VOL. LXVIII
INDIANAPOLIS, MAY 17, 1913
NO. 20
The Value and Need of Good Highways
Probably one of the most widely dis- [
cussed questions, from the farmer's
standpoint at least, that was brought
before our recent State Legislature was
that of roads. This body, towards the
close of its session passed several measures of more or less importance relative to public highways, but after the
bill providing for a state highway commissioner failed to pass the question received  comparatively little attention.
Difference ot Opinion Regarding Roads.
One writer, ln comparing the road
situation in several States, recently
said: "Indiana is almost hopelessly in
the mud." Others, including men of
high authority, say that Indiana has
more miles of improved highway than
any other State in the Union. There
is no doubt but that Indiana stands
high in line with the States that lead
in good roads, but this should be the
case because of the abundance of good
road material so well distributed within
her borders.
Whatever people say of the roads of
Inoiana there are many of them that
fre not what they should be. A great
deal more is expected of our roads now
days than a few years ago, and they
must be built to meet these demands as
well as to keep up with the general
progress of country life.
The Motor Truck and Roads.
In some sections of the country
motor trucks are not uncommon and
there is promise that they will become
more popular in the future. In the
eastern part of the United States motortruck freight lines are being operated
on regular schedules. The writer knows
of one such case in this State and there
may be many others. Twice or three
times a week one of these motor trucks
runs between Indianapolis and a town
about ten miles south. These trucks
lurrying loads of from one to six tons
aid greatly in tearing up the surface of
a road. Unless the roads are unusually well built they will not stand such
usage.
Autos  Have   Increased  Rapidly.
Ten years ago there were somethinglike 30,000 automobiles In use in Ununited States. The number has increased now until there are nearly a
million automobiles and over 30.000
trucks. The percent of increase In the
use or auto trucks in this country in
1912 over 1911 is estimated at 24. In
Indiana there was in 1912 an automobile registered for every 60 inhabitants
of the State. Autos are increasing
rapidly and the farmers are buying a
large number of them. With one of
them a ten or twenty mile drive in the
evening in an hour or so, an impossible thing with a horse, is a common
thing. But good roads are necessary
for a pleasant drive in any case, and
they are a valuable asset to good business. An increased amount of travel
and the progressiveness of the country
are other indications that better highways are  necessary.
Rood Roads Encourage Prosperity.
One writer says:     "It is a well estab- j
Using a Road Engine in the Improvement of Roads
lished fact that, whenever a good road
is built through a section of country,
the marketable production of that section is at least doubled—sometimes
quadrupled. The whole landscape takes
on an air of prosperity; houses and
barns are painted; trees and fences are
trimmed and put in shape; farming machinery is put under cover;  horses are
whereas    before    the     roads were  improved they perferred to stay at home.
Improving Roads in Lawrence County.
In some communities the value and
need of good roads have been so strongly felt that without outside aid, highway Improvement has been carried on
In a very creditable manner.      In Law-
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The road engine doing the work of many men and teams.
better curried and buggies are washed;
harnesses are oiled up and burnished;
and vines are trained over front
porches. Every farmer and his family
become landscape architects, in order
to keep up with the spirit of progress
and improvement which the good road
brings into  being."
There is more pleasure and profit in
living in a community where there are
good roads. Residents desire to go out
more. They will hitch up their horse,
or if they possess an auto will start It
for a trip to a neighbor's, or to town
for an errand    of minor    importance,
rence county, Illinois, just across the
State line to the southwest, a community has taken up road improvement
work very energetically. A road engine has been purchased and all in the
neighborhood turn out to help build
better highways. Thomas It. Cisel, one
of the enthusiasts, sends us the following account describing building of the
roads and the use of the engine:
"In the handling of materials used in
road building the road engine has
proved a much cheaper power than
horses. In grade building, plowing,
leveling and other    like    work    when
A good road bed built and packed by a  road engine.
short turns must be made the engine is
not a success, as it requires too much
space in turning to be used for this
kind of work and along the country
roads where there are usually side
.litches; but for hauling rock, gravel
and the other materials used in constructing bridges and roads, this long
haul work is where the engine is suited
to the Job. The type of engine shown
in the picture will move from three to
six cars of rock over any ordinary
country road, and get it on the ground
quicker than could be done with horse
power.
What the Road Kngine Will Do.
"Another advantage of the engine is
ihe packing of newly made grades and
the settling of the limestone fills.    The
repeated  hauling of heavy loaded cars
and the wide tread of the engine makes
earth  fills like  rock,  before the covering  of   limestone  is   put  on;   when  the
stone fill is made the engine will crush
it into shape to receive the top dressing
of gravel.     When the gravel is in place
the engine  takes the place of a steam
roller for putting it  down  and  putting
on the finishing touches.      To make the
use of an engine a success, water and
coal stations must be established alonjf
the road  over which the  haul  is to  be
made;   the  engine and  cars will  place
the coal where wanted and water usually can  be secured  from strong farm
wells along the way.       By the use  of
steel stock tanks and the farm  pumping   power   the   water   can   be   placed
along the roadway at a small expense.
"The engine should be equipped with
large tanks, in order that a delay along
the way will not leaVe it short of water.
Water and coal must all be hauled upon the engine as a tank and fuel wagon
would be much In the way in handling
the cars.
"The road shown in the photographs
with this article extended over twelve
miles of hills. Cuts and fills were made
to bring the road bed as near level as
possible, that is to reduce all grades
where It could be done at a reasonable
cost. The entire twelve miles was
graded into shape from gutter to gutter
with the crown three feet higher than
side drains, culverts and bridges of concrete put ln and all side ditches cleaned
and got into shape so aa to hold the
water from overflowing the crown or
road proper. Tile drains were put in
at all points where low land caused the
road bed to become soft in wet weather.
When the entire twelve miles of road
bed was built up into proper shape the
engine was put to work hauling the materials; work started on the road at the
point farthest from the base of supplies
giving the engine long pulls over the
part graded. Just a few trips with the
engine and cars put the new grade
down In flne shape for hauling. First
the fill of limestone was put on when
this was finished, the gravel fill was
started at the point twelve miles out.
The flrst few trips with the engine over
the bed of limestone was rough, but It
soon pressed Into place giving the engine a firm track when the gravel \.-as
spread, the engine was used to roll it
Continued on page 13.