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Hindes Rural Free Delivery. From various parts of the State has come the announcement that unless cer tain raids are immediately improved and made passable at once rural free delivery routes will be discontinued. Such a condition as this should nev er exist in a wealthy and populous State like Ohio. The amount of money that has already been spent by the various counties on their roads should have placed these roads in such a con dition that they would be passable at almost all times of the year. The conditions as they exist today but emphasize the need of more sci ence in the improvement of our high ways. It is asking too much of the county commissioners and township trustees of the State to expect them to be thoroughly posted in the work of scientifically constructing highways. They are of course expected to know in a general way what to do under certain conditions. The highway de partment of the State should be the scientific roadbuilders and it is noth ing but right to expect them to keep posted on the latest, best and most im proved methods of carrying on their work. Through this department is fur nished the local authorities information and assistance for the improvement of local roads. The State has an appropriation of $440,000, or $5,000 per county, which is available for use under certain con ditions by the various counties, and the conditions laid down are so fair and equitable that no county is unable to fulfill them. By the use of this State aid a limited mileage of roads may be permanently improved each year. For the balance of the roads of the county proper care and fair judgment will do much. The most needed care is in the matter of drainage and the season of the year road works done. One of the greatest helps is the use of the split log drag in smoothing up the surface of the road and giving it the proper wa tershed. This is advocated by the De partment of Agriculture and experi ments in various sections of the coun try have proven the value of such equipment. Rural mail carriers the State ever know from experience the great need of immediate attention to road build ing and improvement. They have as a rule been active in the interest of such work, but their protests and pleas have been met with stern indifference in many cases. A movement of this nature is not for the rural mail carrier alone or the au tomobilist alone or for any one class of people, but for the good of the people in general. The rural property owner has not been enthusiastic because the improving of a section of road meant a heavy tax on his property. The State is now assisting, but should do more, and will do more when the electors of the State express at the polls their desire that more be done. Each indi vidual should be enthusiastic enough to speak to his township trustee, his county commissioner and his legislative representative, urging greater activity and support in this matter. This is not a political movement in any sense and the care of our highways should be in every way removed from anything of a political nature. The men who are responsible for the build ing and maintaining of the highways should be in office as long as their work is properly done and a change in the political control of the State should in no way affect them. The Good Roads Association of Ohio is active along these lines, and is now advocating a State appropriation of at least two millions. State supervision and control of the constructing and maintaining of the main thoroughfares of the State and the removal of road work from politics.—Toledo Blade. the maintenance of the roads by a toll or direct tax to the county where they are operated.—Goodall’s Farmer. Good Roads Apostle. Preaching the gospel of good roads, Charles Thatcher, a resident of Wheel ing, W. Va., is now traveling from city to city, endeavoring to interest the citizens of the nation in permanent highways and primarily one or more great arteries for vehicle travel from ocean to ocean, says a Bloomington (II) correspondent of the Chicago In ter Ocean. While he was in Blooming ton his curbstone talks to the audi ences, attracted by the unique outfit accompanying him, were marked by earnestness and enthusiasm. He is not working any grafting or advertis ing dodge. No one is asked for money, and he has nothing to sell. For this reason he is attracting attention and is winning supporters in his movement. After a residence of some years in the Far West he became imbued with the idea that the absence of good roads leading from the East to the West was a serious handicap to the latter and that the possession of good roads would attract tourists in their automobiles and assist in developing the country. She decided to travel from city to city and not only try to arouse interest in the movement, but to se cure signatures to petitions asking the President and Congress to take some action. Thatcher travels in a lght buggy and is attired in regulation cow boy costume. His outfit is pulled by two Western burros, and when he reaches a city he is always sure of an audience. He aims to attend all meet ings in the interest of good roads. His third road will tap New Orleans and thence via the southern tier of States to California. North and south roads extending from the great cities to the main highways are also planned. He has planned a road connecting Chi cago and St. Louis which will pass through Bloomington and Springfield. He believes that Congress should co operate with the various States in the construction of these roads, thereby keeping the expense divided equally be tween the States crossed. Thatcher has traveled 7,000 miles in hhis unique tour of education and believes that he has inaugurated a movement which will not die. Will Study Road Problema: The international road congress, which had been in session in Paris since Oct. 12, adjourned Oct. 17. The next meeting will be in Brussels in 1910. Many resolutions to the nature of suggestions regarding road building, routes and signals were passed, but the most important measure was the crea tion of a permanent international com mission to collect and disseminate the results of experiments. The American delegates are of the opinion that the exchange of views has been highly beneficial, especially in the direction of solving the problems of dustiess roads, but they point out that owing to the range of temperature and diversity of soils in America many of the European suggestions are valueless for the United States. There was a marked tendency during the congress In favor of legislation to compel automobile manufacturers to build motor cars Incapable of exceeding the speedimits.
Newspaper Details
Bedford Daily Mail
Bedford, Indiana, US
Fri, Dec 18, 1908
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 17 Feb 2026
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