The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1932-12-02

Gh5lhOOl
Road Builders Association; Deliv-
cred At State Convention of County
Commissioners, Bozeman, June
%, 1922
County officials all over the
country are alarmed at the danger
to the public and the losses Of pub
lie property due to poor upkeep of
our roads. These losses and dan
gers are the result of pressure
brought to bear by taxpayers to re-
duce road expenditures.
Very shortly the public will a.
gain be travelling on dusty roads,
full Of holes, between forests of
weeds growing on the roadsides
that obscure the view to the great
danger and discomfort of all trav-
elers unless proper upkeep is con-
tinued.
Dollars invested in roads that
are paying dividends in safety,
comfort and economy to the tray
eler will, under poor upkeep on
ditions, cease to produce dividends
in anything but swear words, more
gasoline and time consumed, and
rapid depreciation of motor We
hicles.
Proper and thorough upkeep of
roads not only c~onserves the pub
lie investment in the Improvement
but it also provides safety, econ
omy and comfort for traffic. Main
tenance saves dollars already in
vested in roads that without main
tenance will be washed away by
rains or blown away by the winds.
Road upkeep is practically all
done by local labor, and it offers
the best opportunity for the re-
lief Of unemployment. Men, teams
and trucks can all be used to adj
vantage. There is no work that
more readily absorbs men from
all types Of industry than road
maintenance.
The economy OF road upkeep and
conditioning, it's speed of accomp-
lishment, and it's thoroughness
have all been developed marvel
.usly through modern machine
methods. The low cost of main
tenance with machines easily OPP
by local road workers
makes the neglect Of road upkeep
a matter of almost criminal mis-
management. The future manage
nent of the roads is in the hands
If the public.
What are county officials to do
lnder the curtailment Of road ex-
1ense demanded by taxpayers? One
hing is certain. The taxpayers
themselves must suffer from the
Neglect of road maintenance. If
he taxpayers do not want the
county forces to maintain roads, !
hen they must do it themselves, :
nd each one must get out Of his :
ar and fill the holes himself. That
ystem of letting things go was .
ried in the '90s with the result =
hat few improved roads were !,
uilt, the roads that we're improv- >
d soon went to rack and ruin, and =
tremendous public clamor was
aised against the condition of the T
ighways. i,
Simple common sense will lead 1
ny thoughtful person to decide a
lat no matter what the emergency p
lie wastefulness Of poor mainten- Ii
nee must be avoided. ly
Funds, Of course, are only avail tt
Die for gradual improvement, but v
.ay miles Of lower type road can p
> made to serve existing traffic lie
? well directed maintenance. II
The action of time and weather
continual deterioration of ="
10 most soundly constructed road III
Id a standard of upkeep must be c.
aintained in order to preserve CT
public investment. The high al
)eed of traffic creates a constant 81
,zard and requires unceasing Wig al
ance so that distractions to tray
may be eliminated.
Any county he's an enviable OPP IL
to render public service, "
ID it should be the constant aim III
carry on the work as economi- Ct
lily as possible, but at the same De
ne keep the roads open for the
fe movement of traffic. |"
Money spent for upkeep gives 3
ECKER returns on the investment =
an any other expenditure made
: road work. Accordingly, money q
and economically spent q
: maintenance meets with in nj
Int and popular approval from
3 travelling public.
It is of vital Importance to every
unity that an efficiently organic
department for the preservation In
their roads be in continual oper-
MAJ Nn1x, dooo Tho o1prap