Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1914-12-30
GOOD ROADS Meeting
AT vERlAILION; FIRST
CONGRESS FOR STATE
State College Expert Outline
Transportation Cost on In
ferior Highways.

Nermilion. =. ID. Dec. 24.-The first
annual good roads congress-, now being
,eld by the University of South Dakota.
Vas formerly opened at Ncrrnilion on
Monday afternoon. Hon. +. c. lssen-
auth, chairman OF the state highway
commission. Prof. II. G. Solbcrg, OF
he State college. being the principal
speakers. Mr.. lssenllutl gave a brief
history of the work of the commission
and showed what il has accomplished
since it's organization. He said in part:
"Althongh this commission was brought
II existence by the legislature o: 1913
no provision was made for it's running
expenses and up to date it's three
members have paid out nearly sl,ooo
for necessary expenses from thelf own
pockets. This matter of expense
should be remedied if the state highway
commission is to exist. l believe that
the changing of read laws by leglsla-
tors. merely for the purpose OF having
something to change is "a mistake, ana
works for the harm of the good ROADS
movement"
Prof. IL. G. Solberg WAS the next
speaker and gave an address. using
charts and diagrams, on South Dako-
Ia Road Construction Prnblems.' ne
said i'm part: 1T costs the farmer
30 cents to haul one ton a mile on tne
average road and but one cent a mile
to send it by railroad. 1t is very OBJ
vious that something should be lone
to our common highways IN order 10
save at least Il part of That ~ Genus.
Good roads mean better business con-
ditionS, more community spirit, nj lese
Insanity in the country, which is often
produced by forcing people to stay AT
home. because of bad roads. for long
periods of time. | advise THAT IL sooo
road be built from each county seat ot
the adjoining county seat, thus making
n .aacy N rnrJ road in aNs1sV cDl1ntV.
No road should be less than 20 feet in
width and it should be cleared of all
rubbish before beginning the work OF
construction. The earth at the side or
the road should be placed in the CEN
ter, forming a good crown. n then
finely pulverized if necessary. placing
the black soil On top. The o SHOULD
of course be graded above the high
water mark. using four to six inches OF
gravel on the top OF the crown and
lessening this amount toward the sides
of the Dad A traction engine and
elevated grader, if they can be secured.
are valuable implements in building
roads and are ~money-savcrs IN the long
rum. One of the most vital points in
good road making is to have proper
complished by the ordinary drainage
ditch along the roadside"
vermilion. S. d.. Dec. 24.-The great
est good roads meeting ever held in
South Dakota took place at Nermil-
ion Monday evening, when over 500
men and women gathered at the local
theater to listen tA the gospel of good
roads. II meeting was "a c%onjunc-
ton of the good roads congress being
held at the University of South Dakota
and of the Washington highway asso-
citation. Prominent among the speak
ers was Col. Chas. w. Thatcher, dressed
in typical western garb. the Colonel
aroused the greatest enthusiasm for
this national highway and for good
roads in general by his