davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Devils Lake weekly world., 1911-07-21

order of Importance. In a county OF
ten to fifteen townships. one good en-.
gineer with three or four gangs OF
men with machinery, each having .
good foreman, in three or four years
will make such showing, that people
will wonder they ever tolerated the
old hit and miss methods.
If the method suggested was adopt.
ed and followed, it would at least dou.
BILE the results for the taxes now paid
By having regular employment. both
the men and horses would become
proficient and do more in a day than
the "greenhorn" would do in two days
and the work will be far better done
as we'll
The above outline is for the treat.
ment of earth roads. When the time
comes, and come it will, when the
main roads will have to have hard,
smooth wearing surface of stone,
gravel or brick, all of the work pre-.
viously done as above set forth, will
be. valuable as a preparation for the
permanent road.
The inauguration of such plan will
appeal to the people; they will see
they are getting something for the
money paid. Their attitude will
change from one of hostility to friend
ly cooperation, and this is of much
Importance. The writer once saw an
enterprising farmer who had road
drag, He took it out in a rain storm
and dragged mile of road, goifg
twice over it until 1t was In his Ian
Devils Lake weekly world., 1911-07-21

iN0AAy J0DS. VAAV08A 3 WaG48AG Do AZ WILL
smooth the surface and I'LL the ruts
without clogging the drag with an &C.
cumulation of mud before it. 1t should
iron out and smooth the road with
out disturbing more than surfaee pro-
jections. Its main use is to fill the
ruts and keep the center of the road to
the proper crown SO the water will
readily find Its way into the bitches.
The attempt to have the farmers vol
unfairly drag the road by their farms,
or by cooperation have all the roads
dragged, will never work out satisfac.
torily. Some will respond and do their
duty, but the human hog must be
reckoned with-the one who Is su-
premely selfish, and takes pleasure in
overturning the good work Of another
sometimes just to be mean-pure cuss-
edness. The writer was told of an in
5eident that illustrated this aperverse-
ness. A coarse grained middle aged
man was heard to say: "T'other day
was coming back from town and seen
old man Jones out with road drag in
the rain-you'd thought he owned
the road. Say, you ought to a-seen that
road when me and Jake druv over it.
Devils Lake weekly world., 1911-07-21
She Knew How to Reason.

A little girl six years old visited he1
grandfather, who was a minister OF
the gospel. He is a man who has con.
tributed something to controversial
theology, and is we'll known as q
logician. His granddaughter opened
on him in this wise:
Grandpa, Uncle Herbert says tho
moon is made of green cheese!" ]
"Well, dearie, If you want to con
trovert Uncle Herbert, suppose yop
look it up in your Bible"
"Where'l l look, grandpa?"
fright at the beginning"
The little girl sat down and started
in. Before she had finished the sec
ond chapter of Genesis, she shouted
1--WE found it, and it amt true, gramI
pa! 1t says God made the moon be-
fore he made any cows"
Devils Lake weekly world., 1911-07-21
WHY BATTLESHIP WAS SENT
Because Of Misinterpreted Cipher
Message the Maine Went to
Havana.

Probably very few know that the
Maine had been hurried to Havana be.
cause of misinterpreted cipher mes
sage. Mr.. John R. Caldwell, who had
been in charge of the Havana bureau,
and whom relieved, told me that
several days prior to my arrival he
had made requisition upon the Office
for a revolver. There had come stren-
uous times in the Cuban capital, riots
had been frequent, the lives of for
eigners, particularly those of Ameri-
cans, had been more than once placed
in jeopardy, and the time had come
when correspondents felt the need of
firearms to protect their lives. The
revolver sent to Mr.. Caldwell was
smuggled to him by passenger on
the steamship Olivette, to whom the
weapon had been entrusted by an
agent Of the paper in Tampa. By some
oversight no cartridges had been sent
with it. and 1t being impossible to Sc
cure any In Havana, the correspond
ent cabled to New York. Camera re-
ceived, but no plates; send by next
boat"
Through some strange error on the
part of the one who received it, the
cryptogram was construed to be
cipher and was translated to read that
an attempt had been made on the life
Of Gen. Fitzhugh Lee, American con-
sui general in Havana. This misin-
formation went to Washington and
reached there after the Havana cable
had closed. Early the next day Mr..
Caldwell received from the Herald the
following cryptosram: Send story
and pictures ordered on food-suppiies;
we want 1t for main sheet" BY apply
ing the cipher key, the first sentence
was readily translated to read: "A
United States warship has been or.
dered to Havana" The second evil
IDENTIFY conveyed some hint which was
beyond the Limitation of the code, but
the word main" gave the clue. Meet.
ing General Lee at breakfast that
morning, Mr.. Caldwell quietly in
formed him that the Maine was on
her way to Havana. The general was
incredulous. No warship, he assured
the correspondent, would be sent to
Havana unless he requested it.-Wal.
ter Scott Meriwether, in Harper's
Weekly.
Devils Lake weekly world., 1911-07-21

