Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-08-31
A eitnor. City Road Suggestion.

W I'm ali LHat mas DeeI written anu
the many splendid articles and sug-
gestions that have been made for the
economical, construction of permanent
roads for Iowa. it Is surprising that our
lawmakers have not taken the hint and
worked out some for systematic con-
struction Of macadamized roads along
reasonably intelligent lines.
Under the plan that Is now In vogue
in nearly all the counties In Iowa, con-
tinuous permanent public roads can
not and will not be built within the
next fifty years. Nearly all monies
available for road work is being used
in the various forms Of expensive. tenn
porary road work that require perpet-
ual attention every year; very little of
this money is used In macadamizing
and where any attempt has been made
along this line, 1t has been done in a
haphazard. hit-and miss plan. with a
little here and there. This work is not
being done systematically with a view
Of finally making continuous roads. We
will never have permanent continuous
roads in Iowa until our legislature en-
acts a law authorizing the construction
of permanent state roads under the
supervision Of state road commits
sion.
AUTOMOBILE TAX AVAILABLE.
The automobile tax Of Iowa should
be made availa BILE for the purpose and
Il start be made on two o. three state
roads crossing Iowa east and west as
we'll as north and south and II will be
only q. few years when practically all
parts Of Iowa can be reached via the
state roads.
The automobile owners Of Iowa have
d right TO insist that the auto tax
money be expended In way that will
give the greatest good to the greatest
number Of people, that it be used intel
| ligently, and that the work be done
economically and systematically with a
view of getting the greatest amount 81
good from the money received by the
/; state as a tax upon the autos Of the
state.
STATE TO FURNISH ROCK OR
GRAVEL FREE.
| II the state OF Iowa will furnish
crushed rock or gravel, freight pre-
paid to nearest sta alton adjunct to the
proposed state road, I will positively
guarantee that the residents Of the
locality thru which the proposed state
road would pass. will freely. gladly and
anxiously bind themselves, by contract
or otherwise, to remove the gravel or
crushed rock from the cars and place
same wherever desired upon the pro-
posed state road without one cent Of
J cost to the state. In this way the res
idents Of the district thru which the
state road would pass would really
bear one-half the cost Of the road, from
the fact that the cost Of the material,
F. o. B. station. would Just about equal
the cost Of labor for removing same
from cars. hauling and placing sauna
properly upon the proposed state road
I know whereof speak. as have had
some very practical experience alone
these lines ana I have q certain. posi-
tive and definite knowledge Of how this
plan will work out in fact.
The average price for crushed rock
delivered at the different stations II
Iowa, freight pre- paid is $3.50 per yard
It requires 1.14e yard Of either crushed
rock or gravel to construct one mile
Of nacadamized road feet wide and
Is inches in thickness, making 2 cos
iof 31,7a0 per mile A 10-foot road,
Inches in thickness would require 1.30'
; yards of material and would cos
81 $50 per mile for the crushed rocl
land freight on same 20 any point ssi
Iowa. In the above estimte hav'