Omaha daily bee., 1915-08-01
NEBRASKA PROUD
OF GOOD ROADS
Long Years of Preparation Makes
Highways Which Stand Test Of
Recent Heavy Rains.
GREAT BOON TO THE AUTo1sT

last received the test of their lives.
BE It said to their credit. and TO the
credit OF those who have devoted
themselves unflinchingly TO the de-
velopment Of good roads for decade,
that tho Nebraska roads have stood
the test.
Now that at last a period OF
twenty-four hours has been found
with no rain storm. the roads are re-
ported good. That is the supreme
test When roads pop UP dry and
hard twenty-four hours after the first
let-up in rain for three months, then
they are real roads.
'"The roads In Iowa and Nebraska, gem
orally speaking. are fairly good" was
the report given out at the office OF the
Omaha Automobile club yesterday morn
ing. The Omaha. Lincoln and Denver
road is good. The road from Omaha to
Kansas City is in fair condition. The road
from Omaha TO Sioux City is readily
passabie."
Change I'm short Time.
Yet three days ago tourists that had
made Omaha, we're loading their auto
mobiles IN freight cars and shipping them
10 Chicago and Denver, depending on
which way their we're bound Today they
are travelling by auto as though nothing
had happened.
OF course, there are spots IN the bot
toms that are flooded. The Elkhorn has
ben out at Valley and Waterloo for some
time, and naturally in those bottom strips
one will not expect TO find the best Of
roads. but wherever the roads are not
actually submerger, wherever the sun
has had an opportunity at them they
have come Up hard and firm.
Roads that will do that, and stand the
test that this long rainy spell has given
them, are not made in a day. They are
the result OF an idea As Rome thought
war and mllitarism for generations so
Nebraska bosters have been thinking.
dreaming talking and working good
roads day and night for 6 decade, yes
for two decades, when one considers the
first preliminary work.
Have Kept Busy.
When the Nebraska mon finally made
up their minds they must havo better
roads In the state, thsre was definite
eommittal TO action. That committAl TO
suited in immediate action. and that ac-
tlon has been kept Up.
The famous King drag was brought
into play. Il Is simple and cheap. Be
cause Il Is simple. cheap and easily made
every farmer could make one with q
few materials always on hand on any
farm. SO here and thero all about everS
county In the state are scattered kinf
drags on the farms. After q rain. wher
tbe sun comes out and there " not muoE
70 do on the farm for a few hours DO
cause the corn IL too wet to ploW, th'
farmer harnesses to his drag and get
busy on the road that bonds his farm A
the intersection he meets HIS neighpo'
who has dragged the read bounding MI
farm. and thus In succession each faErne
Is on the Job with his section OF highway
until the whole road to the nearest towI
n put in good shape.
scientific Road Building.
Then. too. some years ago. road buiio
ing began to receive more scientific At
ten,ion A study of roads was mad
with a view TO learning what s'yi'
OF road would resist the action o
storm and rain the best It wa
found first OF all that . road must hav
a crown" To crown road Is TO .
work 1t with acraper and draw that tn
center Is higher than either side. or .
that the road bevels down gently o.
either aide from the central ridge o
crown" Thus q watershed 10 formed
just as the pointed roof Of a barn turn
the rain To either side to run off tn
shingles. 50 the crown OF a road. thoug
not so sharp. turns the rain and allow
& TO drain away before It has an op
portunity 70 saturate the main roadbet
Good Road Takes Time.
Building a road In this way Is not In
medately effective. That is. a road tha
has never been worked before cannot
crowned and made TO turn rain effect
lively In a day. week. or = month NJ
1t 10 a process Of gradual development
II IL a process. that 30 be effective. mus
cover period OF years First the roa
must be so crowned. and then used fc
months. Then as the wagons. cars an
other vehicles cut In and tear up the dir
and ruin the first crown. Il must be bui
up again Again It will be packed dow
torn down. and scattered. and again
must be built up. Each time. howeVe
the dirt h becoming more and MOI
packed IN the center OF the road. unit
finally the crown is less and less sasil
destroyed by the action OF wheels an
storms. After a road has been thu
treated for series Of years. tho crow
becomes a. hard as asphalt and besiI
10 resist the tearing action OF n
wheels. as well as the destructive aetiS
or the rains
Roads Kept Good.
Il IL this condition that Nebraska roai
have been rapidly reaching In the la
decade. Il Is THIS condition at its be
that come particular stretches OF N
braaka roads have already reached al
maintained Tor q period Of years.
Il Il this condition that most Of 4
Lincoln Highway throughout Hebrasl
has attained. II Is this condition IN
many Of the other standard highwa
IN the state have reached. general
speaking. throughout the length Of tn,
course. And II Is this condition IN
thousands OF strips Of section lines
ten miles on more In length have reach
icad.ng snto any one Of hundreds Of {
leading country towns IN the state.
And now that they have reached Il
stage. the long rain spell Of THE spri