To the ranging eye the fruiti
brought forth by the religions of China
appear to be nurnberless temples
dingy and neglected; countless dusty
idols portraying hideous deities in VIC
lent attitudes expressive of the worst
passions; an array Of ignorant priests
as skeptical as Roman augurs, en-
gagged in divining, exercising and fur
nishing funeral ceremonies for gain
and laity superstitious and irrever
ent, given to perfunctory kotowina
and prayer promoted by the most
practical motives.-Century Magazine
Devils Lake weekly world., 1911-07-21

perience the farmer does not and Il
not expected to have. tits no rafee.
tion upon him to say he is not . sue
cessful road builder-any more than
1t would be to question his ability in
carpentry. To have the best supervi-
sion the township or road district 10
too small a unit. The mileage is too
limited to make 1t practical to have an
experienced road builder in charge.
Hence the present thought is that the
county should be the road district, or
perhaps there might be two districts
in large counties. The road super
visor should be capable, experienced
engineer employed by the year, or the
season. Let him get the necessary
tools, men and teams and do the work
when 1t ought to be done. When grad
ing Is necessary, the earlier in tho
spring 1t is done the better. The sur
face ought not to be disturbed after
the first Of July.
The first and most important step
is road drainage. No drain, no road.
1t is exceedingly important to have
one in charge who knows his business.
AS road drainage will be treated at
length in another article, the writer
will not elaborate upon it at this time.
The drains can be laid at any season
when the frost Is out of the ground.
Culverts can be built, the roads drag.
ged, weeds cut, etc. This will give
work from early spring until fall.
With the county as unit, plan q
five-year campaign of grading and
draining, beginning with the main
roads and extending the work in the
Devils Lake weekly world., 1911-07-21

kind. 1t has its uses and its limita-
tions. Unfortunately, the man who
made it, and for which the country is
under obligations, overshoots the mark
in his slogan: Good Roads Without
Money" The drag is doing good work
1T is pity the inventor is not satis
belongs.
The drag is not only useful for earth
roads, but serves an excellent purpose
in keeping gravel roads in condition,
and it may be used at times on macad.
am roads to advantage.
Dragging should always be done in
or just following a rain. The surface
should be quite wet. The drag should
Devils Lake weekly world., 1911-07-21

not knowing juAt Row to accomplish
the desired end. IN many localities
We find that meetings are held, q sub,
scription is started. and volunteers
beat up and down the street, asking
everyone to subscribe either money or
labor. A bank will give 500, q mer-
chant another 500, the man next
door, who ought to do the same thing,
will give SO. A public entertainment
Is gotten up, and after campaign of
number Of weeks, perhaps $4,000 Ia
raised for improving piece of road.
In order to save expense some local
party will undertake the work. He
does not know much about road build.
ing. and the result is botch job. The
money Is spent and a half-mile of
road is made, and while it is poorly
constructed, 1t is 50 much better than
the previous conditions, that 1t is hail
ed with delight No effort along these
lines can amount to much, beyond the
creating Of an increased desire for
better roads. Experience shows be-
yond any question that the way to do
is to build as large a mileage as pos
sible at the same time, and have 1t
done under the supervision of a cap
able road engineer. If ten or twelve
miles are built instead of one the cost
of construction will be much less: 1t
will pay to have improved machinery
and the best facilities. Then the pay
ment of the road should not be made
by passing the hat, where some
will do their duty and others will not,
but on the contrary tho amount should
be covered by issuing long time bonds
and spreading the burden over all the
property of the township. If FORUM
ately the state is operating under the
state aid plan, whereby portion of
the expense is contributed from the
state treasury. 1t simplifies the matter
very much and lightens the burden.
The writer made calculation COW
ering the state of Illinois, and that cal
culation was verified by the late Dr.
Frank H. Hall Of Aurora, one of the
best mathematicians in the country,
and he found 1t correct. 1t showed
that 1rst-class hard roads could be
built over all the main highways in
the state Of Illinois, under the state
aid plan, the state paying one-half the
expense from general tax levy, and
the balance locally by the township.
and the combined expense spread
ever a period Of ten years, would not
exceed ten cents per acre per year
on farm lands. What is true of I'LL
nois will be found to work out very
closely along these lines in nearly all
states of the central Vest
The amount Of money wasted upon
the highways of any state between
Pittsburg and Denver, and from Min.
nesota to Florida, would more than
pay the interest on the bonds neces
sary to build and maintain flrst-clasa
permanent roads. We might state II
in another way: That the economies
that can be accomplished and the
benefits that will accrue from improv
ing the highways, will take off, from
the burden of the people many times
more than the taxes to build the roads
VIII impose. Why not convert this
waste into permanent asset? VIII,
not have better conditions when VI
can do SO SO easily?
Devils Lake weekly world., 1911-07-21

