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THE NORFOLK WEEKLY S'KWS. JOUKN'AL , FRIDAY , APRIL 22. IfllO , 1 ;
Tbe Norfolk Weekly News-Journal
Hie NOWH , Established 1881.
The Journal. Kstabllslicil 1877.
THE HU8E PJJBLIiHlNG COMPANY.
W. N. HuHoi N. A. Huso ,
President. Secretary.
Every Friday. Hy mapper your , $1.60.
Entered nt the postolfieu nt Norfolk ,
Nub. , IIH sueonu class matter.
Telephones fEcIIiorTal "Department
No. 22. Business Olllcc nnd Job Rooms
No. II 22.
The linnlcat atory of tbc season to
lclievo coint'B from Uoaton. An ed
itor In that city claims to bnvc boon
robbed of a lot of diamonds.
The Chicago Bchools drop algebra.
Jf by concentrating energies on arith
metic they make the college student
nblc to add up a Blmplo column of
llgurcs , they will make a big advance.
Great agitations of political issues
often bring to the front men who are
eager to tear down but have no pow
er to build up even when given the
authority to do so.
The census enumeration began on
Friday. Isn't Uncle Sam running a
bluff on the old superstitions hovering
nrouiid that ill fated day ? Anyway
it was not Friday the thirteenth.
Maude llalllngton Uooth Is trying
to have a law passed compelling cats
to wear bulls bo that birds may bo
nwaro of their dangerous proximity.
Hats and mice arc in favor of the
1)111 ) also.
A democratic paper declares that
Speaker Cannon was dehorned. To
others It looks as though Uncle .loe
lias seized a bad dilemma by both
horns and WHS trying desperately to
liaiig on.
Last year's cotton crop fell short
of the crop of UIOS li.OOO.OOO bales.
Lot us hope the crop of cotton and
hogs will bo better this year so the
common people can eat pork chops
and wear calico gowns.
It Is time to begin active warfare
ngalnst the lly , whose dangerous qual
ities are becoming better known every
year. House ( lies have always been
considered a nuisance and now they
are looked upon as a menace.
Australia now cuts quite a ligure
in the labor movements of the world.
The labor unions have an aggregate
of $1,701,200 In their funds , a sinking
tund of J3GS.G30 and a fund amount
ing to $229,500 for the unemployed.
New York , it is said , will show up
5,000,000 people. Soon this bunch of
humans will have to be divided into
two shifts , one to use Manhattan Isle
clay times , anil "lien get out Into Jer
sey and let the other shift have an
inning.
Colonel Roosevelt preferred a puff
ing motor boat to a dreamy gondola
in romantic and decadent old Venice
Perhaps he will tell the Venetians
how to Improve things by draining
off their canals , and putting in up-to
date brick pavements.
Think of the Incredible sums whicl
the nations of the world are spending
on battleships and armament and ol
the inestimable good that might be
done were it turned into channels for
the benefit of humanity instead ol
engines of destruction.
( liven half a chance the Irish peoplr
will lift themselves out of the "slougl
of despond" as well as the French
people have done In the last century
When agriculture languishes the
chances are ten to one that some
thing is wrong with the land laws 01
economic policies.
It is estimated that oven 110 mil
lion acres will be planted to corn ii :
tills country this year. The figure
that corn cuts in the wealth of the
country can be realized when it is
known that all the gold and silver In
the United States Is not equal to the
worth of the corn raised In 1909.
Wisconsin has fallen into line witli
the more progressive spirit of the
times and has prohibited the use ol
the public drinking cup. The oxter
initiation of the public cup. by the sub
etltution of paper cups for each person
who desires to quench his thirst Is .1
decided step in the direction of good
health.
Numerous have been the appeals
made by government officials to the
people not to treat the census enum
erators as Inquisitors or spies but tc
cheerfully co-operate with them by glv
ing them the Information desired and
thus make it possible for the govern
inent to compile statistics which will
be of great value to the country.
President Eliot brought from retire
ment a long forgotten word when he
spoke recently of billboards that "ug
lify" the landscape. While Hopresen
tative Kitchen coined a word belong
Ing in the same class when ho re
marked that he , n democrat , wenl
over to the republican side to "do
centlze it. "
It is estimated that the governmcnl
has lost more than $5,000,000 In the
past five years through the illegal op
erations of oleomargarine swindler *
at Chicago , while the dealers them
selves have cleaned up not leas than
$10,000,000 In Illicit profits during this
time. These seem Immense sums to
> o gained and lost on such a worth-
ess product.
