Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-07-09
CANADA KEEPS GOOD ROADS
BY DRAGGING after RAINS
Dirt Highway Can Be Improved at Small Ex-
pense by Giving 1t Attention at Right Time,
Says Great Falls Man.

Returning from the trip to Leth-
bridge. which was arranged by the
Trade Tour and Good Roads commit
!rces of the Great Falls Commercial
club. all Of those who attended the con-
ference in the Canadian city are pos
seSSed with enthusiasm and satisfaction
over the welcome that was extended
and the results that We're obtained. o.
:. Warden of the Good Roads commit
zee. gives some of his impressions in
this way:
The delegation that went from Great
Falls to Lethbridge found an attractive
and progressive city with a population
of 1900. IT is we'll arranged and has
ambition. 1t has a rather wonderful
city park which has been developed
ever more fully than any n of the
parks of Great Falls. This park would
be a credit to any place of six times
the population.
Drag Roads After Rains
The visitors from Great Falls found
a wonderful province in Alberta which
is devoted to a study of better farming,
to the irrigation of thousands Of acres
where water is available, and the con-
Stt hIi VI Ahahs
good roads.
Speaking of maintenance down here
around Great Falls, we may learn a
wonderful lesson about the care of dirt
roads which have not been %graveled.
For instance, the car in which | was
riding came out of Lethbridge just
after nooD on July 6. Apparently, on
that morning they commenced to drag
the road coming this way out of the
city. During the two previous days.
an inch of rain had fallen and the road
had been a sea of mud. Before 3 o'clock
on July 6. 30 miles of the road out of
Lethbridge had been completely dragged
and an automobile could easily make
80 miles an hour.
This simply shows what mainte-
nance will do on n graded dirt road.
We have not learned that lesson. For
instance. when we got down into the
United States as far as Conrad and
proceeded from there owe to Chotean,
we found just as good a road. so far
as the grading and general condition
were concerned. as the one mentioned
proceeding out of Lethbrldge. One
dragging at a cost of approximately
$50 or S75 would also put this road IN
condition for travelling at the rate Of
'bo NIX fii " iii'cAf itiN nv
II would appear that one man with a
four-horse team can drag about 10
miles a day. This cost is trivial in
proportion to the results.
State Highway Maintenance
Another thing we noticed-spIendid
maintenance wOrk is being done on
the gravel road from Choteau to Great
Falls by the state highway commission
which is now being done on federal
aid roads by the state is about the first
real sustained maintenance that has
ever been carried forward in the state
of Montana. The chances are that
there is not a better gravel road any
where in the west than tn on from
Great Falls TO Choteau at the present
moment.
The same remark applies to nearly
all of the mileage where gravel has been
put upon the highway of the Y-G Bee
line from Bynum to Wilsall. 1t seems
to me that we ought TO get to a slogan
something like this-When a dirt road
has been constructed, lock up the
scraper end keep the old drag going
after every rain
People down this way have read in
the news columns of The Tribune about
the organization which was initiated
at Lethbridge and which possibly may
develop into asomewhat larger organi-
zation extending from Salt Lake to
Calgary. The president of this new or
ganization. which is called the Alberta
Montana Highway association. is n resi-
dent of Lethbridge. The other officers
are located at Great Falls because this
city is nearer the middle of the work
which may hereafter be carried forward.
To Meet In Great Falls
The commercial clubs of Butte,
Coutts. Warner and Lethbridge and
perhaps other towns. will be asked
to choose members of the board Of di-
rectors. This board will hold a conven-
tion in Great Falls at n somewhat later
date this season. 1t is hoped that this
road association may do much toward
a north and south thorough |
fare across the state. just as the Y-G
Bee line has brought about $50 miles
of scientific highway during the last
few years.
From Great Falls. going north. il,
is probable that the shorter mileage F.,
which may be secured would take the
from Vaughn north through
Dutton. Power and Brady to Conrad. !
How acceptable this immediate mileage
may be right away will depend upon the
attention that can be given to 1t.
Travel at the present time of course
i~nclines, especially in wet weather. to
the excellent gravel road to Choteau
and the entirely good road from Cho-
teau to Conrad. provided the thorough