ruts along the wheel track and les
ones made by the feet of the horses
When in this condition one or tw,
round trips with the drag will fill th,
ruts and reform the surface and in do
ing SO will move very little material
The forward movement of the dra,
should be at an angle so that whel
the material is pushed forward it Il
also carried to the center of the road
The office Of public roads will fur
nish bulletins upon the use Of tn,
road drag free upon application. Roat
officials and others would do we'll Il
send for them.
A good road Is one that is good ant
usable 365 days in the year; a roat
Devils Lake weekly world., 1911-07-21
llVASl HIGHWAYS
MALT THE MONEY SPENT in
PUBLIC ROADS Is THROWN
4 AWAY.
GOOD ROADS, UNIVERSAL CRY
Everybody Wants Something Done,
but Nearly Every Community Is
! Cropping In the Dark-TIme to Face
| About and Try for Better Results.
BY HOWARD H. GROSS.


No one who is familiariwith the way
road work has been handled for the
last twenty years will dispute that
half of the time and money expended
upon our public roads by the hit and
miss methods employed has been
wasted. Most observers will say the
waste is even greater. The country
ever, the outlay approximates $90, 0,000,-
600. We have gone on from genera
ton to generation pursuing this alb
surd plan, or rather lack Of plan. It
% most unbusinesslike and repre-
hensible proceeding. No business en-
tsfprise could last year with such a
fearful waste. A calculation made
with great care by one of the best au.
thorities In the state, contends the d.
rect waste on Illinois roads by doing
Devils Lake weekly world., 1911-07-21

no reason why they should not come
into general use.
The problem of supplying prisoners
with work that shall not compete un-
fairly with free labor Is not yet solved.
Here, however. is an article that can
be readily made to advantage in the
penitentiary and 1t would be we'll to
have a few thousand turned out
The writer desires in the outset to
correct misconception that seems
quite general, and that is, that the
split log drag is q solution of the good
roads problem. It is nothing Of the
Devils Lake weekly world., 1911-07-21

guage as smooth as a ribbon. No
sooner had he turned in under cover
than he saw a neighbor with two
teams coming down over the road, un.
doing all he had done. The comment
made would not look well In print,
If the party in question had any ap.
probation Of the fitness of things, he
would have driven along the side of
the road, and left the dragged surface
SO 1t would shed water and dry
smooth. A fve-dollar fine with costs
would have been q good lesson.
The sentiment is everywhere fol
better highways. Good Roads" is the
universal cry-everybody wants some
thing done, but nearly every commu
Devils Lake weekly world., 1911-07-21


pleasure or have q full load without
strain upon the horse. vehicle or har-
ness.
To do this tho road must have
hard, smooth surface and offer the
minimum Of resistance. This requires
the surface to be "metaled," as the
English say, 1. e., covered with gravel,
broken stone or an equivalent.
An earth road may be an excellent
one today and tomorrow a very bad
one. 1t may be delight in June and
fright In March. Such roads have
the virtues of balky horse-they are
liable to fail when most wanted. With
a stone or gravel road, leading from
che farsa, should heavy rain occur in
the busy season, when for day or so
1t Is too wet to go into the field, the
errands to town may be done, sew.
eral loads of grain or hogs taken to
market, and the time we'll employed.
With the average earth roads, when
the fields are too wet to work, the
roads are too muddy to travel. Hence,
the writer holds to the opinion above
expressed, that no earth road is en-.
titled to be called good road, because
so much of the time it is positively
bad.
The extravagant claims that have
been made for the road drag are really
holding back the building of good
roads. Many have believed that all
thof -
was to go up and down streak Of
mud once or twice, say Presto" and
behold, good highway. This is sheer
nonsense. The loud acclaim of q
River to River Road" made good in
an hour or so is myth. This famous
road was greatly improved by the drag
ging, but it is not a good road, and
never will be until it is thoroughly
drained, properly graded and has a
hard, durable wearing surface placed
upon it.
1t Is human nature to hunt for some
easy, cheap and speedy way to do
things, and usually no sooner has one
discovered how to make some progress
toward solution, than he announces
a complete revolutionary discovery that
sets aaide all experience and prece.
dent, and gains something for nothing.
The split log drag is directly in point.
The people may as we'll make up
their minds now, as to find out later,
that good roads cost money and lots OF
1t, but they are worth many times
their cost and they will pay for them.
selves over and over again every dec.
ade. A we'll drained and we'll built
macadam road with a good binder may
cost anywhere from $4,000 to $4,000
per mile, but such a road with mod
crate repairs will last for generations
Hence the future should bear part O!
the burden. There is only ono sensi
BILE, businesslike way to build good
roads, and that is, by state aid, where
by the state, preferably from a long
time low rate bond issue, pays part Of
the expense, and the township issues
bonds, running from 20 to 80 years, TO,
Its part. In this way all the roads
needed in a township-the main roads
can be improved at once, and the
payments spread over the present and
the coming generations.
BY building all at once from ten
to twenty per cent. can be saved In thu
cost of the work, and the communit,
has the roads to use from the start
Of course interest must be paid on the
bonds, but against this goes the use o.
the roads. If this is not worth more
than the interest it is better not t.
build the roads. The road question is
big one and must be handled in
big way.
Devils Lake weekly world., 1911-07-21

