Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1911-06-07
FINE COUNTY ROADS.
Dragging of Roads Simply RevOlu-
tiOnizing Winneshiek County
Highways.


drive over such fine roads as we are
getting in Winneshiek county?
Some of our good people have been
roasting this paper for year or two
past, because we have taken the
lead in the agitation for good roads
in Winneshiek county, because we
say that we can have good roads, al
all times Of the year, practically
without spending any mare money
than the law now gives US, if a lit
tie common sense is used in spending
it. We have been spending consid-
cradle OF Our own money, and SO
have the business men of DEBORAH
to make the roads good in this vicin-
ity, and we feel that we have a right
to say something about public roads
especially when so much money is
being absolutely wasted every year
This paper has been the apostle OF
the King drag for several years, ever
since we first saw what wonders il
would work in public roads. They
laughed at us, we didn't know any
thing about roads, we were talking
through our hat.
Now, drive to Calmar, to Ridge
way, TO Burr Oak, TO Hesper, and
various other places in the county
A few years ago ii was a days task
to make the round trip to any OF
these places. Now the roads are for
the NEST part like pavement. Why?
Simply and solely because they have
been rounded up in the center to
keep the water off, and then King
dragged after the rains. Some day
and that not far distant, the people
will wonder why they have been sc
slow in finding this out. Just think
how much rain we have had the
past month. In what condition would
the roads be if they had not been
dragged, and rounded up so as to
keep the water off.
But this work has only begun.
The people are just waking up. The
Iowa legislature, representing all the
people of the state, says the roads
must be dragged, the township trus-
tees must do their duty, must obey
the law, or they may be arrested and
compelled to obey it. The legisla-
tors know what dragged roads
mean; know that a dragged road
past a farmers house means money
In That farmers pocket every time
the road is dragged
But the greatest difficulty in this
county seems to be that we have
not yet learned to drag the reads
right after rain, when the roads
are muddy, the consistency of putty,
as the law directs. All over the
county they are waiting a day or
two, sometimes three days, to drag
the roads This is all wrong. Don't
laugh al us, try it and you will find
we are right. Dragging roads after
they are dry helps some, bat that
IS only half doing it.
This is a rambling spasm. But it's
the truth. Dragged roads in Win
neshiek county mean access to mar
ket, and good access to market
means a rise in price of ten to TWEEN,
ty-five dollars per acre for every
farm. That means something, don't
it.
Quit tearing up the roads with
those big wheeled scrapers pulled by
engines. Use this outfit to
round them up and ditch the sides
to let the water off, and then use
nothing but King drags, for years
afterwards.
Let's keep up the good work now
we'll started, until every road in the
county is put into the same condi-
ion as the road between DEBORAH
md Calmar. We think that is the
pest sample of what can be done
With roads in the county. A road
which was simply fright few
years ago, is now a Jim dandy, even
# it is hilly. If you don't believe
Us, drive over it and see for your
self. Hesper, Burr Oak, Canoe,
Bloomfield and various other town
ships are doing good work, but the
whole county should be organized.
Some day we will wonder why we
didn't find out the wonderful advan-
tage of good roads long before.
We blush with shame and admit
The DEBORAH township roads need the
King drag more than any other roads
in the county; but we are assured
that they are to be dragged in the
future.
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