The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1916-01-06
FOR BETTER ROADS
Meeting at Court House Tuesday Well
Attended and Lively Interest
Manifested by All Present.
Interesting Talks by State Engineer
Mullen and Others County Road
Club Should be Organized.

Club Should be Organized.
Owing to the unpropitious weather
and the poor condition of the roads
there was not as large an attendance
at. the road meeting in the court house
FALL Tuesday as was expected, yet
there was goodly crowd present
when the meeting opened. The north
end OF the county was well represent
ed, but the business men of Princeton
were conspicuous by their absence.
County Attorney Myron presided.
The main talk was delivered by Mr..
J. H. Mullen, assistant state highway
engineer. He impressed his listeners
favorably and gave some mighty good
advice as we'll as valuable information
relative to road-construction. Mr..
Mullen laid particular stress on the
necessity for drainage. On clayey
soil he said it was impossible to have
good roads unless they were prop
erly drained. A road, he said, should
never be surfaced with gravel or hard
material until the sub base had been
properly solidifed. When road is
graded the surface should be made
smooth and compact before gravel is
applied. Where tractor is employed
in grading it answers the purpose of
roller. Mr.. Mullen dwelt on the i'm
portance Of dragging roads at the
right time. He favored the use of
planer in preference to split log or
iron drag. A drag, he said, unless
care was exercised, scooped out the
low places and made them lower, while
a planer filled up the depressions in
road. A model of the Minnesota road
planer can be seen at the Union Of
tlce. 1t is simple Of construction and
can be built at small cost. Mr.. Null
len explained that owing to the small
ness Of the appropriation by the last
Legislature the highway commission
could not furnish an engineer for each.
county and that many Of the counties
were paying the cost of an engineer
for a part Of the year. pumber Of
questions were propounded to Mr..
Mullen all Of which he answered and
made clear to the audience.
Mr.. Myron then called upon others
to address the meeting, and among
those who responded were Messrs. 3.
Z: Mcmillan, Frank Morneau, H. F.
Mann, Peter Haggberg, j., A. Allen,
County Commissioners Eckdall and
Warren and Henry Marpe. All Of the
speakers had something of interest to
say and were heartily in favor of road
Improvement. Mr.. J. A. Allen made
strong plea for "less digging and
more gravel on the roads,"
There seemed to be sentiment in
favor Of the county purchasing
rock-crusher and doubtless the county
commissioners will give the matter
careful consideration. The following
resolution was adopted with only one
dissenting voice:
Resolved, That it is the sense of this
meeting that the county commission
ers be requested to pay for the services
Of competent engineer or superin-
tendent of roads for three months dur
ing the year 1916, provided that the
state highway commission furnishes
an engineer or superintendent for the
other nine months of the year.
While nothing Of great importance
in the way of road improvement in the
county may result from the holding of
the meeting, the exchange of views
and Mr.. Mullen's interesting talk
along practical lines cannot help but
be productive Of some good. In the
near future another meeting should
be held, at Milaca probably, and
county good roads club should be or
gained with the end in view of con-
certed action in every township of the
county to secure the construction of
more hard-surfaced roads. It is only
by constant agitation and hearty CO.
operation of the county and town road
authorities and private Individuals
especially the owners of automobiles
that the desideratum every one who
is in favor Of promoting the best In
terests of the county is aiming for
BETTER ROADScan be. secured.
s=s 4
Patten-McKinney.
Mr.. Maurice Patten of Princeton
town and Miss Ina McKenney Of Spen-
Ger Brook were united in MARRIAGE Fri.