dollar road tax. The stories told, the
stunts Of wrestling, jumping and other
athletic diversions, make it holiday
enjoyed by every one.
There is but one thing to do: Col
lsot all the road taxes In cash and pay
to have the work done under the best
Supervision obtainable.
This working out the road tax dates
back before the war, when there was
very little money in circulation, and it
was next to impossible for the people
to pay the tax in any other way. It
IL different now. The labor system
has outlived its usefulness and should
o.
Road building, even II . dirt rsaA,
Devils Lake weekly world., 1911-07-21
Mans Purpose.

Not man but is conscious of occa
sional hours that are full of promise;
but his purposes are like these bloa
SONS on the peach tree, of which ther<
seems a strange overplus, since many
bloom and few set.-Rev. N. D. Hills
Congregationalist, Brooklyn.
Devils Lake weekly world., 1911-07-21
The Babies Came. Too

Babies at home receptions are
among the novelties In the way of en-
tertaining. having been introduced in
to London by Lady Pembroke. Moth
ers, all OF whom had titles, came
with their babies, the nurses carrying
them into the rooms, where they were
handed over to the mothers. who were
obliged to hold them themselves for .
time at least.
Devils Lake weekly world., 1911-07-21

You wouldn't s'posed it had ever seen
drag. Jones was hot when he seen
us coming. He tore around like a
crazy man. We wouldn't row with an
old man, so we give him the ha! ha!
and went on.''
It is no use to drag road and then
cut 1t up again. Let all such work
as dragging be done and paid for and
make it heavy fine for any one te
drive over a dragged road until it i.
dry enough so it will not cut up.
Gravel roads while new and com
pacting under the traffic show deeu
Devils Lake weekly world., 1911-07-21
A Wish GratIned.

"Jiggs used to tell me that the
dream of his life was to live some
day In big house on hill"
"Poor fellow! And now he 10 In
the state penitentiary."
"True. but that is big house and
1T happens to be ON 4 hill"
Devils Lake weekly world., 1911-07-21
Quite Literal.

She Qndignantly)-Look at this
piece of goods which has just come out
of the washtub! How could the man
who sold it to me tell me the colora
were fast?
, He-I suppose because he knew how
Shey could run.
Devils Lake weekly world., 1911-07-21
THE SPLIT Lug DRAG
USE AND LIMITATIONS OF THIS
DEVICE IN CARING FOR 3.
ROADS.
USE FOR CONVICT LABOR
Dragging Should Always Be Done
Just After Rain-Good Road Is
Ono That Is Good and UsabIe 365
Days in Year.
BY HOWARD H. GROSS.

oy 7O"NnD IT, anOoS.
There is no road implement that will
10 more to make bad roads better
than the split log drag, and none that
b 80 inexpensive. A handy man can
usually get up one at a cost of SO or 81.
Better ones can be bought of road
machinery companies for SO to SIS.
There is no patent on it, so there is
Devils Lake weekly world., 1911-07-21
Seems Out of Proportion.

