Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-01-04
GOOD ROADS MOVEMENT HAS MADE
WONDERFUL IMPROVEMENT IN HIGHWAYS
Committee Of Commercial Association, Together With
Farmers and Township Officers, Have Done
+ Commendable Work.

"A review of the progress made by
the good roads enthusiasts In Ottum-
wa and Wapello county during the past
year of 1911, pronounces it to be one
of the best, branches of improvement
ever taken up. Good roads are essen
tial to all business of any name or ma
ture, and this fact has not been lost
sight OF during the past season. To
the good roads committee of tho OF.
tumwa Commercial association great
credit is due, not for the amount Of
money expended and personal work,
although both have been literally
given, but for the interest that has
been created and the work that has
been accomplished through the crea-
ton Of this interest among the farmerD
and county officers. The actual I'm
provements in the roads this past year
have been great but the prospective I'M
provements in the next few years, in.
duced by good roads activity, will be
even greater. Wooden bridges, I'M
safe and temporary. are to be replaced
by concrete structures for all time to
come. This work is yet in its infancy
UuI IL WILL SOOA CIV" w OAA sSNAAS ssoS'
Roads are being put into such condition
that rains, severe as cloudbursts Will
not tie up traffic for q period OF weeks.
In fact some highways have been so
taken care of that rain is no barrier to
travel. The steadily increasing reali.
cation of the farmers, to whom good
roads are more important than the city
folk, promises to see great progress In
road Improvement this year.
The highways which are heavily
Travelled, leading into Ottumwa from
all directions have been wonderfully
improved. Madison avenue, in South
Ottumwa, as well as good part Of the
road extending from the street IN past
years has been impossible in spring
and fall by reason of the rain. This
was graded up thoroughly and dragged
and now Is passable at all times. The
highway known as the north road, lead
ing north from the city, was In a very
bad condition and oftimes, travel was
blocked. For a distance of ten miles,
it is now one of the best pieces of. road
in the state of Iowa. Automobiles and
loaded vehicles can pass over I'M.
mediately after rain so well is 1t
graded for. drainage. This work was
done by the Commercial association
committee. The c., B. & @. right OF
way and the Blakesburg roads have
been greatly improved and more Work
will be done this spring. ,...
Engineers Needed. "
D.: Although the township trustees IN
many sections are responding to the
good roads movement admirably and
are obeying the new drag law,it Is the
opinion of the good roads men that the
statute will never be given COM
plete enforcement until law is passed
giving each county county engineer
who will have charge of the roads in
all townships of the county. Super
vision Of this kind Is deemed nee
essary. 49,.
Work Of Committee.
The good roads committee OF the
Commercial association. has expended
during the past two years, for dragging
the roads, grading and supplies IN the
way of drags, etc., about $1,000. The
committee has employed during the
spring and summer seasons, two men
with teams and they have put In prac-
tically all their time, except in the ex
treme dry weather, In dragging the
public highways near Ottumwa, that
is. on the main travelled roads.
The good roads committeeman in
1910 purchased about fifteen new drags
They have used part of these and have
loaned others to people near the city.
These drags have been a good invest
ment for the committee. The COM
mittee also has encouraged the Blue
Grass road by paying theft share Of the
expense and painting the
poles through this country. They have
further, organized road from here to
Des Moines, known as the Ottumwa-
Des Moines road, which passes through
Oskaloosa, Pella, Prairie City and other
cities, This road has been marked at
all cross roads and turns by the
painting of two foot strip OF white
on from four to six poles and by put
ting up north of town and near Ere
mont, large signs which indicate d.
rections to Ottumwa and keep people
from getting off the road at these
points as used to be the case. The ex-
pense in all of these matters amounts
to. considerable. However, Fremont,
through George Alderman and others
donated SO and the Des Moines Com.
mercial association has agreed to pay
$25 to help pay for the expense Of