\ blacksmith at Dodge City , Kan. ,
was a pessimist , and now he Is
sorry for It. He was a retired man
who lost some money in a bank that
'ailed ' , which caused him to lose faith
n humanity. He had $2,700 which he
placed In an Iron box In his basement.
iJold bad men with a drill got Into the
box and vamoosed with every dollar of
.ho money.
In France. Ciermany and Holland
they are rapidly dispensing with rails
for their trolley cars. The motive
power is derived from overhead
wires , but the expense of track con
struction and repair Is saved. The
'rallloss' can bo used to advantage
In all locations in which the usual
dorse omnibus is operated success
fully. It Is especially adapted to nar
row streets where there is not room
for a tramway.
The national treasury delicti which
confronted the Taft administration
when it took charge of affairs a year
ago Is in a fair way to be wiped out.
Figured upon the present rate of ex
penditure' and Income , the treasury
will again have a surplus before the
present year Is gone. This Is estimat
ing on a fat year basis. Unfortunately
there is as little anxiety now about
the coming of a lean year as there was
before the recent panic.
The Washington Herald has made a
canvass to discover the growth In
favor of the plan of city government
by commission and It finds that six
ty-two cities in seventeen states have
adopted the Oalveston plan. The ver
dict of these places is almost unani
mous in declaring It a great improve
ment over the old plan of delegating
this power through a mayor and board
of aldermen. Buffalo , New York , has
voted for the commission plan but
must wait the authority of the state
legislature to put it in force.
Ocean steamships have Increased in
size uutil they carry almost double
the number of passengers they did a
few years ago. There are twice as
many ships , and many of them make
much more frequent trips across the
broad blue than formerly. Yet the
booking officers are besieged with ap
plications for more , better and earlier
accommodations than can possibly be
supplied. This gives an idea of the
rapid Increase in the number of Amer
icans who go abroad.
The Pullman company has long
boon known to the traveling public
as exorbitant , arbitrary , stiff and un
accommodating. It can be all these
things and still cut melons , because it
has a monopoly , but at last the worm
has turned. A decision has been filed
establishing the principle that the up
per berth must be sold at a lower
price than the nlore convenient lower
berth. If the court alllrms this find
ing of the interstate commerce com
mission the principle will be applied
to all sleeping car rates in the United
States.
The possible number of names that
may be chosen this year to occupy
niches in the hall of fame Is thirty-
eight. Many of the hundred men first
named as electors for the honor , have
passed Into the beyond among them
Edward Everett Hale , Grover Cleve
land , Kiehard Watson Gilder , Ulshop
Hurst and Professor Fisher. Their
places have been filled. Among the
new electors are Joseph H. Choate ,
General F. T. Grant. Robert T. Lin
coln , Senator Dolliver and many oth
ers. How many of them will in the
future be chosen to occupy places In
i the hall of fame ?
'
There is a whole lot of foolish , silly
talk Indulged In aboul war between
the United States and Japan and how
easy one of these nations could para
lyze the other , but this from an ex
change reaches the limit. It says :
"If that war between the United
States and Japan can be postponed
until after the Panama canal is com
pleted , we'll have enough available
battleships and digging machinery to
send over there and entirely obliterate
that little patch of cussedness of the
far east. " Whatever else they may or
may not be , the Japanese have proved
to the world that they are both excep
tionally brave and resourceful. While
no one \ \ ants to think of trouble In
this direction , and every lover of peace
hopes It may never come , It Is Idle to
contemplate any conflict between two
such great and vigorous nations as
America and Japan without a realiza
tion of its horror. Neither nation
could "obliterate" the other , but such
a war , whichever was victorious , would
leave some awful scars. Even with
"Old Glory" coming out at the finish
triumphant , as every American be
lieves It would , nevertheless this coun
try would know that It had been In a
fierce scrap. It 111 becomes an Intelli
gent nnd great people like our own to
underestimate the capacity of other
peoples. Now that the United States
Is in the swim as a world power , It
would better take careful measure
ment of Us competitors for commer
cial and military supremacy.
ENTITLED TO CONSIDEKAT10N.
