The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1913-07-03
lQUESTION OF BETTER ROADS
I mobilist, but Is Of Vital lmpor-
lance to Everybody.

The good roads question Is one
which today is occupying the atten-
tion of every thinking man in the
United States. This question does
mot affect alone the farmer or auto
mob1l1st but is one which is OF vital
importance to all Of us, owing to the
Tact that every extension Of the good
roads movement and the completion
iof every new artery has resulted not
only in a greater production of food
Istuf1s in that particular section, but
has cheapened them on account of the
small cost Of getting them into the
market.
Although at the present time there
are between 5000 and 10000 miles OF
Improved roads in the United States,
either under construction or proposed
mo section of road is receiving the
careful investigation or is being
watched as closely by the road max
ters of the country and by good roads
advocates, as is the 106-mile road
which Gen. T. Coleman du Pont is
constructing at his own expense
Through the state of Delaware.
General du Pont felt that any
amount of money he might give for
iroad would be of far greater benefit
and would have a far greater inf1u-
ence on the happiness and material
prosperity Of the people of his state
than any other project he might Sc
aect. To quote his own words: "My
Dbject in building the road is not only
ITO provide good highway where it
10 badly needed, but also to work out
IN practical way problem that will,
" successful, revolutionize the build
ing OF roads in the United States. The
problem is, How can a free country
road be built to make it pay it's origi-
NAL cost. cost of maintenance and
fair return on the money invested"
The solution of this problem as
worked out by General du Pont, as a
result of his experience on the Della
ware road, is system of graduated
assessments, SO arranged that all who
receive direct benefits from the road
ARE to bear their share of it's expense,
iRt the outset, and will later be recon-
4pensed by rentals of the unused por-
hions of the road itself.
Suppose, for instance, that this
delaware road was being constructed
by this method, instead of being Civ
Sen by General du Pont. On the du
Pont road some twenty-six acres OF
land have been condemned for every
fmile of road. Revenue from the road
will be partially derived from trolley
franchises, from water, telephone, tel
Eegraph and sewer right of way rentals
y,afd partially from the rental of that
part of the twenty-six acres per mile
which is not used for actual road con-
istructior. '---:<4-.~~---..~~--
Z; AS laid out, the du Pont road con-
ssists of some seven parts, although
mot all of them will be developed I'M
Immediately, the idea being to increase
tthe size of the road as the traffic be-
comes heavier. When completed the
road will consist Of forty-foot strip
lin the middle, which will be giveI.
lover to automobiles. and on either
tside of this forty-foot strip fifteen
foot strip, which has been reserved
1Or trOlley INES. Beyond the uOliey
lines there will be thirty-foot roads
tor horse-drawn vehicles and heavy
traffic. Adjoining each of these last
named roads will be dirt roads, fifteen
fleet wide, under which will be laid
water pipes, sewers, telephone and
telegraph conduits, etc. thus elimina1-
ing any necessity for tearing up the
paved portion of the road