Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-08-16
THE SHAME OF IOWA.
[Ames Times.l

MONIES committee, on trip or lnSpeC-
ton and education over the roads of
northern Iowa and Minnesota. The
party will need no sign posts or guides
TO indicate when the state line is
crossed and the Minnesota roads ars
reached The character of the roads
will convey that information and con-
vey 1t quickly
In Minnesota they will travel over
graveled roads that are practical roads
for 365 days Of the year. They will
travel over roads that permit the far
mers living along their borders an easy
access to markets and shipping points.
They will travel over roads where de-
livery wagons run out from the stores
of the various towns for a distance Of
eight and ten miles giving the farm
homes the advantages enjoyed in the
towns. They will travel over roads
that the mail man can make every day
in the year and in which the bottom
does not go out every spring. Roads
that make it easy for the Minnesota
farmers children to go to and from
school and make the social privileges
Of the towns, so deeply enjoyed by the
young people, a matter of easy reach.
They will find that the Jefferson
Highway south from the Twin Cities,
which is typical of the graveled roads
of Minnesota, was built two and three
years ago, with some Of the work COM
ipleted as long as five years. The funds
for the construction were raised by
tax levy and on which state
aid was applied at from 90 per cent to
10 per cent Of payment by the state.
There was no assessment of AUDITING
or benefited property to help in paying
for the Improvement. The average cost
per mile on the whole line, including
the grading and graveling was APP
proxmately $1,000. but .thisS does not
include some of the personal work that
was done before tfeasnbstantial i'm
provenent was. authorized,
They will find that. this road is main
tanned under the direction of the sta,e
highway commission, by the county,
and state aid is applied at an average
rate of IS per cent OF the cost of the
work. An assistant engineer of the
highway commission is, IN 2charge Of
the construction and maintenance In
each county, and 1t was under this
method of administration that the
work was done.
They will also find that there was no
complaint to- overcome in regard TO
making the improvement, excepting Il.
a few instances where the remote Sec
tions of the counties protested the con-
centration Of funds, but this objection
Is now done away with for, branch
roads Of practically the same character
have been built to serve the other sec !,
tions of the counties.
Not long ago a party OF Iowa tour I
lists, who had spent the greater part. o.
their lives in this state and were ia
miliar with only Iowa types Of roads,
found themselves leaving the Twin
ing two nights Of heavy rains. Rains
that were cloudbursts in some parts of
the state. The start was made with
apprehension, knowing wei! the condi-
ton that Iowa roads Would have been
In after such downpours. ButFimagns
their surprise when they found the
dust just nicely laid on the .grayeled
roads Of Minnesota, ana saw farmers
hauling over these roads In perfect
ease and farmers wives and daughters
taking the cream to town and back
with no discomfort. Thus 1t was down
thru the entire state until suddenly
bang, bounce, rattle and jar and they
were back in Iowa. Slowing down care
fully TO creep up on bridges and Gull
verts where the approach and the floor
failed to meet by several inches. Cling
ing tena ciousiy 10 the sides Of grades
where the grass and rubbish from the
sides Of the road had been thrown UP
into the line of travel. and that road
having been duly worked" was being
permitted to settle. Thus they bounced
and Jared until within a few miles Of
their home, when little shower Eel.
and Iowa's wonderful mud roads be-
came slippery and trea cherous, chains
were necessary and the going was
tedious on account of a shower that
was but q heavy dew compared with
The downpours. that fell in Minnesota
and still left the roads in fine condition
for safe travel.
II is to be regretted that every citi-
zen of the state Of Iowa can not be
with the Polk county supervisors, in
order that they may see what can be
done in the matter of building better
roads. There is something wrong with
Iowa in the matter of roads. This
StdlS hdS Spchl dHN ID SptbOlIS lOudy
tremendous sums, on her roads. Yet
farms are marooned every spring when
the bottom goes out of the roads and
It is Impossible to get to town or foz
the mail man to make his trips. There
is something radically wrong when
cars are stuck" as they were on the
great Lincoln Highway east and west
of Ames and when a road leading into
Amea an up-to-date city Of 5000
looked upon as model over the state.
was impa ssable for days and days as
was the Grand avenue road right at
the doors Of the city, this spring.
There are people in this state who
believe that these mud roads are the
proper thing. There are others VIM
say that the salvation Of the state lies
in paved roads. We do not believe that
either of these Is right. As has been
stated in this paper before there Is q
middle ground between present mud
roads and the dreams Of paved road
that will give, this old
state, good. honest, serviceabe roads
every day in the year. This paper be-
lieves that the time Is right here nov
for going into the business of making
real roads and stop pouring money into
mud holes or impossible theory.
Iowa has the money and her county
and state officials are as intelligent
and capable as those vino built the
Minnesota roads. All we need ,npw 10
less talk and theory and more gravel.
The shame Of Iowa, the great treasure
state Of the Mississippi valley, is her
roads. Give US less gable and more