There can be no denying the fact
that Norfolk as a city and the travelIng -
Ing public at large In this territory ,
are entitled to have Northwestern
main line trains run uptown at Nor
folk. The railroad owes this service
to the city and to the territory which
have sullored such great Inconven
ience because of the lack of it all
thoBe years. And the Importance of
this territory and of Its commercial
metropolis entitle the people asking
this Improvement , to consideration at
the hands of the Northwestern.
NO EXCUSE FOR NOT DOING IT.
There can bo no reasonable excuse
for the Northwestern to turn down
Norfolk's request for uptown trains.
The city Is entitled to that service ,
and so Is the traveling public.
The Northwestern ought to grant
this request right off the bat. It
means a'minimum of trouble to the
railroad and there's no reason why the
Increased revenues shouldn't more
than pay for the extra service.
They haul freight uptown. People
: > ught to be given as good service as
pianos.
THE LAW'S DELAYS.
An illustration of the failure of
prompt justice is found In the prob
ability that it will bo nearly a year
before the supreme court can reach
n decision on the momentous oil and
tobacco cases. With one member
dead and one sick , the court is right
in feeling a rehearing needful on a
matter of such vast importance. Hut
our laws should make better provi
sion for contingencies of this kind.
It Is well known that a host of the
larger enterprises In this country are
holding back until they get a final
Interpretation of this law.
Why should there not be provision
lor one or two alternate judges to
sit with the court in cases of sick
ness of some member of the bench ?
Our United States circuit courts con
tain many men entirely capable of
this grade of work.
The great trouble with our entire
judicial system today is delay.
A STREET LIGHT SYSTEM.
Norfolk has been thinking of some
plan by which to get better lighted
streets , and for that reason the fol
lowing from the Missouri Valley
Times , explaining the effect of the
new Tungsten street light service
there , will be of Interest to Norfolk
people at this time :
Were you down town Saturday
night ? Thought you were In a metro
politan city , didn't you ? And so Erie
street looked under the new lighting
system.
Saturday night , for the first time ,
the electric light company turned
on the current In our street lights
and such a surprise It was. They have
installed about 150 of the new 40 c. p.
Tungsten street lights and a prettier
effect cannot be Imagined. Each
block on Erie street has four of these
lights on each side and by so distrib
uting the lights , an oven glow is ob
tained the full length of the street.
The alleys also have n light at each
intersection so that a policeman can
distinguish a man in hiding at a block
distance. The cost to the city is about
the same but the good effect cannot
bo estimated In mere dollars and
cents.
The business men have decided that
well lighted streets pay , as several of
them stated this morning that trade
was better and brisker Saturday niglu
than it has been for many moons. We
have things started , lets keep them
going.
JOIN THE COMMERCIAL CLUB.
The directors of the Commercial
club have a big year outlined for Nor
folk. Many things already have been
done , and bigger things are on the
way. But in carrying out the projects
which they have planned , the directors
feel that they should have the loyal
and unanimous support of every citi
zen of Norfolk. New members of the
club are needed for the moral sup
port which they mean. The 50 cents
a month assessed as dues is not the
object. It's the loyal support of the
entire community that the club direct
ors want in their efforts for a greater
Norfolk.
The reports made at the quarterly
meeting show that the club directors
arc doing things. They're after a
good many big projects that will bene
fit Norfolk. But if these men are to
give their time and effort in organiz
ing the upbuilding of Norfolk , they
feel that they are entitled to the co
operation and support of every man
interested in Norfolk's growth. The
club will welcome suggestions from
any source and It wants every man
in Norfolk to feel interested In the
movement for a bigger and more pros
perous city.
The News believes that one way
In which the directors can keep In
terest alive among the members , will
bo to give to the public , through
newspaper columns , just as much In
formation as to the projects in mind
and the plans under way as is possible
and consistent with the success of the
enterprises involved.
THE TRAVELING PUBLIC.
The unanimous action of the mass
mooting of Norfolk busines men in
structing the directors of the Com
mercial club to use every possible ef
fort to Induce the Northwestern rail
road to cease the practice of unloading
Norfolk passengers a mile and a half
from the busines portion of the town ,
and to bring main line trains to the
uptown station , should carry weight
with that railroad. The united busi
ness men of Norfolk are worthy the
North western's consideration. I
As has been brought out by travel
ing men who make their homes In
Norfolk , hotter service Is demanded by
the traveling public of this region by
the whole people of northern Nebras i
ka and southern South Dakota fully
as much as , If not more than , by the
people of Norfolk themselves. For
after all. It Is the traveling public of
this territory to whom greatest liicon-
vei'lonco nnd loss of time Is caused
by the failure of the Northwestern to
run its trains uptown.
