The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-04-09
Thisto Be Done From Iowa
Line to Mill City
GUIDES FOR TRAVELLER
Autoists Are Warned Against
Running With The MuffIers
Cut Out
From Thursdays Daily.

A plan is being worked cut whereby
the Daniel Boone trail will be plainly
marked on the telephone poles from
the Iowa state line to Minneapolis.
; Arrangements have been completed
for the marking of the Hammond
Highway its entire length. The Sioux
Indian Historic trail is to be marked
by sign boards and markers. Before
the touring season fairly sets in. ii is
planned to lave all of the trails lead
ing through Mankato well marked
This will have a tendency to bring a
lot of automobile tourist travel
through Mankato.
Fort Dodge, Iowa. has taken steps
to prevent tractors and trucks with
on their wheels from entering the city
on the surfaced streets. Such a vehi-
Gle can do untold damage to certain
kinds Of surfacing on single trip. A
stiff fine has been provided for offend
ers. ..
Side bitches filled with water line
hundreds of miles of roads in Mime
sota at the present time, and many
Of these could be given ample drain
age with few minutes work with a
shovel. Where there is drainage. neg
lect of the bitches is inexcusable, for
water in the bitches softens and
weakens, that has been constructed
at much expense. ..
! The great majority of the ninety
nine counties in Iowa have divided
their country road systems into dis
tricts an dplaced patrolmen in
charge. The patrol system law is COM
pul sorry, but the impossibilty of secur-
ing the right kind of men for palro,-
men has led to some delay in estaD-
fishing The plan in few of the count
les. Each county has from two to
fifteen patolmen. and on the average
$50 miles to the county is patroiled.
Blue Earth county ought to nave
patrols on all the principal roads this
year. ~
Now that auioists are taking their
cars out from winter storage, they
should remember that il. is unlawful
to run with emuiflers cut out inside
the limits of any. city or village. There
is too much disregard for this law in
tMankato. Another thing that drivers
should not forget, and that is that the
vehicle coming from the, right has the
right OF way at intersections. How
ever. il is courteous and safe for both
cars 10 SLOW down. ris,,r, q, s,Isr5,,.
The, primary road system in Iowa
comprises 5000 miles. anG can DE
paved from a fund raised by federal
aid, motor vehicle fees and special
assessment against benefited proper
ty. No county can proceed with hard
surfacing project until it is sanctioned
at an election. The counties may issue
bonds by popular vote. if they wish
to proceed faster than they could
otherwise. One quarter of the cost or
hard surfacing the roads is assessed
against the property benefited The
hrst quarter of a mile pays $500 for
160 acres, second quarter $64o, third
quarter away from the road pays $3.50.
fourth 1920, fifth $3.50, and the sixth
500. Thus, $4,000 a mile is raised in
this manner. $500 on each side of the
, road. Yet, large number Of counties
have yoAd to hard surface. The as
sessmenT on automobiles runs from
$12 for Ford to $S2.40 for a Pierce
Arrow. Trucks pay in proportion, and
motorcycles nay IS. From N otor vehi-
Giles, from $5.0O0.000 to IS OOO, 900 is
raised annually. Under amendment No
to the Minnesota state constitution.
to be voted on next fall, the tax on
motor vehicles will pay the entire cost
cost Of paving 1000 miles of road and
keeping them up eternally. If Iowa
farmers are willing to be assessed UP
ed highways, Minnesota farmers
ought to jump at the opportunity Of
fered to get them for nothing, it would
SEEM