The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1913-05-02
Yellowstone Trail

lOCAIlnS LOuluIlUVce WAAeS ncpOT
Best Pieces Of Road Between Gro.
ton and Andover and MiIbank
and Biz Stone
The locating committee that went
over the route from Aberdeen to Or
tonville last week, laying out the road
for the Twin Cities-YellOwstone Park
Trail association, has made the fol-
lowing report:
1.-THE locating committee of the Alb
erdeen-O rtonville section of the Twin
Cities : Aberdeen : Yellowstone Park
Trail, consisting Of the county vice
presidents of the Trail Auxiliary as
ISOLATION: @. |. Bierman, Groton.
Brown county; Anton Carpen, Web
ster, Day county: Phil C. Saunders,
Milbank. Grant county, accom-
panied by G. P. Wells, the CIV
il engineer of Aberdeen, has just made
a trip over its part Of the trail, exam
lining the various routes proposed
and locating the line to be followed
by the trail. The committee was met
at O%rtonville by the locating commit
tee from Granite Falls to Ortonville,
and at this meeting the locations were
approved and the quite definitely fixed
except for a few sections which will be
gone yer and settled in a few days.
"Easton q Wells, civil engineers, of
Aberdeen, are preparing a map of the
Aberdeen-Ortonville section that will
be ready when the few gaps in the
route are settled, which will be a part
of the locating committees report.
The roads we're found to be in good
shape for prairie trails, and the route
is entirely practicable for the location
OF a splendid highway. Arrangements
have been made by the various organ
izatiOns for temporarily marking the
trail by chrome yellow bands twelve
inches wide painted on the poles along
the way.
Practically nj work has been done
on the grading at any point this year,
and 1t is strongly urged that every
mile be resurfaced at the earliest pos
sible date to put the road in shape for
this season. A great deal of construc-
ton work will be required in the un-
graded sections, but the immediate
need all along the line is fordragging,
more dragging. and then some. The
fills were found invariably too narrow
for teams to pass and the bitches were
in need of cleaning to open the drain
age.
Looking Over the road from the point
of view of the tourist from the Twin
Cities to the park. it must be kept in
mind hal the trail will be judged by
the bad spots and mud holes. and not
by the more favored miles where con
struction is easy and Our boosted prai-
RE roads are naturally good some
time of the year.
The Importance of the immediate re-
pairs OF these bad spots. chuck holes
and culverts cannot be too strongly
insisted upon. The resurfacing and
reconstruction can come later. but the
trail should be made passable at the
earliest possible date.
The best stretches of road encoun-
tered in South Dakota were between
Groton and Andover, and between
Milbank and Big Stone. Groton sew
eral miles of excellent road have been
constructed by the GrOton County club
and the farmers east Of town. They
are alive to the importance of the
good roads question, and are planning
to put on a paid road patrol to drag
this section and are going to make it
the prize section of the entire trall, if
it is possible.
The Milbank good roads boosters
are making real progress. Several
miles of road are being graveled. and
every road into town is dragged. East
oflMilbank the YELLOWSTONE Trail fol-
lows the east branch of the Meridian
road and the yellow band goes on with
the red, white and blue. This bunch is
after q record and will pound Groton
on the back for any prizes that are
hung up for record roads. Summit is
on the job, and the road over the hills
will be ready when the highway gets
there. Every business house in Sum :
nit last year closed its doors for two
days, and the entire population turn
ed out to work the roads, and the re-
suits are we'll worth the effort and the
emulation Ofevery town along the trail.
West of Marvin rights have been Sc.
cured over the old Milwaukee railroad
grade from the section line into town.
East of Marvin the road down the hill
stands as a monument to the untirin9
efforts and we'll directed work of one
man, Mr.. Poppleman, q progressive
farmer who appreciates the fact. that
good roads are ar asset to any cOun.
The committee was pleased at the
condition Of many miles of the road
and surprised by the ease with which
it may be made a splendid national
highway. Just q little effort, o little
money, and everlasting persistence
will make the Twin Cities-Aberdeen
Yellowstone Park Trail a road OF
which to be proud.
TIVE Heads, Thirteen Tails.
A well known New York philanthro
pist and clubwoman tells the following
story: