The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1913-04-23

UO dulOlllODlISLS seek OUT SOOQ ROADS,
and add largely to the travel, but ev-
cry resident along a good road will
hitch up his team and go somewhere
half dozen times, when, were the
read unimproved, he would have left
the horses in the stable.
TO correct this irregularity and un-
evenness in the care of the highways,
it is necessary that uniform methods
be pursued, and this can only be &C.
complished under state direction. The
actual work may very properly be
placed in charge of county engineers,
but these should be accountable to
and act under the authority of the
state highway department.
in order to maintain the roads in
good condition, uniform plans must
be put in operation, applying to all To-
calties alike. 1t is not sufficient to
state that county or township officials
must keep the roads in repair; the
particular condition expressed by the
words "in repair" is susceptible of too
many constructions. The exact con-
dition of required excellence must be
clearly stated, and the methods to be
used to maintain the standard plainly
expressed, in order to secure adequate
results. Even then the state should
have authority to proceed promptly,
in case of failure of local officials to
perform the duties devolving upon
them.
Arguments of "home rule" and coun
ty or township units" in road man.
agement only tend to becloud a sub
ject that should be, and is, clear as
daylight. This age is an age of
standards" in almost every factor
which enters into our commercial and
social existence. Standard of road
and bridge construction are necessary
to make the highways available to
the people to the greatest advantage.
Likewise standards of maintenance
must be established that the functions
of the highways may be continued
without interruption.
When state funds are invested in
the highways the investment is for
the benefit of all the people of the
state, and it is the duty of the state
to see that the integrity and value of
that investment is maintained in a
condition which makes it at all times
worth the money which was put into
it; otherwise the money might as we'll
not have been expended.
A road can never be worth less
than it cost, unless, through neglect, it
is permitted to go to ruin. In order
to preserve the value of the highways
so that they shall always be an asset
to the state, always represent funds
well invested, and earning dividends
in the enhanced valuations of prop
erty, in the economy of primary trans
portation, and in the heightened well
fare and happiness of the people, the
systems of maintenance and repair
and upkeep must be under the direc- |
ton and control OF the state, and paid
for, partially at least, with state
funds.
1t is foregone conclusion that in
due time the cooperation of the fed
eral government in road construction
will be secured. The development of
systematic road work in all the states
will not only expedite the desired end, /
but will also provide the facilities
and machinery for it's efficient opera
sion.-Iowa Automobile Association.
Welding two pieces of metal to-
yether by the old processes was at |
best unreliable. When the strain on
he welded joint was heavy, you never
knew whether it was going to hold or
lot. But with the use of electricity |
n making the weld, the fiber of the
,wo pieces of metal are made to flow
nto each other and so become prac-
ically one piece. The success of
his new method was recognized at
once, and now you have hardly tool
,ut what is electrically welded where
here is juncture of metals. The pres
mt state of perfection of garden and
tools, mowers, reapers, bind
RS, threshers, cultivators, kitchen
Utensils, dairy machinery, edge tools,
hains, automobile engines and steer
lg gears, bottoms of oil cans, frames
# bicycles, ETC., is made possible
through electric welding. The same
process produces pittsburgh Per
ect" electrically welded wire fenc-
ng, made by the Pittsburgh Steel com
any, whose advertisements are I'D
earring regularly in this paper
Pittsburgh Perfect" fencing is a
old, one piece fabric with many dis
motive advantages, among them he
ng the ease with which it is strung,
he great tension to which it can be
tretched because of the absolute elm.
nation of long" and Short line
Tres, the smooth surface making
ire cuts impossible, and the neat ap- .
earance of the fence. The welded
oints in Pittsburgh Perfect" are
vice as strong as the wire itself, {
ecause two wires are made into one |
oil ri whit /.