818 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



H- "Miscellaneous Topics. 



OUR COUNTRY ROADS 



J. F. GRAWE, WAVERLY, lA., BEFORE BUTLEE CO. FARMER'S INSTITUTE. 



I wish I could feel that I was here with a message that was helpful, 

 that would help us all to get out of the mud. 



The tax payers of Bremer county will pay, this year, into the County 

 Road Fund, $4,800; into the Bridge Fund, $14,400; and into the Town- 

 ship Road Fund, $14,547 — a total of $33,747 to build roads. During the 

 coming ten years,, the people of Bremer county will pay about $300,000 

 for road and bridge work. 



The tax payers of Chickasaw county will pay this year into the County 

 Road Fund, $4,461; into the Township Road Fund, $16,210; into the 

 Bridge Fund, $17,849 — a total of $38,520. In ten years the tax payers of 

 Chickasaw county will pay about $385,000 to build roads and bridges. 



The tax payers of Butler county will pay this year into the County 

 Road Fund $6,282; into the County Bridge Fund $25,144 and into the 

 Township Road Fund, $17,212 — a total of $48,642 to build roads. In 

 ten years Butler county tax payers W'ill pay about $486, 420 to improve 

 the roads. 



During the coming ten years the tax payers of Bremer, Butler and 

 Chickasaw counties will pay about $1,171,420 to improve the highways 

 and bridges. 



Surely the people have a right to expect that when this money is ex- 

 pended, the roads and bridges will be better than they are now. Surely 

 some permanent good ought to be accomplished with this money. 



All admit that good roads would bring money and comfort to all, and 

 cause and appreciation of the values of land. A country may be as rich 

 as the Garden of Eden, but if ingress and egress are difficult, its full 

 possibilities will never be developed. Not only is this true in a material 

 way, but iL is true in all ways. A community in which travel is an 

 arduous task, loses in a material way, and in an intellectual and social 

 way as well. To keep abreast of the world, we must rub ideas with our 

 neighbors. The farm that is difficult to reach is not so valuable as the 

 one that is easily reached. 