It Is believed that many hundreds of
uromlnont business men throughout
this territory will bo mighty glad to
sign a petition asking the Northwest
ern to Improve its train service In this
respect.
Aside from the Inconvenience
caused the traveling public , there Is
another feature of this poor service
which has not before been touched
upon. United States mall addressed
to Norfolk Is unloaded a mile and
a half out of town and hauled the rest
of the way overland by stage , just as
the mall is hauled on star routes to
inland towns. As a result , Norfolk's
mail Is delayed a good many hours
during the course of oacli week ,
as compared witli the time that It
might bo made if the trains were run
uptown. The same delay applies to
express.
That the plan to run trains uptown
Is feasible , has boon repeatedly stated
by railway experts whoso attention
has been brought to the matter. The
tracks are already built and the trains
could be run uptown at a minimum of
expense. *
There are six trains a day on the
main line , which ought to he running
uptown into Norfolk.
Aside from the inconvenience
caused the traveling public , the North
western is doing Norfolk a gross in
justice when it brings people through
this territory and allows them to gain
their impression of northern Nebras
ka's metropolis from looking at the
Northwestern eating house and the
small portion of the town visible
from those trains. The railroad Is
giving Norfolk a black eye every time
a train goes through the Junction and
fails to come uptown , because thous
ands of persons who have hoard of
Norfolk get so poor an Impression of
the town when they fall to see the
kind of a business street they had
looked for , that they return to their
homes with anything but a favorable
opinion of this city or of the terri
tory of which Norfolk is the metropo
lis.
At Hastings the Grand Island and
St. Joseph railroad backs its trains
more than a mile Into the town , in
order to run uptown. The situation is
not dissimilar to that here save that
the trains don't come uptown hero ,
as they ought to.
Norfolk and the traveling public of
this territory have tolerated a good
deal in years gone by in point of train
service. There has not often been
complaint. But the time has come
when the people of this city and ter
ritory believe they are entitled to con
sideration.
AROUND TOWN.
Your fruit get nipped ?
Oh , yes , that equinoxlal.
Booster buttons are in bloom.
How'd you like that April shower ?
Told you you'd have to change back.
But think of a foot of snow at Lead ,
S. D.
Well , that last half ton didn't last ,
after all.
" \Ve had a very short summer , " one
man said.
"Why did you stir up this moss ? "
asked a Norfolk man , referring to the
weather.
Hoffman and Bovee will keep Nor
folk on the baseball map by absent
treatment.
Remember what we told you about
it's being too warm in March for that
time of the year ? Well , it was.
People out through this whole ter
ritory want the trains run uptown at
Norfolk.
The prize light promoters shouldn't
have pulled off their mill on the same
night as a Commercial club meeting.
ATCHISON GLOBE SIGHTS.
Is this the beginning of winter or
the beginning of summer ?
A dispatch from Winner , S. D. , says
the small grain crop will be large.
Always remember that you'll never
make a man love you by playing a
practical joke on him.
About all a genuine pessimist can
see to spring is house cleaning , sassa
fras tea and the equinoctial storm.
Don't bo too ready to draw on your
friends for assistance ; they won't take
it as kindly as you think they will.
The man who bellows most about
his rights Is usually a rabbit who has
had all his rights taken away from
him.
You shouldn't carry being good to
the point of Isolation ; to the point
where you arc a nuisance , and people
hate you.
All housekeepers are afraid of
trained nurses ; the housekeepers arc
afraid the trained nurses will go away ,
and say they are dirty housekeepers.
Every girl likes to say she that has
never been In love , although she may
have boon In love as often as a poli
tician has wanted an office.
The next day after your party , don't
hunt up people you didn't Invite , and
tell them what a good time they'd
have had If they had boon there.
