Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-01-01
SIX HUNDRED MILES OF HIGH.
WAYS DRAGGED DURING YEAR
JUST CLOSED.
TRUSTEES PLAN EVEN
BETTER WORK FOR 1918
Review Of Road Improvement Work
Of the Past Year, and. Preparations
for the New Ysar-Rsports in Details
Fro" Different COMMUNICATING
Done. and New cuverts Built.
M lies
County roads dragged in 1912. GOV
County roads graded in 1912. 100
Concrete cuIvsrts built in 1912.... II
Steel cuIverts built in 1912. 1926


Concrete euIvsrts built in 1e12.... n
Stsel euIverts built in 1872. 125
The past year has seen more road
work done by the various township
trustees in Marshall. county than was
ever done before. and plans are laid for
more and better work next year.
In practically every corner Of the
county the special road dragging tax
was used for dragging the roads, and
the results have been so satisfactory
that trustees quite generally are deter
mined to do more dragging next year,
even II they exceed the special tax fund
and must draw upon the general road
levy.
Nearly everywhere wooden culverts
are being replaced with concrete or
steel, and in most Of the townships the
culverts are so nearly all renewed In
permanent concrete structures that the
trustees can see their funds being
made available for more extensive
Friebiy even hopes to be able to gravel
4 permanent pavement.
Grading Turnout County.
Trustees are paying more attention
to grading than ever, for criticisms as
to road butcher" work in piling sod
in the center OF new grades has caused
unpleasant feelings.
In Jefferson and Vienna townships,
however, the sod problem has been per-
fectly solved by blowing alongside the
roads the year before grading is to be
DONE and then doing the grading the
following year, when the sod has thor
oughly rolled. Taylor township trus-
tees claim that by using twenty
horse power steam engine to pull their
graders, the sod can be buried under
other dirt in the center Of the grade
and the soil packed down hard under
the weight Of the engine. Henry Arm
brecht, trustees, Of Minerva township.
however, thinks that the public should
be patient enough to wait until the
sod rots, even when piled III the center
Of the road, for the grade will be a
long time permanent when once made.
H. J. Reidel, trustee Of Iowa town.
ship, has discovered that by blowing
ahead of the grader, and setting the
blades so as to throw one furrow at
time Of loose dirt, road grading with
only two teams is no longer horse
killing Job, and he thinks that engines
are not needed.
In LeGrand township, too. the horse
graders have done some excellent work.
r. Robinson, trustee Of State Center
township, however. believes In the en-
CINE Tor road grading.
Dragging.
Every township except Iowa. Eden
and Washington levied the special l.
mill dragging tax, and all of these have
now levied 1t for next years work. The
money was all used, and more, too, in
some townships. so that the roads of
Marshall county were dragged this
past year as they were never dragged
before. The main difficulty every
where seems to be In getting men to
act as road suNA-intendents. In Tim
Der Creek and Iowa townships the
trustees did the superintendent work
themselves, and got the dragging done.
Wherever the superintendent have
been neglectful, road dragging has
been neglected, and many a trustee
thinks that every farmer should be
compelled to drag the road in front OF
his place under penalty Of having tax
assessed for his failure. In most in
stances the special 1-mill levy has been
sufficient to do the work. and where
more was needed 1t was taken from the
road fund, but as roads are kept in
better condition they will shed water
more readily, and less dragging will
be necessary in the future. Fifteen to
twenty times In a season will be found
to be sufficient dragging on an aver
age, but in Grenecastle township,
where farmers were permitted to drag
when they pleased. some bills came
in for twenty-f1v draggings. The use
of the large drag and four horses
should be encouraged, as the extra
weight causes the drags to cut in deep
enough to do good Job Of road grad
ing at very small expense per mile.
cuIverts.
It should not require to exceed four
years to enable Marshall county to
show every culvert and bridge to be
constructed Of concrete or
iron. Marietta and Greencastle town
ships are nearly at an end of their cul-
vert expense now, and the trustees can
see more money available for cutting
down hills and widening road grades
to accommodate the present day auto
mobile. In every township, excepting
possibly Timber Creek, concrete and
iron are replacing wooden culverts, and
this township does permanent work so
far as it's funds will go. but Timber
Cheek township has more than its
share of ravines and creeks to bridge,
ard is entitled to county aid. BY rea-
son of SO much money now used for
being available for grading in
tile near future, Marshall county Is 60
Ing to see better roads with each pass
Ing year.
Bangor Township.
Bangor township is gaining a repu
fation for its good roads. as the trus
tees this year kept on dragging when
ever necessary, regardless of the fact
that the special 1-mill levy was not
sufficient. and it is said that the board
tor next year is composed of road
franks who are determined to put
township at the head of the
list for good roads There was not a
great deal Of grading done. but con-
lfcte and iron culverts are being put