Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1912-05-02
SPLIT LOG DRAG.

we are enabled 10 ~ over the
-0ad thoroughly after each rain,
rounding up ana finishing il by
time 10 start the plows, by the
time the neNs are sufficiently
dried out. Ia this way the road
War.. du-eu't Interfere with the
farm WORK. and the time put on
the road D. barely missed.
TIL suggests the idea, ;hat IL
2 Ur 3 u-i-hb1- farmers would
take "a road trs among them.
say . ORD u.ifs il could be gone
over and worked thoroughly
aftcr each rain. with iiule loss Of
time from their crops.
There suo comparison between
work of tho log drag and the
road machine. The one rubs
and drags the dirt, the other
pl1ughs and scrapes it up. An
inspection OF the work done by
each Will bee convincing Of the
merits Of the drag over the ma
chine. Bur in either case, when
the road has been rounded up,
with proper slope from the center
with side bitches and all, what
have we accomplished? The
first hard rain on the hill sides
vii. tear it AL! 10 peices. WIN
undo. in ten minutes what it
has taken a day or more % do.
And in the valleys, where dry
runs brittle branches (n0t hridg-
ei) sun. all the dirt that has been
placed there. is washed away.
OF course, TO keep the road pass
able. the same work must be
don highland So on al infniturn
In uttl- while Ell the soil Is gone
from the road bed, with nothing
but sand or clay left. aud it don't
take Il solomon 20 know that u
road cant be built ont ~ sand or
clay alone as we haadle it. They
are alright mixed, but IL takes
work and money u do H.. Con-
tiauiu- this method OF ditching,
viii slon complete the system II
gul!ias, instead OF roads. the
country has been paying for
since tho advent Vt the road ma
chine and the contract syssem.
Isis common knowledge, that on
most Of our county roads the soil
T. all gone and the roads ON hill
sides. r veritabie guliies, and
getting worse all the time.
The advocates Of the split log
drag did q splendid service for
the county when they introduced
IT,, bu. in my humble opinion,
their work is just begun. With
roads properly graded and con-
struc,ed, and the water controlI-
e, We can maintain them in al
most perfect condition. with little
expenses, by using the drag.
But first, a few things viii have
u be done. The hi,l must be
graded and the culverts made Of
some stable and lasting material.
Once 4 depression or valley i
filled in with q permanent culvert
for the passage of wa,er-with
bermuda grass on sides az the
embanknenJ. you are through
with that job II work for GOOD.
1t takes money to do these things.
We all know l., We know too.
that the revenues at present. are
not adquate u meet tle expense.
Then why t~enpo.ize? What
DO other counties, beats and
municipalities do in emergencies
Ike tals? Issue bonds of course.
Do you oppose the bond issue
you think good roads are not es-
sential, are not a crying neces-
sity IN Lafayette county? Then
you ought to live where | have
for the past four years.
Is it because you are a proper
ty holder and fear the tax? 1t
will raise the saleatle value and
pay you Il more adequate rent.
Is 1t because you are 4 pauper,
but a patriot and are discEarging
the sell imposed task Of taking
care OF your fellow citizens?"
Then you viii continue to toot
your horn, but my idea is, that a
lew days Of honest work on the
public roads would be good for
your nerves and cure you OF the
fever. Pardon me, but don't
dodge the small Communication tax
on pretense of rheumatism or any
other sort Of ism. Pay up or
shut up, because it takes tax
money and not talk 10 build
roads.
Mr.. Tax Payer, please consider
these items below set out.
Suppose deliver ) cars cotton
seed from here to r.. Z. 5000
bushels at sc per bushel. Hsul-
ing will cost $4,000. II roads
We're good they would cost >, per
bushel, or $1,000, loss SlS0.O0.
5000 bushels corn at I2c hauling
will cost S600.O0, If roads good
would cost Sc, or $4,000, loss
$4,000, total loss $4,000.
Under the bond issue, does the
road tax OF any man in the county
amount to that sum. No. not
one tenth. Then why should we
continue to pay such tax to bad
roads? The two above items.
take into account only a small
part OF what each farmer hauls.
There IS the item of cotton and
other commodities raised on the
farm, to be hauled to town, aud
then supplies back home. Lots