Mrs. Lysander John Apploloii Is al
ways suspecting her husband of doing
something wrong , and when repri
manded for it recently explained that
she had good reason for suspecting
him. "My Mother , " she explained , "al
ways suspected my father. "
When a man takes an offensive
"dig" at you , without provocation , hit
him as hard as you can. If necessary
to Impress him. be offensive ; and if
ho wants to light because of the blow
you gave him , accommodate him
promptly. The men who give "digs"
are impolite , and should be forced to
quit their favorite amusement.
Mrs. Lysander John Appleton , who
has had seventeen things cut out of
her by surgeons , was observed today
looking and feeling thoughtfully at
her throat , "It would be something
entirely new , " she muttered to her-
i-elf. ( Note. She had just rend of a
boy In New York who had his jugular
vein removed and survived the opera
tion. )
Tell a woman of the murder of a
woman In Kansas City recently , be
cause she distrusted'banks and car
ried her money with her , and she will
not see the suggestion in the incident
that the woman should have trusted
the banks. "The woman would have
boon wiser , " she will comment , "if
slip had spent that money at the dry
goods stores. "
"I was once engaged to bo married , "
said Daysey Mayme Appleton in giv
ing her testimony at a recent meeting
of the Look on the Bright Side club ,
"and my heart was set on that man as
it never had boon sot on anything on
this earth. We quarreled and the en
gagement was broken , but I soon
found a bright side in * He onions that
were passed at supper .line ; in the
joy of sitting around In a kimono
knowing no company was coming , and
in hunting up every married friend I
had and looking at her dowdy
clothes. "
The fashion magazines say the old-
fashioned shawl Is coming back. It
rsn't. The old-fashioned shawl was
worn for the reason that it furnished
better protection than a cloak for the
baby In the wearer's arms. It was
also handy to throw over the head
when running to the assistance of a
neighbor , and an old one , soft and old ,
was in constant use to wrap the
young baby In. The wrap that will
be in fashion this spring may be shawl
shape , and may be worn In automo
biles , but it isn't the old-style shawl
by any means.
In Coolidge , there is an old tough
named Colonel Whittington. who is al
ways trying to flirt with the women.
They have a rule in Coolidge that any
woman whose name is connected with
that of Colonel Whittington. will be
tabooed in society. A good many are
admitted to the social affairs about
whom there has been "talk , " but
Coolidge draws the line at a woman
whose name has been connected with
that of Colonel Whittington.
The cat had been put out , the chil
dren wore in bed , and Lysander John
Appleton , worn out with the terrors
of another day , was prepared to spend
an evening in peace. "Dear , dear ,
dear , " said Mrs. Lysander John , look
ing up from her paper. "Isn't It horrible
rible ? " "What ? " snorted her husband.
"Seventy-live people killed by a Hood
in Italy ! Just think of the poor little
orphans ! " ( Silence for two minutes. )
"Oh , my , how can the Lord permit
such terrible things. A man shot his
wife and live of her sisters in Laurel ,
Del. , last night. The rooms looked
like a slaughter house when he got
through. I am glad he killed himself
and saved the people the expense of
trying such a brute. His poor , poor
wife ! What he must have endured
living with a man of that disposition. "
( The clock ticks about ten times. )
"Oh , listen to this. Oh , Lysander
John , my heart aches so I can scarce
ly read it. Oh , my , oh my , this life
Is a trouble vale ! Just think , 11 vo
people killed In a train wreck In
Georgia , The sorrow that goes into
their homes tonight roaches my
heart. " Silence while Mrs. Appleton
wiped the tears from her eyes , and
turned the page. Then a scream , "A
bride and groom killed on their wed
ding trip ! The poor dears. Just
think of the happiness with which
they started out , and now the journey
ends In two coffins. Maybe they will
bo burled In one coffin. I think that
would be sweet. " Silence for two
minutes that was finally broken by
violent sobbing. "A girl of 1C poison
ed her own sister In Massillon , Ohio.
It is too terrible to bo true. . Oh , Ly
sander John , how grateful we should
be that none of our children ever did
a thing like that ! The poor , Poor ,
poor mother ! " Mrs. Lysauder John
reaches blindly for her apron to wipe
awayjier tears , her handkerchief having
'
ing b'een soaked in previous enjoy
ment of the news , and then she turned
tearful eyes toward Lysander John ,
only to find his chair vacant. Upstairs
there was a sound of heavy shoos
being kicked viciously to the floor.
