| ORGANIZING TO GET BLACKTOP After most of the farms along the Crumtown road, and the farms along the roads that branched off it had been occupied by the Finns, there was a great increase in traffic over the road. As the horse-drawn vehicles were replaced by cars and trucks, the surface of the road during the wet spring and late fall months became almost impassable. An especially soggy stretch was located south of the school. After it had rained for a few days, cars would sink hub-deep in the mud. It wasn’t much better when the ground froze. Drivers gambled on which ruts would be safest as it was impossible to get out of them until higher ground was reached. The residents of Crumtown tried to get help from the town highway department to improve the road but they were unsuccessful. Finally, as the road continued to get worse and worse, the farmers called a meeting and agreed to donate their labor and the use of their horses to get the road repaired and black-topped. Young Elizabeth Ahola was appointed to speak in their behalf before the town board to make known their offer of assistance. She was also to tell the board that if the offer was refused, the farmers would boycott Spencer and take their business to Candor. The Crumtown Road was rebuilt and black-topped to the Tompkins County line. The farmers donated labor and the use of their horses as promised. |