Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1921-01-25
AMONG THE FARMERS.
"sPsED TIRE PLow."
Breaking Out Roads by Auto.

Dredkiny Out koacS Dy Autcs
Autos have always been considered q
luxury to the agricultural classes, be.
cause they could be used only In sum.
mer, necessitatipg the keeping OF as
many horses as II no machine was own
ed; but now that concrete roads are be-
ing built there are possibilities OF lite
being an all year round machine. They
are used in cities through the winter
months and In the country when there
10 not much snow. It 10 snow which
drives them of, therefore they cannot
be used in country places unless the
roads can be plowed out. They have
been used in some states as far north as
Maine, notably in Michigan, Wisconsin
and Nebraska.
1t is a road construction problem.
Without the best sort of highways even
the finest snow removal system won't
make the truck very valuable in winter.
Today, even during winter Of heavy
storms, it Is possible to make the road
from Portland to Saco and beyond
available for truck traffic, practically
every day; the same to q slightly less
extent Is true of the road from Portland
to Brunswick and Bath, and when the
new highway between Auburn and Port
land, begun the past summer, is finished
there is no physical reason why truck
traffic cannot be maintained throughout
the winter months.
The snow problem comes after the
highway has been provided.
IL will be obvious that for q road
which is to be utilized by trucks in the
winter months, nothing can EXCEL one
Of concretel This gives solid surface
which cannot be cut up and upon which
snow clearing machines can be used TO
advantage and without endangeriDg the
road. Bituminous mscadsm roads
could be used, but gravel maccsdam
would be out Of the question.
1t is upon concrete ways, however,
that those western states have made
them ussble the year round.
Connecticut has also experimented
with this work and the results have
shown that it WAS good business. 1t
will be recalled that the winter of 1917
Is was notable for the extremely heavy
fall of snow all over the country. That
winter IL cost the State of Connecticut
SAC, 900 to keep go miles of highway
open. This was a cost Of about S45 per
mile. These figures include price of
equipment. While figures for the two
succeeding years are not now available,
the estimate at the close of the winter
mentioned was that during a normal
winter the cost of snow removal would
be reduced $40 per mile.
The city of Milwaukee in Wisconsin
receives more than 65 per cent of its
milk supply by motor truck transporta.
ton. Shutting this source OF traffic OF
in the winter months was a serious
In 1919 it was realized
both in the city and throughout MIL
waukee county that II the trucks could
be kept operating through the winter,
not only would it help out the milk sup
ply, bat IL would aid the farmers to
move much of their product more rapid
ly and at less cost than in any other
way. All this IL was figured was for
the benefit OF the farmer as we'll as the
city dweller. AS result, q com2rehen- |
sive plan was worked out to keep the |
so-called improved roads OF the country |
open to motor travel during the winter |
of 1919 20. I
The county has IT'S miles Of improved
road of which l54 is concrete. By the
plan agreed upon, the county was to |
pay the cost of clearing so miles of the |
main trunk road, the various towns pay |
ing for the removal ON the rest of the |
roads.
The county was divided into four
districts. Six powerful trucks were
apportioned to these districts. Each of
these trucks was fitted with a snow
plow. When the fall was light, q truck
would clear an Is foot strip in two trips. |
1t isn't necessary to tell Maine people |
that last winter was terror. 1t was
the same in Wisconsin and other states, |
but yet, except for q short time after
county were kept open for truck and all
other traffic. Even the county loop, |
which Is the county's pleasure drive, |
was available to passenger machines for |
pleasure riding. At this time the total
cost of this work for the winter is not |
available, but to Jan. 16, the cost had |
been ap average $50 per mile.
During the same winter Lancaster |
County, Nebraska, kept about 250 miles
Of highway free from snow 80 that II
was available for motor vehicles of all |
kinds. AS 10 Milwaukee County, they |
used the truck as motive power for |
clearing the roads, but instead of plow |
10 front they used road machine high |
way msintsiner, hauled behind the
truck. This cleared strip II feet wide
on each trip and averaged . speed OF
1-2 miles per hour. The cost of clear
ng averaged 70 cents q mile per clear
ng