Democratic Sentinel, Volume 19, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 September 1895 — Wide Tires and Good Roads. [ARTICLE]

Wide Tires and Good Roads.

Farmers and others who are accustomed to haul heavy loads over poor roadsappear in the main oblivious to the benefit and superiority of the wide tires over the narrow ones in general use. Manufacturers of heavy' road and farm vehicles will of course cling to the narrow tire as long as the demand continues, but they will change with the demand; consequently the fault is with the purchasers. In European countries, where good roads are the rule and not the exception as inthis, wide tires are in general use, as they must be eventually here if we are to have any thing like good roads. The light thin macadam, on a soft, yielding foundation, which is being laid in many localities, will not withstand heavy loads - with a common narrow tire. The Pennsylvania and New Jersey legislatures have passed acts encouraging the use of wide tires, but not being ’ compulsory, the old farm wagons will probably remain just as they are until worn out.. It is a waste of money to make good oads and then have thorn ruined by narrow tires, besides it is cruelty to an animal to haul heavy loads with narrow tires over poor roads as well as on the farm.