The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1913-09-10
"Road Conditions"

The Register and Leader of last
Friday copied the article OF the Re-
view on the Transcontinental route,
together with similar article which
appeared in last weeks issue OF the
Jefferson Bee and which appears in
print in this weeks issue of the Re-
view. In regard to the two good
roads articles the Register and Lead
err had the following to say:
"Our readers will find the two
frank statements that appear on this
page concerning actual travel condi-
tons on the TranscOntinental well
worth their perusal, although they may
be locally interested in the Wabonsie,
the Blue Grass, the White Pole or the
River to River road across the state
For what is here said Of the Trans
continental can be said with equal
truth of any or all OF the others.
I've have had an unusually dry
season. A dry season is the season
for the dirt road. When that has
been said all has been said that can
be said truthfully for the roads OF
Iowa. AS for systematic grading, CT
dragging, or care of any sort, they
have not had it, are not getting it,
and the Register and Leader feels
warranted in asserting will never have
it under the present system.
at will be noticed that neither the
Denison Review nor the Jefferson
Bee fall back upon the regular road
making IA c,l.IoTy OF the state: both
appeal to some sort Of volunteer eff
fort. And yet there is surplus money
today in the hands Of every beard of
township trustees in Iowa. The Re
view would put an additional burden
upon the automobile, by organizing
a patriotic association. The auto
mobile is already contributing near
ly three-quarters of million dollars
a year. What is being done with it?
eve have had a road dragging law
on the books now for several years.
Consistent road dragging in such
season as this would make of every
road in Iowa a Veritab!e speedway.
How many ten mile stretches OF Iowa
road have been dragged consistently.
or inconsistency. during the time Of
the road dragging law? There are
roads that have not seen a road drag
than have been dragged with any at
tention whatever to proper times and
places.
Iowa is yearly getting rid of $65
mile for every mile of road in the
state. The state has been getting rid
Of substantially as much for a series
Of years. The automobile is wonder
full road improver. for it wears down
the hard surfaces and smoothes and
packs. And yet there is not a main
travelled road that does not have long
stretches of rough, uncared for, and,
after the slightest rainfall, impass-
able roadbeds.
Although this has been dry sea-
son, and therefore an unusually ia
vorable season for weed extermina-
ton, and although the law has for
four years expressly made weed ex-
termination the business of the
township trustee, what is the sight
that greets the traveller? The fences
of Iowa may have presented a more
untidy look in wetter years, but if
there has been a change for the bet
ter it has been the hand of nature
and not the hand of man that has
done it.
"The road drag law and the weed
law are both of them practically dead
letters on the statute books. They
will be dead letters so long as the
state continues to look to busy farm
ers, who have their own work to do,
to drag and pull weeds. 1t is idle
10 expect men to leave their fields to
drag the roads or to pull the weeds
out of the neighbor's fences. 1t is not
the fault of the township trustee; it
is the fault of the state.
"The way to make roads, and to
keep roads, is to put the roads in the
hands of road men, We have
learned the lesson in the matter of
drainage. Thing is business by it.
SELF And yet the average man is
better qualified to lay drain tile than
re is to grade and repair the highway"