Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1913-11-09
A Bankers VIEWS
ON ROAD BUILDING
4, j. HARTMAN WRITES INTER-
ESTING ARTICLE on GOOD
AND BAD ROADS.
AGAINST TIN BRIDGES
County commissioners sometimes
Are ~ IRult-NdNucalcs Use at
All Times OF hing Drag.
(By j. \. HARTMAN,

OBy j. r. HARTMAN,
Chairman Agricultural Committees Of
tu, Oklahoma Bankers AssociotlOnD
] have been called upon TO prepare
au article ON Good and Bad Roads I
herein give what ] think the proper
method ~ making road p1ssable. /
believe that good roads viii do more
toward building up a community than
any other one thing. The county
Seat that Can boast Of having good
roads leading into it from every di-
rceuun, mas wonderful advantage
over the town that is councot, Il up
With poor roads.
To my mind the farmer of okla
hom1 has been extremely negligent
when it comes 30 dealing with his
roads The rJ0d is the medium con
"octine Gic farm with the market.
and Should have tho utmost consider
ailDn by both the farmer and The
merchant To raise q good crop is
ono phase of farm life. and getting it
To market at the least possible eX-
ruso is another Heretofore any
lnd Of am old road was good enough
for the people Of oklahoma, but we
are nov upon new era the era of
rapid transportation. If we get the
best prices for oar produce, we must
set it 20 the market while it is fresh
ara in good condition.
Another thing the good road does
for the farmer; II places him in close
communication with his neiEhbor. If
We would keep the boy and the girl
on the farm, We must furnish them
such entertainment as will make
tEcm conteEtedsthere We must place
pictures on the walls carpets on the
floors, and furnish them good schools
and good roads. If at the end of the
week OF toll on the farm, the boy ana
tie girl can drive to the nearby town
ana attend church or good theatre;
they will naturally be better satisfied
with farm life
How can We best improve our roads,
here in oklahoma, at the least pos
sibie cost? The road overseers have
generally started out TO improve the
roads by putting the drain ditch on
the lower side Of the road making 1t
Lcccssary for the water to flow across
the road in order to reach the drain
ditch. You know. only too well, that
the water would eventually cut
Glitch across the road making 1t, in
some cases, almost impossible.
Instead of putting I'm good suhstan
ual bridges, our county commission
ors often allow some smooth-tongued
salesman to sell them lot Of tin
bridges, which make a very poor sub
g. f,4g In Of
cnseS wood bridges are put in, and In
nine cases out of ten when the road
Cycrsccr starts to grade up to one of
these bridges, he puts the loose earth
Oh a level with the bridge, and when
the first rain comes the loose earth
settles leaving at least ten-inch |
raise to get on to the bridge. II Is !
rot uncommon to find "A nice large |
deposit of wheat or corn at the ap- |
rroach % one Of these bridges.
In some cases the road overseer |
las at his disposal road grader On |
a given date he notifies a number of |
uen with their teams to grade a GER
tain stretch of road. This generally
roVeS t. be a regular hoop hurrah"
day About three feet of earth is
lIiIpWn up III lHt nlluule Oh lnc rOdu,
aud left there in ridges and hog backs
The first hard rain on this piece Of
road causes II to settle uneven. so
much SO that It is soon filled with
hog -walloWs and ponds of water. To
ny mind the work is all wasted. In
many instances the road was In better
condition before they attempted TO
improve it.
This is my idea as to the best way
TO build a permanent road. In the
first place put IN good stone or cement
bridges. remove all trees and stumps
with dynamite. and then plow a small
strip of each side Of the road where
the drain ditch is to be-never plow
In the center ~ the road. Then fol-
low with The King Split Log Drag.