Monroe City Democrat. (Monroe City, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1914-02-12
GOOD ROAD WOKE UP COUNTY
Single Stretch of Really Improved
Highway Aroused People to Need
Of More improvements.

The following interesting story Of
how a single stretch of really good
road has walked up an entire county
to its need of better highways comes
from Kansas, and was printed in the
Chanute Tribune. 1t begins: One
good, county-built road has done
more" said a farmer recently, ito put
Chaulauqua county on the map than
all township-built roads have done in
ten years The road he referred to
was bull, last fan and early this spring
by the county commissioners under
the new county road law. 1t crosses
Chautauqua county from east to west.
Its benefits are just beginning to be
fully realized. One day recently mo-
tor cars from Oklahoma City, Fort
Worth, Joplin, Ordway, Colo, Coffey-
vile and independence were at Cha
mute at the same time.
The good road is bringing hundreds
of tourists through Chautauqua coun'
ty who otherwise would never have
seen the county. AS a result realty
men report larger number of for
eign inquiries about lands there than
ever before. The farmers are begin
ming to see the benefit of having out
side people through the county and
are becoming good road enthusiasts.
Chautauqua was one of the first
counties In the state to take advan-
tage of the new county road law,
which permits tax levy not exceed
| ing one mill for road purposes. That
| money Is spent by the county COM
missioners. It's great advantage lies
in making it possible for the county
to get roads across townships which
otherwise would not build them. I'm
| der the old system one township
board would build a good road to the
township line and the board in the
next township would do just as it
pleased about joining it with a con-
tinuation of the work. Generally it
did not join. and the result was a
patchwork of disconnected highways.
Now, with the county board in control
long roads can be built and township
| jealousies are obviated
Last year the county commissioners
LEVIED a one-mill tax and raised 3d.
500. That was all used on the cross
county road. All wooden bridges and
culverts were replaced with cement
and stone. Much permanent work
was done The road today is ever
better than it was when it was built
This year another one-mill tax was
levied and the same sum as last veal
will be raised. The work will be
done in other parts of the county thi:
year.
The farmers also club together ant
build good roads to join the count!
! roads. A neighborhood four or fv'
7 miles back from the main road vii
2 join forces, set a day or a week ant
fix the road leading to the good road
and thus the good road system j
spreading over the county. 1t /
D planned to make the third tax lev
next year. By that time every one Q
the twelve townships in this count
S will have received an equal share @
the county money and have goo
roads leading in at least two direC
J. tons across the township.
s For time there was much oppos
ton to the county levy. Mass NEE
lngs were held in the townships nc
-, receiving any of the first years lev
, and the tax was denounced. Petition
er were signed asking the commissioner
n not to make the levy this year BIZ
= that was last January. When tn
~ board made the levy this month thel
E. was not a protest. Those who oppose
e the tax at first have been converte
=, after using a good road for seven (
- eight months.