The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1911-04-14


claim with Jean A. Flittie. referee
in bankruptcy, against the estate
of Macbeth & Gardner company for
$40631.O6. claiming that this amount
is due him for the purchase price
of the Macbeth Il Gardner Packing
company plant, which he claims was
sold by him to the Macbeth d Gard
ner company on January Is, 1909.
for $40,631.06, and that no part
thereof has been paid him.
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= The subject of good roads is one
that appeals with special force to
the motorist. There is a general agi-
tation going on throughout the coun-
try for better roads, but the most
vitality interested of all persons must
ever be the owners and drivers of
motor cars. AS rule the average
country road is either simple
grade of earth or, in favored local
tiles, such grade surfaced with
coating of gravel. Under all ordinary
conditions and for the greater part
of the year, these, if properly cared
for and kept smooth and free from
stones, would fulfill the require
ments of good roads, but the trouble
is they are not thus cared for. A
grade is made of material is APP
piled on given section and then
nothing more is done, perhaps for
years. Ruts and chuck holes from
which retain the water of every
rainfall, forming mudholes. These
slowly dry up, the mud meanwhile
being cut up in ruts and drying thus
is crumbled and ground into dust,
which is blown away, constantly
deepening the holes and ruts until
the road is destroyed. The ruts and
the intervening ridges force all the
travel into the same track, intensi-
flying the bad condition and making
the passing of vehicles difficult and
dangerous.
Really good and permanent roads,
the expensive, water-bound macadam,
are not yet within our reach. The
coming of these generally will have
to await a further large increase of
population and wealth, for Inany
years to come we shall have to de-
pend on the gravel or earth roads,
and the present problem is how to
make these the best possible. AS
I have already indicated, the roads
receive but infrequent and irregular
attention. The key to the problem
is the reversal of this policy and the
adoption of the policy of constant
supervision and continuous mainte-
nance. How shall this be brought
about? | have plan to propose
which is practical and efficient, as
| have demonstrated by actual ex.
pertinent, and at the same time will
add nothing to the expense already
incurred on the roads. Let me say
first, that | distinguish between road
repair and road maintenance. The
former refers to the rebuilding of
roads where worn out or destroyed.
The latter has reference to the
maintaining of the road surfaces,
whether new or old. in smooth
uprutted condition, free from stones.
For this purpose there is no imple-
ment that can equal the King Split
Log Drag when properly used.
make this statement with abso-
lutte confidence after an experience
with it for two years. The drag
must be used when the road surface
is soft, just. after the frost has come
out in the ,sprips, or Immediately
after a rain. There is. seldom more
than a day or two. at a time, more
often only "a few hours, when the
conditions are just right to get the
best results. 1t is therefore impOSsi-
bic for one man and team to go
over the roads, of an entire town
ship or other extensive district with
in the time when conditions are
just right
How then, shall it be done? Let
ships divide the roads into short
sections and assign to each farmer
the section nearest his home to be
maintained and kept in order by
him. Two or three farmers could
join in providing a drag. The princi-
pal dragging would be done early in
the spring, before the fields are
ready to work. Later in the season,
whenever there is a tendency to de-
velop ruts in the road. after rain
would be the time to drag the road,
for then only would the road be in
suitable condition to drag. In the aver
age settled sections of Minnesota
these road sections would not ex-
coed mile in the many places not
more than one-half mile. A dragging
of such section can be done in from
one to two hours. Three or four
draggings each year will Ordina-
rily be ample to keep the road in a
smooth condition All of these state
ments are upon the results of actual
experiment. Those who have not wit
messed the work Of the split log
drag would be surprised to see what
it will do in the way of maintaining
road surface smooth and free
from water, which is. the arch enc
my of good roads | would be willing
to take a section of road a mile