The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1913-03-13
GOOD ROADS LECTURE
Government Lecturer Drew Many OF
the Good Roads Boosters to this
City on last Friday.

City on last Friday.
There was a very enthusiastic
audience which packed the Idle Hour
theatre in this city last Friday after
noon to hear the lecture on good
roads by the government representa-
tive of this question, wi. y. Eldrldge,
who was secured through the efforts
of Congressman Towner.
The meeting was called to order
by Capt. J. D. Brown, who had been
selected to preside, and 1t was graft
flying to see the large number or
farmers who were present, many OF
them having driven to Leon over
pretty tough roads in order to hear
the address. Although Congress
man Towner needed no introduction
to his audience, he was formally pre-
sented by Chairman Brown in rev
very appropriate words. Mr.. Town
er made a few remarks, saying that
the presence of so many showed that
Decatur county is on the map. He
said no problem of politics is SO I'M
portant to the people as the good
roads problem, which is in no man
ner a political problem. He said the
x "oulo W plo SA~
good roads movement, that the agrl-
cultural department wants to help
all who will accept help in improv-
ing conditions. He told Of some OF
the impractical schemes presented in
congress-. For example Lieut.. Hob
sons proposal that there be high
way each way across the country,
bordered by parks, the government
owning the mile wide strips. An
other proposes to build great high
ways connecting all the state capi-
tolls. But the most reasonable pro-
posals were to contribute certain
amount in constructing rural route
roads of certain degrees of efficiency,
the amount paid varying with the
quality of the work done. Another
proposal is to pay yearly so much
a mile for roads maintained in GER
tain manner. He said that it is out
of the question for the government
to improve the more than two mil
lion miles of roads in the country
The thing to do for the present is to
get the most efficient dirt roads pos
sible.
Congressman Towner was followed
by Mr.. Eldridge, who while he made
no attempt at oratory, gave his lee
ture, which was interspersed with al
most two hundred views which were
thrown upon the screen Of the
theatre, in good plain language,
which could be understood and ap-
.preciated by his hearers. During his
lecture he asked for show OF hands
from all who had road drags and
used them, and nearly every farmer
who was present showed up his hand.
1t was certainly good omen to see
such an interest taken in the lee
ture and shows that the farmers or
Decatur county are right up in the
front in being interested in the good
roads problem.
Mr.. Eldridge thoroughly under
stands the road question and the
needs of the country. The following
are some extracts from his lecture
which we publish for the benefit OF
those who failed to hear him:
''Twenty years ago." said Mr.. Ed
ridge, "the government began to
show an interest in good roads by
making a $4,000 appropriation for
experimental work and promotion.
1t was reduced four years later to
$4,000, but has grown since that
time till now the appropriation is
4L5O.0O0. The Office of public roads
in the department of agriculture is
your office. If you want~to build
high class road of dirt, cement,
brick or any other material, let this
office know about it and if you want
man to come and direct the work
under the most approved and modern
standards he will be at your service"
"The best good roads talker you
can put in your community said
Mr.. Eldridge, ''is a mile OF good
roads. When you want to build it
on some road leading out of your city !.
for demonstration purposes let the
department know and it will send
you a man or let your state highway
commission know and it will furnish
information If you have rock in
your community that you think can
be utilized in bridge, culVert, con-
crete or road building, send us
sample and in one of the finest labra-
tories in the world We will find out
for you just how we'll it will wear
and stand the weather, without you
having to make the costly expert
ments in the roads. Or if you want
one of our men to go all over your
county roads, and give you data on
what should be done to this one and
what to that one, what kind of cul-
vert or bridge to build here and
there and so on, he will do that. He
will also go over your business sys-
tenn in your county Office and offer
suggestions for keeping better rec
ords of road work and construction.
Unless you are willing to put your
hands in your pockets and pay for
good roads you are just takers not
doers. And when l speak of good
roads Il don't mean concrete or brick
surfaced roads all the time. "A good
dirt road is twice as good as poor
dirt road. The government has made
tests by hitching horses to load of
a ton with an instrument to show
the pull. A horse will pull a ton on
a good dirt road with pull of 125
pounds on the collar. This is about
what good horse can pull steadily.
On gravel the pull is rs pounds, on
nacadam As pounds, on brick 25
no,.ndc This chouc tho rp1ofivn