Business Men’s Supper01

Waupaca Post

May 9, 1907

GOOD ROADS AND POTATOES

Were the Subjects Discussed at the Business Men’s Supper

The second supper given by the Business Men’s Advancement Association, was, like the first one, a great success. It took place at the M.W.A. hall on Friday evening last, and was attended by about ninety members of the association and several farmers who had been invited to attend.

The tables presented a very pretty appearance, being decorated with cut flowers and candelabra. The Women’s Relief Corps served one of their famous chicken pie suppers, with fruit salad and pie, and everyone had plenty to eat.

When the cigars were lighted, President Ghoca called the meeting to order, and the usual business meeting was held. Under reports of committees, Peter Holst, chairman of the convention committee, reported that the E.F.U. picnic with 2,000 visitors, would be held here in August, and that the committee would make an effort to secure the next meeting of the state assembly, E.F.U., in 1909, and of the Great Camp of the K.O.T.M, in 1910. Later in the evening, a formal invitation was voted to both of these organizations.

J.E. Cristy of the manufacturers committee, reported that the committee had turned down the kersey factory proposition, and had under consideration a powder mill proposition and a hospital.

Dr. Pelton, from the committee on city affairs, presented a resolution asking the city council to proceed with the building of a sewer system in accordance with plans already made by Mr. Kirchoffer. The resolution was passed by a unanimous vote.

John M. Ware, of the committee on good roads, stated that the committee would hold a meeting with the city council in the near future, with a view of getting the main roads leading into the city put in good condition. He state that the town of Waupaca had appropriated $3,000 for road work this year, and that it was his belief that good country roads could never be built until the state compelled the farmers to pay their road tax in cash.

A.G. Nelson of the Railway committee reported that the contract for building the Waupaca Green Bay road was under consideration by Contractor McGrath, and that it would probably be signed on Saturday, and work commenced on Monday.

J.L. Sturtevant of the advertising committee, reported that the Wisconsin Central company had just issued 15,000 very neat booklets devoted exclusively to Waupaca, which out to materially help advertise the city.

The meeting was then turned over to W.E. Fisher, the chairman of the supper committee, who presided during the rest of the evening. He introduced Prof. E.P. Sandersteen, of the state university, stating that he was a prime mover in the effort to make Wisconsin twice as large as it is now, by making its farms twice as productive as before. Prof. Sandsteen’s subject was “Alcohol potatoes and factories”, and he gave a very interesting address. He stated that at present, with the prevailing price for alcohol and potatoes, there was no money in making alcohol from potatoes. In Germany, farmer raise a specially large, coarse fibre potato, for alcohol, and get from 300 to 500 bushels per acre. One gallon of alcohol can be secured from a bushel of potatoes. Alcohol must be placed on the market at from 20 to 25 cents a gallon, to compete with gasoline for commercial purposes. Under the U.S. law, there could be no farmers’ distilleries, as there were in Germany, where 8 per cent of the commercial alcohol is made on the farms; here government inspection was necessary and certain amounts have to be made each month, making it necessary for factories to be built on a large scale, therefore naturally in cities. Alcohol can be made from corn, as two and one-half gallons can be procured from a bushel, but potatoes were the logical crop in this locality. This year in Waupaca, the experiment station would furnish ten bushels of German potato seed stock, which would plant two acres, for experimental purposes, total potato crop in the U.S. is over 150,000,000 bushels; the average yield is 78 bushels, in Wisconsin 70 bushels, in Maine 175 bushels. Rotation of crops, with corn, following potatoes, would bring larger returns. Present potato starch factories can be converted into alcohol factories if they have stem plants, at small expense. The department would grow 80 new varieties of potatoes in the state this year. He advocated great care in selecting seed. He also spoke briefly about seed corn experiments which Prof. R.A. Moore was carrying on.

In introducing Prof. W.O. Hotchkiss, the next speaker, Mr. Fisher said he was going to make Wisconsin half as large, by annihilating distance with good roads. Prof. Hotchkiss gave a fine talk upon road building, explaining the various methods and materials which ought to be used in making roads. He commenced by saying that if it cost the farmers of Waupaca five cents a bushel to haul their potatoes to market, it was costing them too much, as the average cost in the state was only thirty cents per ton per mile, and that if the cost here were cut to two and one-half cents a mile, the saving on 2,000,000 bushels each year would build a great many miles of good roads. Continuing, he said, in part; A perfect road is one with a good surface, not dusty, muddy or slippery, and which affords a good footing. Dirt roads were best if kept in prime condition; crushed rock is probably the best material available. The value of any material was in its cementing power and durability. He explained the scientific theory of ascertaining the cementing power of road materials; how rock, clay sand, etc., are composed of minute atoms or grains, which when wet, are surrounded by a jelly-like substance which, under pressure, cement together, illustrating by stating that a piece of hard clay which had been baked by the sun, became almost liquid when soaked with water. It was necessary, therefore, if the material used had much cementing power, to keep water from the road after it is made. Sand had little cementing power, therefore a sand road should be built flat and kept as moist as possible; a road of clay or rushed rock having much cementing power should be well rounded, and kept as dry as possible. The split log drag was of great value in keeping a clay road in fine condition, if used after each rain. He explained how road material was tested. He stated that last year he received 500 letters from farmers on the road question, and from them he learned that but fifty-eight percent of the money being expended in this state for road improvements was used intelligently and to some purpose; that about $1,000,000 a year was being thrown away under the present system. He advocated the payment of road taxes in cash and also the organization of local associations which should co-operate with the farmers in building good roads, citing much good work along that line which had been done at Baraboo. He also stated that a good road form a farm to market enhanced the value of that farm at least $8 per acre.

Senator E.E. Browne was the next speaker, and talked of “Good Roads Legislation”, advocating state aid, which could only be brought about by an amendment to the constitution, which had already passed the senate and would surely pass the assembly, and which would have to be carried at a general election by the people. The proposition was to form a highway commission which should have a general supervision of the expenditure of the state aid which would be given to towns. He stated that it was not fair to make the farmers pay all of the expense of building good roads in the country towns. There are 6,000 miles of steam railroads in the state, and 60,000 miles of country roads. He advocated the use of wide tired wagons and the building of city roads to the limits, to meet the good country roads which would be built by the farmers.

T.J. McGrath of Green Bay, the contractor who is to build the Waupaca Green Bay road, Dr. Fremont Chandler of Chicago, Fred D. Ryan of Chicago and Rev. George Hirst of Chippewa Falls, were called upon by the chairman, and made brief responses.

Upon motion of Irving P. Lord, a vote of thanks was tendered the speakers of the evening, and the meeting adjourned.