The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1912-03-07
BROADS|OE FOR
GOOD ROADS
is DELIVERED ON OPENING DAY
OF THE COUNTY FARMERS
INSTITUTE
WELL KNOWN ROAD ADVOCATES TALK
Meeting Will Do Much to Stimulate the
Building of Good Roads-A Good
institute Program in Progress

The annual farmers institute for
Brookings county opened at the as
sembly room of the city hall Tuesday
afternoon. The sessions will con
tinue until tomorrow, closing with the
afternoon meeting. The meetings are
being largely attended, showing the
the importance of better farming
methods and are willing and anxious
to better their condition. The pro-
grams are of interest to every farmer,
and those who could not attend the
sessions of the first two days should
come in today or tomorrow.
The institute opened at one-thirty
Tuesday afternoon, although previous
to that hour a large crowd gathered
and enjoyed a fine buffet lunch that
was provided. The first address of
the afternoon was by Mayor w. II.
Leighty. Mayor Leighty spoke of the
relation between the city and the
farming community and showed how
they were mutually dependent. He
welcomed the visitors to the city and
expressed the hope that the institute
would be an enjoyable n and pro-
ductive of much good. President Sher-
win of the association, then gave his
annual address. He reviewed the his
tory of the association during the past
ten years and outlined the objects
and benefits Of the Institutes.
Tuesday afternoon had been fixed by
the association as good roads day,
and two of the most prominent good
roads advocates, not only in South Da-
kota but in the northwest, were pres
ent. The date was unfortunate per
haps, as it was the day of the annual
township elections, but if there had
been a bigger crowd we do not know
where they would have been placed.
The assembly room was packed and
a large number were obliged to stand.
The meeting was a fine n and will
do much to advance the cause of good
roads in B%rookings county.
The first speaker was Prof. H. c.
Solberg of Brookings. who took for
his subject, "TranscOntinental High
ways and Their Benefits" Prof. Sol
berg showed the development of road
building from the earliest history of
the country. Before the construction
of railroads the government lent its
financial aid in a large way toward
the improvement of the highways of
the states, but with the coming of the
steam road the people Of the country
gradually drifted away from highway
improvement and their money and en-
ergy was devoted to the building Of
railroads. OF late years, however, es-
pecially since the introduction of the
automobile, the people have again
turned to the improvement Of the high
ways, and the government, in re-
Spouse to the will of the people, will
lend its aid.
Prof. Solberg reviewed the history
of the Winnipeg to Gulf, and Chicago
to Yellowstone Park routes, both of
which pass through Brookings. These
are the two greatest transcontinental
highways in this country, and Brook
ings is indeed fortunate, said the pro
fessor, to be located at their junction.
The work of laying out the two routes
through South Dakota and securing
recognition for them in the Automo-
bile Blue Book was done entirely by
Prof. Solberg. The benefits OF being
on these two routes are many and will
increase As the years go by.
Prof. Solberg then took up road
conditions in Brookings county. He
explained that method of construction
used in the mile of model government
road west of the city as compared with
the usual road building of the town
ship road foremen, illustrating the diff
ferent types of work by sketches. and
made on earnest plea for more road
work and better methods. He called
for an expression of those who were
willing to assist in a good roads cam
paign and nearly the entire audience
responded. Prof. Solberg offered the
use Of a gas tractor, a steam engine,
q steam roller, and other road build
ing machinery from the college. which
will greatly facilitate the work. He