Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 February 1910 — GOOD ROADS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

GOOD ROADS

What an lowa Hu Haa Doao. P. Ransom, trustee of Jackson Township, Hardfn County, has given the State an object lesson in what can be accomplished by the systematic dragging of lowa dirt roads. Mr. Ransom early became a convert to the King road drag, but he saw that road dragging would never accomplish what it was capable of doing if done in a haphazard way. At that time there were no laws on the statute books regulating the use of the road drag, and Trustee Ransom decided to devise a system of his own. So well did he succeed that to-day every road--in Jackson Township can be dragged within three hours, and it has more good highways than any other township in lowa. In 1908 the total cost of dragging amounted to only S2OO. ' ' So enthusiastic is Mr. Ransom over the success of his efforts that he has printed a little booklet setting forth his experience for the benefit of other communities. The book contains photographs showing vividly the difference in Jackson Township roads before and after Mr. Ransom started his campaign, as well as pictures of the drags used and photographs of .farmer* at work on the roads. “The road drag is a road builder, a road smoother, a money saver, and allit needs is for the people to put it in complete operation,” says Mr. Ransom in the introduction to his pamphlet. The results obtained by Mr. Ransom and the farmers of his township show how easy it would be to improve a line of roads leading across the State and keep them in good condition. The experience of Jackson Township as well as of other communities - in the State proves conclusively that only a systematic effort is needed to Improve a highway across lowa which will serve as a valuable object lesson to the entire State and result in better roads everywhere. “There is much talk throughout the country about building permanent hard roads, but that theory is so far fetched that it isn’t even worth considering for at least 00 per cent of the roads,” says Mr. Ransom In his book. “The thing for the people to do is to see that the road superintendent grades the roads and drag at the first opportunity and they will have fine roads most of the time. “In rainy weather, dirt roads are muddy; they always were; they always will be, but get after them with the road drag at the first opportunity and they will never be bad very long at a time." In. telling how to convert lowa dirt toads into highway boulevards, as he calls them, Mr. Ransom says: “When the road becomes flat and sodded, there should be a couple of furrows plowed along each side of the road as soon as the frost goes out in the spring. When the sod becomes subdued so It will pulverize, commence in the furrows to drag, bringing the dirt to center, and in a few times dragging there will be a well crowned road. In the average lowa road the furrows should be plowed about a rod from each fence. By following those directions and applying the road drag in ‘Systematic Dragging’ any township can have highway boulevards.

“In the month of April, 1909, we dragged the roads of our township six times in seventeen days, viz. 3,5, 8, 13, 17, 20, the results being, in three days after the last storm, we had the roads of the township free from ruts, mud holes and smooth as a floor. The cost of dragging was about $25 each time, or about $l5O in all. While that may seem a large amount to expend for dragging in seventeen days, yet we know from experience that our roads can be graded and maintained enough cheaper during the year to offset the cost of dragging. We can grade and repair ydth the grader quicker and easier three miles of road that has been dragged regularly and systematically than one mile of road that hasn’t been dragged at all. I don't mean to infer that our township can afford to expend $l5O per month the year round for road dragging, but we can afford to drag our township roads regularly and systematically after each rain on an average of $2.50 to $3.00 per year, and believe every cent Is returned to us in the saving of grading.” Mr. Ransom thus details his method of procedure: I first contracted with about twentylive farmers to drag. Then divided the roads of the township into stations. Then gave each a station to drag along his farm, and farther if necessary to make stations meet. As far as possible I employ those that have telephones. * y* When- the roads need dragging, I call them up and start them all at about the same time / In three hours the roads of the township are dragged complete. Each employe gets 50 cents per mile for dragging. ' : v One round is the general .dragging unless it is a wide road. A wide road we drag two rounds, Vhich costs $1 per mile. The total amount paid Out for drag-

glng Jackson Township In 1901 was about |2OO. —Des Moines Capital.