"The men , " said Mrs. Lysander John
to herself , picking up her newspaper
and preparing to read some more ,
"are BO unfeeling. "
VALUE OF
BURNT CLAY
DURABLE ROADS BUILT OF IT AT
SMALL COST.
PREPARATION OF THE ROADBED
Careful Grading and Firing Necessary.
Highways That Are Constructed of
"Gumbo" Clay Should Be Rolled Un
til Smooth nnd Hard.
In large areas In the south sedimen
tary i III.VH arc found very generally
In these arca- < the clays are of a par
ticularly plastic mid sticky variety
known a * "gumbo" and "buckshot. " In
such localities trafllc Is absolutely Im
possible during the wet season , as the
wlit'i-ls of heavy vehicles will sink to
the hub.
Cumbo clay Is black , owing to the
high percentage of organic or vegeta
ble mutter It contains. It Is particu
larly sticky In Its nature , and is al-
ir st wholly free from siind and crlt.
From Goou J < oada MfiRnzlne , New York.
WELL I1UILT 31UIINT CLAY HIGHWAY.
After It has been burned , however , the
plasticity is entirely destroyed , and a
light clinker Is formed which , though
not particularly hard , when pulverized
forms a smooth surface and seems to
wear well. It should bo understood
that not all of the clay out of which
the road is to be constructed is to be
cllnkcrcd , but only a sufficient amount
should be rendered nonplastlc to neu
tralize the too sticky character of the
native clay.
Good sound wood , as dry and well
seasoned as It is possible to procure ,
should be provided before beginning
the work and stacked at convenient
Intervals along the side of the road.
About ono cord of wood 1ms been found
necessary for eight linear feet of roadbed -
bed twelve feet wide.
After grading the road to an even
width between ditches It Is plowed up
as deeply as practicable. It will be
found necessary to use horses or
mules , as the extremely heavy nature
of the clay makes the work of deep
plowing dlllicult. After the plowing
has been completed furrows are dug
across the road from ditch to ditch ,
extending through and beyond the
width to bo burned. If it Is intended
to burn twelve feet of roadway the
transverse furrows should be sixteen
feet long , so as to extend two foot on
each side beyond the width of the final
roadway. Across the ridges formed
between these furrows , which should
be about four feet apart , the first
course of cord wood is Inld longitudi
nally so as to form a series of Hues in
which the Hrlus is started.
The best and soundest cord wood Is
selected for this course and should be
laid so that the pieces will touch , thus
forming a floor. Another layer of
wood is thrown Irregularly across this
floor , in crib formation , with spaces
left between in which the lumps of
clay are piled.
After the lumps of clay have been
heaped upon this Hour a third course
of wood Is laid parallel to the first.
This third < oun-o Is Inld In exactly the
same manner as the first , and each
opening and crack should be filled
with brush , chips , bark , small sticks
or any other combustible material.
The top layer of clay Is placed over all ,
and the finer portions of the material
arc heaped over the whole structure.
The deep covering of clay which Is
thrown over all should bo taken from
the side ditches nnd may be in lumps
of all sizes. Including the very finest
material. It i spread as evenly as pos
sible over the top In a layer of not
less than six to twelve Inches. Finally
the whole Is tamped and rounded off
so that the heat will bo held within
the fines as long as possible.
When the roadbed has been care
fully prepared according to the fore
going directions the firing should be
gin. If , however , a large force of
laborers are available for the work a
greater number of flues can be fired
at one time.
When the material is sufficiently
cooled the roadbed should bo brought
to a high crown before rolling , to
allow for the compacting of the ma
terial. This can be best done with p
plow or a grader. After this the rollIng -
Ing should bo begun and continued
until the rondbed Is smooth and hard.
The finished crown should have a slope
of at least one-half Inch to the foot.
Although It cannot bo denied that
the gumbo and buckshot clays of the
south are particularly adapted for
burning on account of the high per
centage of organic matter which they
contain , It Is none the less probable
that many of the surface clays and
soils of the states farther north could
be treated In the same way , and , In
fact , any soil or clay which bricks or
clinkers at a comparatively low tem
perature should bo BultabU for the
.work. . . _ . _
CURVES AND GRADES.
They Are Becoming Important Owing
to Increase of Automobile Traffic.
