Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-10-26

Illinois has not been particularly
noted for good roads In the past. On
the line of the Lincoln highway there
is considerable gravel and macadam.
and also much dirt road. But condi-
tions should rapidly improve under the
new law recently passed by the legts.
lature and signed by the governor. BY
| the terms Of this act the counties can
| bond themselves, and apply the funds
80 raised to state aid on q ffty-nfty
basis. The last legislature Appropriated
| 100000 for road construction to be
used in connection with county funds.
Each county gets its allotment out OF
the automobile tax.
|. New work under construction or in
contemplation. Cook county voted =
100000 bond issue last fall. The
bonds are ready for sale, but there -
litigation based on the question as to
whether or not a majority vote was
polled.
In Will county. between Joliet and
Plaintield, a concrete road, three miles
long and eighteen feet wide, il under
construction. This will cost $4,000 per
mile. There are now two and one-half
miles Of concrete and two and ono
fourth miles Of new macadam between
Chicago Heights and Plainfield.
The first piece Of concrete road built
on the Lincoln highway that was
eighteen feet wide lies between Aurora
! and Mooseheart. This was constructed
in 1914, and was paid for and donated
to the Lincoln highway by the Loyal
Order Of Moose.
There are about three miles Of new
concrete between Moosehsart and O..
neva; 1000 feet of this was put In BY
the Moose at an expense Of $500.
Beyond DeKalb is the first Seeding
mile Of concrete on the Lincoln high
way. This was laid early In 1914. and
Is only ten feet wide.
There are three and one-half miles
Of dirt road on both the east and west
approaches to Creston that have been
put in the finest possible condition.
Five miles of the highway into Dixon
are to be laid in brick. The bonds
have been voted, but legislation has
held up the work. But this road is
now under construction.
DeKalb county expects to vote on .
bond issue Of 100000 this coming
spring. If this is carried. eighteen
miles Of concrete road. eighteen feet
wide, will he built thru the county.
In Whiteslde county the road was
graded in July Tor three mics OF con-
crete at cost Of $4,000. and for .
mile of brick west Of Sterling.
From the western side Of the Missis-
sippi river bridge, in Iowa. thru Lyons.
brick pavements extend all the way to
Clinton and thru Clinton. On the line
county there are good gravel roads for
tu, NJ vpai1 II
all be gravel in q year or two.
In the balance OF thes tate the road
runs over the native black loan or
gumbo, as it is better known In the
east
In Iowa there is highway commits
sion, composed OF three men. who are
paid salary of $1,000 q year out Of the
automobile tax. The roads are divided
into county and township roads. FIJI
teen per cent are county and IS per
cent are township.
Iowa spent on its roads during 1914
s146,179, and plans to spend >S57,971
during 1915, making total for the two
seasons of $20S,150. This money was
spent on the Lincoln highway by the
thirteen counties thru which It runs
for a distance Of 3s6 miles.
Boone and Story counties have their
sections entirely graded. A good part
OF this is the Boone-Story United
States post road. to which the federal
government contributed $4,000.
The Nebraska situation has been, un-
til recently. one entirely Of dirt roads.
These roads dry rapidly after rains
and can be kept in excellent condition
IL properly dragged and scraped. This
applies to the Lincoln highway from
one end OF that state to the other. Ne
braska Is great difficulty is drainage.
The land is 60 fiat that the water lies
where 1t falls, and Is hard to dispose Of