Mexico weekly ledger., 1915-09-16
BuFFUN SUGGESTS WHAT
BLUE BOOK ROUTE NEEDS
State Highway Commissioner Writes
Letter Outlining Needs to Make
Road Standard.

The following letter from State
Highway Commission Frank Buffum
is timely and should have the serious
consideration of every progressive cit
izen in this section.
To Whom it May Concern:
September, IL, 19t5-Realizing the
fact that The highway from Louisiana
through to Kansas City, called in some
sections, the "Blue Book Route and
various other names in other sections,
and that the same has not been kept
up to the standard which it should
have been, and this was brought about
by a lack Of organization, because
there are several other highways in
the State which are kept us every mile
Of the way in fine condition, all the
time, the writer, as State Highway
Commissioner, decided to have this
Highway all built and completed by
September 21st, and so called a meet
ing recently at Mexico for that pur-
pose, at which meeting it vas decided
to follow that plan.
That portion of the State through
which this route passes has now been
thoroughly organized, and a very
large number Of men are already at
work, getting out the defects that are
now present, which now prevent hav-
ing a good HIGHWAY.
We list below the things which
should be attended to by your differ
ent committees:
First:-All roads widened to not
less than 40 feet.
Second:-All underground, scrub
by trees, brush and weeds removed
from the highway.
Third:--All hedges cut to five feet
and the corners pulled back for a dis
lance of not less than 100 feet, so as to
get a good view and prevent accidents.
Fourth:-The rounding Of all corn
ers. This should be done by common
cling so feet back from a r and
describing a circle. Fifty feet may
seem a large amount but really il
takes but very little actual ground,
being only a small amount in the cor
ner Of a fence, that is not tillable ane
which generally is a breeding place
for insect pests.
Fifth:-The putting in of all cul'
: verts of cement, or other permanent
material, and same not to be less thar
! 20 feet long; all bridges in the future
should be made 20 feet wide on thiI
: highway and with cement floors.
Sixth:-All low culverts to be fllet
. in and all culverts which are too high
J the ground should be graded up t.
I; these. The practice Of having cul
: verts higher than the road should b
: discontinued.
q Seventh;-Every foot of the roa'
; entirely across the State to be proper
u ly graded and also dragged (if neces
saryl before the date in question.
II This plan Of getting the road in OF
3 der can be accomplished by putin
:. certain things to be done in charge {
u certain persons, and then having
% general committee to look after a
. committees to see that they are al
D tending to the work placed in thei
= care.
= Don't appoint people on your con
= mittees who don't want the job or wi
I neglect o. postpone doing the worI
u Get the working road man on the con
~ mittee. Look out for the pessimisty
= the optimist is a much better felloN
y Remember the time is limited ar
le hope that no section will fail to sho
l that their section of the road is up
' shape. We would like to have Il
chairman send reports to Louisian
. Missouri every day from now until IL
~ 21st, showing what is being done.
Yours very truly,
Frank ". Buffum,
State Highway Commissioner.