Until recently the location of high
ways has been governed more by
grade than by alignment. For obvious
reasons horse drawn vehicles demand
ed easy grades , but were little aft'ecttnl
by sharp curves. Consequently roada
were so laid out as to meet this re
quirement , being made to wind around
Jillls and follow tortuous water
courses with Illtle attempt to provide
curves of long radii. The result Is n
highway system which , except In level
country , Is composed of crooked rends ,
well adapted to the needs of wagon
tralllc. picturesque and pleasing , but
unsullcd to the requirements of a
tralllu composed of heavy motor driven
vehicles traveling at high speed.
Safety Is a factor that hitherto hna
entered Into the work of road buildIng -
Ing to only a very limited extent , but
which Is constantly assuming more Im
portance. The rapidly Increasing use
of motor vehicles places this new re
sponsibility on the roadmakcr , nnd
the building of now roads with longer
curves and the realignment of old
roads will do much toward reducing
the dangers attendant upon the new
modes of transportation.
The existence of a curve generally ,
though not necessarily , presuppose. *
the presence on the Inner side of some
obstruction .shutting oil' the view of
the roadway ahead from a vehicle
traveling around It. Curves having
radii of 1,000 feet or less are of com
mon occurrence In such places , and a
width of thirty feet In the clear Is as
great as that found on many country
roads. On such a curve the driver
of an automobile running in the mill-
die of tile road can sou an anproach-
ing car , also In the middle of the
road , only about JluO feet ahead. At
thirty miles an hour a little loss than
nine seconds are required to traverse
this dlNtamo , and if each car were
running at that .speed only a little over
four seconds would elapse between
the Instant when they came lu sight
of eaeli other and their meeting. Many
considerations prohibit the establish
ment of an arbitrary minimum radius
for highway curves , but a careful
study of prevailing conditions shows
clearly that more attention will have
to bo paid to this phase of road buildIng -
Ing in the future than has been ac
corded to it In the past. Uoads mast
be economical , they must be durable ,
and they must satisfy the conditions
that experience has Imposed upon
thorn , but they must be safe.
OIL VALUABLE TO ROADS.
Makes Them Waterproof In Winter
and Dustproof In the Summer.
Some Interesting data concerning the
value of oil in the making of good
roads appeared In n Kansas experi \
ment station bulletin. An evenly
graded stretch of sandy loam road a
quarter of a mile long and thirty feet
wide was sprayed with ail oil residue
or residuum. A dust mulch about four
incites deep bad formed on this road
and had caused almost a cessation of
tralllc. The road was first plowed to a
depth of four and one-half inches and
then thoroughly pulverized with a har
row. Oil to the extent of one gallon
per square yard was then sprinkled
and harrowed in. after which the road
was floated. The road was closed to S
tralllc for a week after this treatment. f
The effect of freezing weather on the
roadbed was the object first studied.
The results proved that the oil made a
tnn nmt fmtimtTil
Krom Good Roads Magazine , New Yorlc.
ONE METHOD OP OILING ItOAD.
waterproof shed nnd kept the under
lying soil sufficiently dry to prevent
serious Injury by frosts. The question
of the durability of a road scorns also
settled when roads arc treated with
oil , as this road successfully withstood
all kinds of heavy traffic. In the hot
test season It was deemed necessary
to spray again with oil. about half a
gallon to the square yard , to koe-p
down n slight layer of dust. The esti
mated cost of oiling this road is $52r >
per mile , although some of it varied
and the extreme cost went ns high as
a rate of $1.300 per mile.
Importance of Good Roads.
It Is hard to figure out who is hit
the hardest when a rural route Is dis
continued on account of the Impassa-
billty of the roads. It Is a harm worker -
er to the farmer on the route that
measures greater than the harm to
any one who Is a beneficiary of the
service , but the merchant Is also a
great loser , nnd It stands him well In
band to keep advised of the road con-
clltions In his locality and to talk , act
and work for good roads all the time.
Station Agents to Boost Good Roads.
The officials of the Pennsylvania
railroad have started a movement to
have station agents along Its lines be
come good roads advocates In an ef
fort to have the roads near the sta
tions Improved. The railroad officials
believe that Improvement of the roaiis
would reduce the time that cars arc '
compelled to wait on sidings when '
/armors are unable to haul goods over14 \
the poor roads In bad weather. V
The Medium. /
"Papa , what Is the person called who I
brings you In contact with the spirit I
world' : " (
"A bartender , my son. " Exchange. *
Try a Newi want wL.