The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-05-10

gravel that particular road. | would
suggest that you join in this move
ment and meet Madison Lake on the
west and Waterville on the east so
as to make one good trunk line
through to the cities. After you
have this road properly improved,
then take the arteries or side roads
that connect with this main road.
Above all, work together, by uniting
in your efforts, and you will be
surprised to find what an amount of
Apostle of Good Roads.
George M. Palmer, the apostle of
good roads of the state, spoke more
at length and laid special stress on
the need of public spirit and CO.
operation in order to. secure good
roads. Formerly Mr.. Palmer spoke
on the mechanical methods of secur-
ing improved highways; now,4 he has
learned that this is of secondary
Importance, for as long as money
and men can be secured, the roads
can be built by experts, but the
main difficulty lies in securing the
enthusiasm, aid and time of the
farmers and business men, and to
this end public. spirit and co-opera-
ton were prime factors.
He denied the arguments advanced
by some that the good roads move
ment was selfish one on the part
of automobile owners, for he said
that the farmers themselves were
more interested in good roads than
the automobile owner. The farmer
wanted good highways from neces-
sity and from a financial standpoint,
while most automobile owners want
ed the good roads for pleasure. 1t
| was the matter Of transportation
| cost that the farmer was interested
| in.
The cost in this state, he said, of
moving the grain crops to market,
over bad roads, instead of good ones,
| has been estimated at a loss of from
| four to six million dollars. The mat
ter of good roads with the farmer
| is an economic one.
But there was another reason
| why the farmer especially should do
| his best to secure good roads. The
young man or boy leaving the farm
| was a question to be solved, and a
hard one. 1t is the lack of the prop
err social conditions and the lure of
| the cities that brought the young
men to leave the farm. He Incl
dentally touched on the ACCESSIBILITY
of establishing central schools in
the rural districts. BY good roads
the young people could get together
more often instead of relying wholly
on the telephone and the rural free
delivery.
How to Get Good Roads.
Mr.. Palmer then spoke on how to
get good roads, and the first neces-
sity was public spirit and co
operation until the whole neighbor'
hood awakens up to the fact that
good roads will not be made in that
community unless they take hold
and do something.
Building up the road and drain
ing is not the greatest expense. In
Blue Earth county, road on level
stretch can be graded and fixed up
| for S25 a mile Twenty per cent
of the roads carry eighty per cent
of the traffic of this country, &C
cording to figures, and therefore it
behooves us to see that they are in
the best of condition." he said.
He advocated the use of the split
log drag and graveling the roads
Unless the roads received permanent
treatment there was little use in
spending time and money on them.
Before closing, the speaker pointed
out the advantage of getting good
roads near Elysian, because of the
many splendid lakes, which made
Elysian an excellent summer resort
If the roads were fine from Man
kato to Elysian and from the twin
cities to Elysian, there could be nc
doubt but what hundreds would
spend practically the whole summers
there.
Mr. Galagan then thanked the
4 speakers and the audience in behalf
of the Commercial club, after which
the meeting was adjourned and the
floor cleared for the dancing.