South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-02-02
FARMEKs wANT Goop ROADS.


The element which through ap-
athy has hindered progress in good
road building has now become inter
ested in the cause. The farmers Of
st. Joseph county are enlisting in the
good roads army. Al their meeting on
Saturday they decided that they had
endured bad roads long enough and
that II was time for them to get to-
gether and get busy.
This is what the good roads move
ment in s.. Joseph county has been
waiting for and it should now make
rapid progress. The farmers own and
control the lands along the highways.
They can say whether the roads shall
be improved or not. At least their
cooperation is essential TO successful
road building. Their sympathy with
and support Of the movement will be
great help in St. Joseph county.
which is way back toward the tail
end OF the processionl compared with
other counties Of the state.
II the farming community joins in
me movement with the enthusiasm
manifested at Saturdays meeting rap
Id progress will be made and the
coanty will be redeemed from its
present embarrassing position. The
cities and towns Of the county are
ready and eager 10 cooperate with
the farming community in pushing the
work. They are paving their streets
TO their boundaries and will cheerfully
bear share of the expense Of contin-
uing the Improvement out through the
country. Aid from the federal gov
eminent makes a triple combination
which makes the way easier.
The News-Times is gratified by the
hearty endorsement given st. Joseph
county gravel by the farmers. Gravel
has been a hobby with this paper for
years. II has believed and continues
TO believe that this county has De-
meath its surface. easily and economic
ally obtainable the best material in
the world for country roads-granite
gravel. The story Of the deposits
dates back 10 the glacial period and
has been told by Dr.. II. T. Montgomery
in a paper read before the Historical
society.
Suffice it TO say that it is granite,
similar TO the disintigrated granite
used for macadamizng streets and
roads in the mountain regions OF Colo
RADIO. but harder and more durable
since II was ground by glacial and wa
ter action to its present proportions
instead OF decaying and falling apart
from exposure 10 the weather. Under
the attrition OF wheels and hOOfs it is
reduced 20 a powder which possesses
in some degree the quality of cement.
This quality acts as binder and the
specific gravity of the material dis
tinguishes it from limestone, which is
light and easily blown away. as a ma
teriai for road building.
The binding quality. hoW ever. is not
rs strong as il should be A strong.
Permanent binder is needed The
gravel must not only stand the wear
and tear OF steel shod wheels and
hOofs but must 5e able to resist the
suction OF automobiles. which plays
such sad havoc with limestone roads
With such binder the gravel found
so abundantly in this county would
make an ideai country road and suit
able materia, for paving residence
streets
Without such binder ii viii be i'm
possible 90 make much better roads
than these we now have in the coun-
Try. which quickly get out of repair
our road committees should give their
attention 10 finding an efficient
binder.