With every exertion, the best d
men can do but moderate amount
of good; but it seems in the power d
the most contemplate individual Il
do incalculable mischief-Irving.
Devils Lake weekly world., 1911-07-21
Temptation,

If you cannot remove temptation
from the boys, then reverse the ordea
and take the boy away from tempta
tion.-Rev. Roby Day, Methodist, kan
sas City.
Devils Lake weekly world., 1911-07-21
SeIfjShneSs,

Selfishness is the enemy Of the
home, religion and the state.-Rev
Carroll E. Harding, Episcopalian, Bal
timore.
Devils Lake weekly world., 1911-07-21

Doing the Beet One Can.
Probably the best way to manag,
home affairs is to be straight aheat
doing the best we can, regardless d
other folks opinion
Devils Lake weekly world., 1911-07-21

can and children, Fred Snore and fam
lily, G. B. Willsey and family, Mrs
Geo. Hall, Mrs. F. Gibbs, Mr.. and Mrs.
Devils Lake weekly world., 1911-07-21

Guy Runcorn returned Wednesday
from an extended visit with relatives
in Missouri and Oklahoma.
Devils Lake weekly world., 1911-07-21

OF A
graded well
Of
may lis
Devils Lake weekly world., 1911-07-21

this
shed hadheaded business
Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1911-12-14
NEM HOPE.

{ d Wilson Sold to C. w. wilson
eighty shocks Of corn at Soc per
shock,
w, H. Wilson bought OF $. ~
Sylensaicker one calf for $40.
Next Saturday and sunday is Rev,
lPresser's regular preaching day at
New Hope, but 1t is expected that
d gentlemam of Hardin College will
occupy the pulpit.
Mr.. and Mrs. John Dixon and their
daughter visited G. D Wilson and
wife recently.
G.. ID. Wilson and wife end Sum
ner Davis and wHfe visitesi Eigat
Sims ssnd wife Sunday.
Louis Brown OF Dexter Mo-, i
| here on business
Virgil Bowne assisted w K WIS
dom gathering his corn last week,
Arolla johnston and family visat
led Mrs, s. A. Bowne Sunday
Robert Dollins and family visifef
! W. Y. Chdeh and wife recently
jesse L. Chick and wife, of Colm
bia, visited his brother, w. L, Chick
and family the past week
q
Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1911-12-14

Ryaol Arch Chapter OF the Ma
sonic Lodge elected the following o.
ficers at slle meeting Tuesday night
of this week;
!. 7. Mason, H. RI
Walter Rncker, K
@. poiason, s.
r II. Marshall. Treas
John ] Steele. sec'y
The NJ w. A. Lodge elected the
following officers Tuesday might
Frank Hazard Venerable Consul.
y. 4. Murphy Vice Consul.
Al II. MooreW. Al
]. w. plunkett- Clerk
Il. r. Kun1el Banker
Bert III Sims Escort
c. r. Stratton Sentry s
II. M. Beamer Watchnaal
Ed, O'Brien- On Board aIgrs.
Drs, Griffin, Harrison and Wren
Physicians,
or these L. f. Kuniel has been
elected Il times; ]. w. Plunkett. 10
dimes.
p A. Murphy alter serving mine
years. asked to be let out this com
ing year.
w. II. Lewis, the new district dep
uty. has put much life in the camp
which has over 300 members in goo
standing,
Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1911-12-14
I'm COUNTY, MISSOURI, THURSDAY. DECEMBER II 1911


William Mandy. one Of Audrain' 8
prominent stockmen and shippers.
announces than the EtocAmen of this
section VIII have q meeting ct the
Court House on Saturday afternoon
Tor tho purpose o. orgaufzing to
protect themselves asaanlsA the ad-
vance In rates for sealsng stock on
the market f
The stocbman intend % organize
On saturday The proposed In
crease amounts to $500 q ear
stockmsn in every part Of Mis-
souri, are :akips Steps IN tiss direc-
ton They aim the present ratio Is
high iui vitis ,Er sssiis;Ss'rai s2.go
added ID h makes the white
enormous
Az a meeting III MobeIiS last Sa.-
arslay. The Shippers Aastklation u
Missouri was organized
Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1911-12-14

Remember the loved ones with .
box of Huyiers or Gunther's Famous
Candies, The best. and cost no
more than unknown brands. Grad
dock has both brands packed beaii-
fifuIfy in ~ to l5-pound boxes. w9d4
Post Card Projectors, $3.50 to Sic.
See them demonstrated at Grad
docks.
Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1911-12-14

]. w. Hughes Of near Benton
City, Is feeding 20 head OF hogs. He
reports no cholera naar him. but
says there is some south OF Benton.
Tha wheat In that section is good
Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1911-12-14

Let Leslie do it ali; fix the leaky
roofs, mend tinware; doctor smoky
stoves; order stove CASTINGS; put up
gutteriuig or repair anything that Is
ont Of fix, G. Leslie Ferris, The
Thinner. : dw2t