Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-01-22

Editor Times Republican,: AS this IL
the time of year for good roads dis
cussion and also bad roads, why not
have a little mixture? 1t seems that
the press in general is doing most OF
the talking at present. Why not near
few remarks from the benighted
farmer who seems to have so mucn
trouble with his money and bad roads!
Now. Mr.. Editor, with your permission,
will state briefly my views on the
problem Of paving country roads.
In the first place, who Is 1t demand
ing this great paved highway from
county seat to county seat? Is 1t the
farmer? haven't heard from but very
few of them in a public way and they
are not demanding it. This talk about
paved roads all comes from the city.
The farmer couldn't use a paved road
if he had it to any advantage. If he
hauled his grain or hogs over it he
would have to keep his teams shod the
same as a city team, which would not
be needed but a few days at time,
and If he happens to live mile or so
from this road, what advantage would
it be? For the road is like chain to
him. just as good as the poorest place
IL IL,
team accordingly: SO the paved road
would be very little advantage. But
let US look into the future and see what
the paved road means to the farmers
and small towns. The proposition to
connect all county seat towns with
network of paved roads or race courses
as they should be called, as already
they are using the river to river roads
for that purpose. Then we will see
as we do in Chicago along the Lake
Shore drive signs reading like this:
NO team traffic allowed on this road.
For the first and uppermost thought
in the city road booster is an automo-
bile road, but they have to pat the
farmer on the back and tell him now
much cheaper he can market his pru-
duce and how much cheaper ne can
buy his goods in the larger towns by
reason Of these good roads Whlcn are
to be good the year round except per-
haps three or four months In winter
as often happens in this part of our
state. when the cuts will be filled with
snow from two to ten feet deep but
then. of course, the farmer don't have
anything to do but shovel snow in win
ter and it will be his business to keep
the road open. OF course the farmer
will use these roads for his auto traVel
and OF course go to the city TO 90 MS
trading, just what is expected OF him
that is why the big towns want paved
roads
Now YOU say we must pave the main
travelled roads from one county seat 10
another, take for instance the road
from Marshalltown to Eldora, OF which
there are more than one, who shall say
which one shall be paved? Will 1t be
the present automobile route marked
out so as to miss all the smaller
towns? Why was that done? A bet
ter road OF more advantage to the
county seats then in regard to the
farmer losing SO many millions of dol
lars on account of bad roads. The
products of the farm have been raised
and marketed from Iowa soil and
hauled over the same soil since we be-
came a state up to the present time,
and even the bumper crop Of 1912 will
be delivered at the loading station In
due time without any serious loss on
account 81 roads. Don't worry SO much
over the farmer. Give us better rail-
road service then watch us 10.
union, yet some people leave 1t. Paved
roads wouldn't keep them this side OF
the line neither do dirt roads drive
them away. The press and lot OF
city people seem to think all our trou-
bles are caused by bad roads. and a
lot Of this talk about paving sounds
little like this. A gentlemen from Chi
cago came into our field some years
ago where we were blowing corn and
after some conversation about the
crops suggested this idea: Wouldn't it
be a good scheme to lay plank floor
all over the field and have holes FOR
the hills of corn to grow thru? 1t would
save lot Of hard work and 1t would
be SO much nicer to gather the corn
if it should happen to be rainy wealth
er. Perhaps if this man Is still living
he would recommend concrete.
Now am not opposed to good roads
as they are kept by the drag. or to
make them better. gravel with mix
ture of clay thoroughly packed Will
yoto for ~ and practica it. IL is some