Evening journal., 1913-05-03
BOOST FOR GOOD ROADS LAW
Much Interest Shown at Meeting Held
A. Bloomington, ll.-Mauy Inn
provements Are Made.

When a little country town or W"
people raises $4,000 to put In con
crete pavement around the square
II is sure sign that the good roads
germ Is active there. This is what
the people OF Mclean. in Mclean
county, H.. have done. Now they
have hard pavement the year around
where before the mud was frequently
so deep that II was unsafe for a man
to get out OF the buggy to tie HIS
horse.
The good roads germ has been
working IN several places In Mclean
county. Just outside Of Mclean Is
strip OF macadamized road that Is
still in good condition after eight
years OF service Leading southwest
from Bloomington is a stretch OF the
finest country road in the state-as-
phalt-bound macadam. Out little
farther on the same road a mile or
two Of water bound maoadam II be-
/ ing put I'm. Next year the plan II to
lay mile OF concrete road. Nor does
the effort stop with the attempt to
get satisfactory hard roads There
are drained, we'll crowned. we'll
dragged earth roads everywhere
roads that good care has made as per
feet as an earth road can be
These we're some OF the things that
members Of the Illinois Highway I'm
Drovement association and others saw
on hurried visit to Mclean county
November 30 They came on invita-
ton OF Eugene Funk. a member OF
the state highway commission. says
the Prairie Farmer. They went away
more determined than ever TO carry
the fight for improved roads to a sue
cessful finish.
In a talk at the evening meeting
President Edens OF the highway i'm
provement association stated that
the association was not organized pri-
marily In the interests OF automo-
biles, but for the best interests of the
state as a whole.
S. e Bradt OF Dekalb county. a road
commissioner. said that his township
has put In an average Of two miles
Of macadam roads per year for the
past seven years. at cost OF about
$4,000 a mile. This money was taken
out OF the regular road funds. This
year a mile OF concrete road was put
in. Mr.. Bradt believes that this will
prove the coming material for hard
roads. as macadam roads need repair
Ing all too frequently
State Highway Engineer johnson
stated that n two per cent OF the
roads in Illinois we're paved these
hard roads would reach all cities oi
! 1000 or more inhabitants. with posi-
oily one exception. would reach mos
OF the cities OF 1000 or more. ant
would serve four-ffths Of the through
traffic needs Of the state. He advo
Gated using the automobile license
fund to make a start on such a sys
TEN.
c. s Miller Of Alexander count,
stated that the people In the southern
end OF the state want the state Z,
build the main roads. this to be fol
lowed by county improvement OF IN,
other roads. with perhaps some hell
from the state They also advocati
the use OF convict labor on the roads
and the abolishment OF two-thirds o
the present number Of highway com
mlssioners.
7 He was followed by Mr.. Donovan o
= the Highway Commissioners associs
tion. He said that the commission
ers do not wish TO block all change
| Of the present laws. but they do wan
fair treatment He stated that muc'
, more would be accomplished unde
I the present system n the commits
! sioners had more money
; There is probably no man IN nlinol
D who knows more about the road ouel
2 tion than Homer G Tice. chairman q
. the legislative good roads committe,
| His committee has devoted muc
4 time TO investigating the problei
< from every possible angle. and is DIT,
l pairing very comprehensive repol
I TO back up the bin which It will II
! troduce into the Legislature Some {
! the best information received by IN
committee was from the rural ma
: carriers OF the state. Answers to III
= questions sent out by the committe
we're received from 1850 carriers.