Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-02-18

Editor Tines Republican: While
there is so much being said about per
ma nent road improvement. would It
NOT be Well to consider the classes OF
ma terial we have on hand and the
financial condition % each and every.
community?
The one important fact for good
roads is the extravagant cost of NOV
| ing the crops from the farm to the
nearest shipping point
In ali classes Of improvements those
! who receive the benefit OF advanced
values generally have to pay the cost
/ Of the Improvement. Any farm with
| good road passing 1t advances at
(. once in value and such being the case.
should pay its proportion OF the cost
{. Of improvement. / am not an advo-
,cate Of the paved road for l do not
think that We are ready for any such
( Improvement.
AS the marketing Of the farm pro-
ducts should be our aim and as most
of the farmers can reach the roads
! that directly connect the towns OF any
| county. why not put out first energy
! on these roads and as fast as these
| are improved, then take up the other
F., less important roads. In putting the
! cost on the land benefited. any county
| can reasonably expect to meet the de-
mands made upon i; by such improve
ment of its roads.
/ AS good Iowa dirt must be the foun-
lation for all our roads, ! think good
gravel or creek sand and gravel sur
! faced road will come nearer meeting
our requirements at present than any
Of the others we hear so much about,
and If we arrive at a point where this
class Of road is not sufficient for
! our needs. we have not spent our
! money foolishly, but have built the
foundation and securely packed it for
that class road we then see fit to
build.
! l am convinced that the sand dirt
road is the one for us to first construct
and all of us know of stretches OF
this kind of roads in our home coun-
ties that stand the heavy traffic In
the worst of weather. This class OF
road can be built for an average cost
Of $4,000 per mile and this is not in
=! excess Of the cost Of the foundation
fer the so-called permanent roads.
Now comes the question of raising
The money have said that 1 would
assess part of the cost to the propert!
benefited and would take the acre a!
,, the basis for my figuring. I would as
sess the two half sections facing thu
road to be improved $3.50 per acre
the rear half sections Is cents to thu
acre and the adjoining half section
across the road % cents per acre
!. This will amount to $3.50 per acre TO-
: the $40 acres or sum of $500 to th'
mile. would ask the township t
pay 800 to the mile and the count!
to pay $3.50 per mile and to build al
: bridges and culverts, put in the TIL
> necessary for good drainage and tn
; state to pay the balance Of $50 pc
> mile.
This seems to me to be an equitabi
Z adjustment and an assessment of IN
cost in proportion to the benefits re
: ceived.
would ask that law be passed
e that the land owners can petition tn
: state highway commission, thru IN
: hoard of supervisors of any county TO
I such road, and If the land owner
are negligent in taking advantage
: the benefits q this Law, then the town
that will be connected by such i'm
u provements may petition in the sam
> way, in this case it would be no NOR
e than fair that towns raise the amour
s. appropriated to the township, and i
: such proportion as they may agre
upon.
Upon this basis and taking stor
v county as an average Tooth part of tn
. state, 1t will take about 200 miles {
d gravel road to connect up its towns
y this would cost the state 100000. tn
1 county 330,0 besides the bridges. cul
q verts and filing which will probabl
It average, one-half as much more or
q lapproximate@ amount Of $4,000. tt
: township will pay from $500 to $3.50
for it share and the Rersen who ow