could not
be used to good advantage. We must,
of course. eliminate sections where
gumbo soil prevails. a. n Kansas and
Iowa. In the treatment Of gumbo
soil for the purpose Of making good
roads that will stand for al seasons
of the year 1t VIII be absolutely neees-
sary to haul In EraseI and make a
completely hard surface. observing. of
course, the grading necessary to OBJ
tain good drainage
1T Is very interesting 10 observe
the radical change thai has taken
place in the attitude Of the farmer To-
ward the automobile. Not more than
three years ago IN the majority Of
cases the tilier Of the soil waH an
tagonistic to this new king Of the
roads. Seldom would one ind him
willing to extend helping hand or
mend his highways for the benefit Of
the automobile.
Many we're the occasion On our
trip when We beeame stalled in the
mud that We had n prevail On the
generosity Of the natives 70 aid us
with their teams Of horses or oxen.
Compensation was always extended
but invariably t vas refused. and
always In apology vas A forth
coming on the part u the farmer for
the condition Of the roads in his Vi
cinity. Even though IN Home sections
things have not vet reached 4 point
where organizations are perfected for
carrying out good roads projects, the
spirit Is there, and the future looks
bright for good results.
Kansas. Nebraska and Iowa are
reaping certain amount Of good
through law that allows each farmer
fifty cents for dragging the road dis
lance of one mile and back. Michi-
gan. Indiana and Illinois could wei
benefit BY the example aet b the
three Western States mentioned IN the
use of the drag. IN fact. IN some
places It would Heem that this va1u-
able implement haH. been entirely
overlooked - ! result IN DR..
weather IHa roads are exceptionally
sandy and rough and II rainy wealth
err they are 10 stretches 81 mud
puddles.r