The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-01-10
POLITICS SgQplD NOT
BALK gad0D ROADS
50 dtionaI Effort Having Most
" 4. Excellent Effect.
HOW TO BETTER HIGHWAY
Construction Must Be of Permanent
Character in Order to Have
Lasting Benefit.
From Wednesdays Daily.


Every effort will be made by good
roads advocates in Blue Earth coun-
ty to keep politics out of road build
ing in Minnesota. The studies OF
road conditions and the reports which
have been made by the various good
roads clubs in Blue Earth and other
counties have had wide educational
effect and every effort will be made
at st. Paul this winter to get the
township road organizations working
in harmony and unison. 1t is claim
ed that without a true spirit of co.
operation and an ultimate statewide
organization the road question will
receive a serious setback
In many eastern states politics
killed off or distorted state and
county road organizations and d.
minished enthusiasm among those
who were devoting their time to the
highway question. When roads were
constructed the work was of the
makeshift order and the contractors
and the politicians were the only
ones benefited The materials were
not up to the specifications and the
road foundations were not as well
drained as they should have been.
Blown oils and paraffines and other
highly distilled materials were used
instead Of the natural lake asphalts
and the stone used was not of the
proper size or quality. When 1t be.
came apparent that the road sur.
faces were showing early signs OF
deterioration an investigation was
CD, ,,1,
judged when il is stated that the
eastern states today have the finest
roads in the world
Minnesota Can Profit.
Minnesota can profit by the ex-
periences of the other states, not
only from the political side of the
question, but from the construction
end as well. In road building the
foremost thought in mind should he,
tire rerrrafeIrct of he rccfrstructfoil
and the use of materials which have
been given true test. The old
form of waterbouDd macadam road,
which up to recent years has given
splendid results, is now giving way
to the newer style of construction,
known as asphalt macadam or as
to the increased traffic principally
motor traffic. in the towns and cities
throughout Minnesota, and the de-
mand for this form of pavement is
very large, particularly in residential
sections
Good Roads Not Luxury.
The demand for good roads is ;uni-
versal. The idea that good roads
are a luxury has been exploded.
Every one now knows that good
roads are a necessity, and best in
vestment that can be made by pub
lie or private interests. 1t has been
estimated that 9S per cent of the
vast commerce of the United States
is first or last, transported over
roads. II was the realiZa-
ton that poor roads were an eco
nomic burden, and that ordinary
(much less dirt roads,
could not meet heavy traffic re-
that showed the neces-
sity for a cement or "binder" that
would hold the stone of the ma
cadam in place. The best macadam
without binder quickly ravels out.
Especially on roads traversed by
heavy loads and high speed autOmo-
biles. That roads should be smooth
and dustless is also demanded. Start
ing with the need for something
that would hold together the stone
surface of the macadam, the mod
ern, smooth, dustless, permanent
macadam roads have been develop
ed. And under the heaviest kind of
traffic it has been shown that nat
Iral lake asphalt is the permanent
solution of the modern road prob
lem. 1t is evident that a heavily
travelled road will last only so long
Continued on Page Two.