Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1912-08-27
FOR BETTER ROADS
Expert Declares Present System Of Re-
pairing Dirt Road Wastes Money
TWO HIGHWAYS MAY CROSS STATE
Favorable to State Commission That
Will Give Uniformity In Surveys,
Construction Materials and
Direction OF Routes.

will Give Uniformity In Surveys,
Construction Materials and
Direction Of Routes.
Des Moines-The plan for improve
ment of Iowa roads should be pu
into operation at once, according tt
Supervisor Uhl. "At the present time
we are spending several thousand dol
lars in each township of Polk county
each year that is practically wasted
Dirt roads simply cannot be made
permanent You can round them uI
in the middle during the summer
smooth them up, and put them in
good condition, then when the frost
goes out the next spring they flatten
out and become as mucky as ever. We
are ready for gravel roads in this
county now" he continued. "We
have cut down the hills in many
places, drained the roads we'll and put
in permanent concrete bridges. If We
were to- surface the main highways
now with gravel, we would have some
thing permanent. All that needs to
be done to a gravel road is to drag
it in the spring and you have good
road all the time. Gravel is particu-
larly the material for Iowa soil. The
soil is porous and holds the gravel
we'll and with some forms of gravel
undergoes a chemical reaction that
has the effect of cementing it, thus
forming good hard roadbed." Mr..
Uhl favors running two main high.
ways through each county, one north
and south, the other east and west
This would make series of impr0v.
ed roads running parallel clear across
the state in four directions. He states
that the main objection to running
roads between county seats will be
the strife that will be aroused by
those on the various routes between
county seats who will want the road
to pass in front Of their doors. This
can be avoided, says Mr.. Uhl, by
adopting definite policy Of running
the roads through the center of each
county in both directions. In case
neither of the roads happen to strike
the county seat there is no doubt
that they will be connected to the
county seat by advantageous routes
by the citizens of the town or city
where the county seat is located,
and with highways of equally good
roadbeds.
The proposition Of having q state
highway commission appeals to Mr..
Uhl. This plan will give uniformity
in the matters Of surveys, construc-
ton materials and direction Of
routes" he stated. "Then, too, if the
state pays half the cost of the high.
ways it will give the counties some
thing to work on. There is little
doubt that every county will jump at
the chance to secure permanent
roads. with such aid given them in
building as would be furnished by the
plan proposed. The time has come
for something to be done. If we
build gravel highways we will have
something that is permanent"
New Iowa Patents.
The following patents have been
issued to residents of Iowa:
Clayton A. Durham, Marshalltown,
Oscar F. Ericsson, Stratford, com.
bined windmill derrick and reservoir.
Winfield S. Regur, Des Moines,
starting device for explosive engines.
Jacob Swanson, Davenport, power
mechanism.
August Loock, Hayfield, resilient
wheel.
George F. Meyers. New Virginia,
device for binding and tying corn
shocks.
George w. Underwood, Council
Bluffs, automatic safetygate for fric-
tion-clutch.
Thomas J. Williams, Sheffield, gate
fastener.
Louis W. Witty, assignor to Water.
loo Gasoline Engine Co., Waterloo,
Clarence NJ. Miller. Mount Pleas.
ant, pitch board.
Roads Have Less Cars.
Railroad companies of the United
States have nearly 100000 less freight
cars in service this year than at tho
same time last year, according to E.
G. Wylie, rate commissioner. Under
this condition of affairs, he predicts
the most serious car shortage in
moving Iowa's enormous crop to
market that has been experienced in
five years; even worse than in 1907,
when railroad lines were gorged by
the demand for shipping facilities.
Mr.. Wylie urges cooperation be-
tween the shippers and the carriers
In moving the crop to market. He
suggests the coal, lumber and other
products be moved earlier this year
to give better facilities for the trans.
portation Of grain.
New Iowa Corporations.
Articles Of Incorporation OF tho
First State bank of Lynnville, Jasper
county, Iowa, have been filed with the
secretary of state. The capital stock
Of the new institution is placed at
l25,O00, while its object is to carry
IN a general hankinp hucipocs A.,