The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-01-03
Their Labors Recognized BY Ex-
pert From New York.
DISCUSSES WORK ON HIGHWAY
Minnesota Can Profit BY The Mistakes
That Have Been Made BY East.
ern States.


had as many live boosters for
good roads as Blue Earth county has
it would only be matter of time
when a comprehensive system of
highways which would be passable
to all seasons of the year would
radiate throughout the state"
This statement was made today by
w. II. Campbell OF New York, a
special representative of the good
roads board of tn Associated Motor
clubs who has been sent to Min
nesota to make study of state
highway work and cooperate with
all civic and commercial bodies I'm
aiding the state highway movement.
Minnesota will never be classed
as one of the road building states
unless more attention is paid to the
question by the state authorities and
a standard road specification adop.
ted. One of the drawbacks to tire
ultimate development of the high
way question is the working out
of the township or county road tax
It is planned to introduce a bill in
the legislature providing for the
payment of all road taxes in cash and
create fund into which this money
should be paid.
! fftt Can Profit by Mistakes.
Minnesota can profit by the mis-
takes which the eastern states have
made in road building and boulevard
construction. When roads were first
built in New York and Massachu-
sets money was wasted at first in
make shift construction and the use
of patented forms of roads and
road novelties These roads look
ed fine when first built but when
they were subjected to the constant
pounding and pulling of heavy traffic
they soon showed signs Of early de-
terioration and eventually went to
pieces. 1t was not until the state
engineers adopted standard speci-
fiCation calling for a sixteen foot
road way. built of various sizes of
rock that this waste was stopped.
The focftsfs held drnilytin place witt,
a binder of natural lake asphalt
which is imported by the states
from Bermudcz Lake i'm Venezuela
and from the Island of Trinidad.
British West Indies This binder
prevents the rocks from getting
out of place. and also forms the
surface binder which is sometimes
two inches thick. The roads cas-
lily withstand the elements. They
do not exude oil or pitch under the
heat of the sun, nor become hard
and brittle in cold weather Ductil.
ity is one of their chief characters
tics. The cost per mile is approx
imately $4,000 and the maintenance
charges are less than on the Ordi-
nary dirt road of Minnesota.
When Farmers Objected.
When roads of the bituminous
character were first agitated in the
east there were strong objections
from the farmers and every piece
OF legislation was blocked for a
time. Finally a bill was put through
the legislature and after few
miles of roads were built in differ
ent sections and the farmers saw
the economic value of highways
which were passable at all seasons
the sentiment changed and today
if farmer does not have a road
passing his farm he wants to know
why.
IF there were more good roads
entering Mankato the bank account
of every merchant would be boosted
for good roads permit the farmer to
come to town at any season with
his country produce and return with
his city merchandise The money
that the farmer is losing by not
having good roads amounts to mil.
lions every year. Good roads save
wear and tear on horse, harness
and wagon and permit the hauling
Of heavier load. The cost of
hauling over poor road is 25
cents per ton mile as compared to
ten cents per ton mile over a
bituminous road.
Enthusiasm For Better Roads.
THE enthusiasm for better roads
which is everywhere characteristic
in this section will aid in getting
larger appropriations from the state
and probably will result in the state
adopting standard road specifica-
ton which can be followed by all
township organizations. In road
building the foremost thought in
mind should be permanently aud
honest construction. If a road suf-
fees only for the present require
ments of travel the maintenance
charges will soon become excessive
ly high and the last cost will be-
come greater than the first"