Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-10-21
FORCES AT WORK
IMPROVING ROAD.
GOOD ROADS MOVEMENT BEING
GIVEN PRACTICAL DEMoNsTRA- n
TON IN COUNTRY.
CUTTING DOWN HILLS
Highway Near Ed. Lanes Farm Being
Cut and Filled and Road Made
to Meet Bridges
Have Been Built.

! 1t would seem that the good road
spirit has been injected into the farm
ers living between Ottumwa and
|Blakesburg with vengeance, judging
from the manner in which they are put
! ting over some of the road improve
ments within six or seven miles from
Ottumwa. The work at present being
idone near the Ed Lanes place some
half q dozen miles out of Ottumwa is
an illustration of the spirit OF progress.
Isiveness of these farmers. Not far
distant from the Lanes place one may
| see number of places where road
work has been done recently and this
work includes concrete bridges that
are made to last and afford modern
and sensible highway that extends
the width of the road and permits
teams or cars to pass. Hills are be-
ing cut and ,hollows filed, bad spots
are being covered up and the general
condition of the roads made better. 1t
is tru that at present the roads In that
vicinity do not measure up to the same
Standard Of excellence as do those to
tile north of the city where the work
'of grading, filling and cutting, as well
as generous dragging has made high
way that is pleasure to ride or drive
over.
Fred Jones in Charge.
The chairman of the good roads
committee F. A. Nimocks with party
of friends went over the roads along
which work is being done west of the
city yesterday afternoon as the guests
no ~f ho VITO
Co., and the trip afforded a pleasure
to all. The force of men that are at
work in that vicinity are under the
charge of Fred Jones and the work
speaks for itself 1t is permanent
piece of road improvement that will
only need the ordinary care and drag
ging periodically to maintain it in the
best Of condition as good highway.
Mr.. Jones has been doing much of this
work and shows his knowledge of it
in the quality of service being rem
dered.
County Builds Bridges.
With numerous teams, plows, scrap
ers and other road making parapher-.
MALTA, and force of men to man them.
Mr.. Jones began Tuesday morning on
the hill alongside the Ed Lanes farm
west of the city on the road to Blakes-
burg. This job represents a cut OF
some four feet from the face of the
hill and fill of some six feet at the
base of the hill, and some two feet OF
a fill over the new concrete bridge
that has been built by the county over
a small stream at the foot of the in
cline. This concrete bridge, like the
other bridges being built over small
streams by the board OF supervisors
throughout the country, stands as a
monument to the good judgment of the
board in placing permanent structures
and when filled to the proper grade Of
the road, presents good practical
highway that will stand the ravages
of time with ordinary care and atten.
ton.
Farmers Paying for Work.
The job on the LANES hill will take
about six days work and will prove of
inestimable value in that it cuts down
a hill and otherwise fits out the road
in good condition for all kinds Of
travel The expense of this work out
side of the concrete work Is being
borne by the good roads enthusiasts
along the route between Ottumwa and
Elakesburg and this route through
Blakesburg from Ottumwa to Abba has
had subscribed towards it the sum of
SO 1000 Originally $4,000 was raised.
but when some of the improvements
were made near the Abba end of the
stretch. the i've farmers of the stretch
between Blakesburg and Abba sub
scribed another $1,100. Many of those
working with Fred Jones at the Lanes
hill are working out their subscriptions
to the fund and all are working with
a will, showing an interest in. the
cause that spells success. Another
bunch OF road workers are engaged in
cutting down hill and otherwise i'm
proving the roads at Bear Creek and
west from that place some two miles !