Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-03-21
The Shackleford Road Bill.
ditOr Courier.


In a recent issue of your valued
paper there appeared an article taken
from the Marshalltown Times-Republi-
can under the heading, "A Road Build
ing Chance" which is very mislead-
ing. Among other things it says;
The state is the smallest unit the
federal government is willing to deal
with in spending road money and two
alternatives are offered to the states
in this bill, either of which the COVER
nor may elect to accept. By the first
plan all post roads are divided into
three classes according to their con-
struction and the federal aid will be
paid to the state in bonuses ranging
from SIS to $50 per mile, but the state
must pay an equal sum. This method
would merely fritter the money away
without results and would simply bury
a little more coin in Iowa mud.
THE other plan provides that the
governor and secretary OF agriculture
jointly may designate certain post
roads upon which the federal money
may be spent when an equal amount
of state money is also invested.
BE- Here is the nucleus for tremen-
dous impetus to be given to permanent
hard surfaced roads in Iowa
With the draft of the bill before me
as it passed the house of representa-
tives, see no hint of such alternatives
being left to the governor. And during
the debate when some were contend
ing that all the appropriation should
be spent on macadam or other hard
surfaced" roads, Mr. Shaclleford
called such roads, peacock boule-
YARDS
1t is his contention. Let the COM
munities that want and can afford
them build macadam roads. For this
the government will pay four times
as much as where they must put up
with dirt roads. But do not use the
peoples money to build a few fine
roads and let the mass of the farmers
and mail carriers continue to founder
in the mud" Fl
But let us examine clause of the
bill and see if it will merely fritter
the money away, or bury it in Iowa
mud"
As nine-tenths of the people can only
hope for dirt roads, we will quote the
clause which refers to them.
Glass C shall embrace roads upon
which no incline is sleeper than is
reasonably necessary in view or the
natural Typography of the locality.
with adequate drainage and ample side
bitches, with a roadway constructed
so as to quickly shed water into the
side bitches and kept crowned and
compact by dragging or other adequate
means so that it shall be reasonably
passable for wheeled vehicles"
And if any mile of post road must
be put into that condition and certified
by the governor to the secretary or
agriculture before a penny Of the ap-
preparation is available. Does that look
like "burying it in Iowa mud
. The writer of the article also says
that 100000 will be Iowa's share OF
the appropriation as this must be
equaled by a state fund it will make
81 500. 900 for use on Iowa rural routes.
Now there are about 2,400 routes in
Iowa. This would give 1856, as the
bill provides, ITO be applied to the
construction and maintenance and ex-
tension of the respective roads for
which paid" for each route in the
state
Think of that amount used by each
community in the Improvement of its
own rural route. Very soon there need
not be mud hole on any post road.
And not only the carrier, but every
class of people who use the roads
would be benefted--especially far
mers who use them most. | predict
that, if it not spoiled before 1t is COM
pleted, the .Sackleford bill will be re-
garded by the common people as one
of the most benefcent laws placed on
the governments statute books.
J. G.. Pearson.