New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-04
COOPERATIVE ROAD BUILDING.

TO the Editor Of the Tribune.
Sir: Grnnt'ng the power ana duty q the Govern
nent 70 aid In road making many l~oil' despair nj
ony honest or efficient administration ~ such aid on
tho east scale acmandcd Hu, more complex and
difficult functions are undertaken ~ our Govern
meut md performed with fair succe,s-'he improve
ment Of river, and harbors. The postal service hli'
ING and maintenance ~ Navy, maintenance ~ an
Army. and even great war have all been carried
on without great complaint Of eNravaran'r or
cor-u,,ron Other Government, have taken over the
entire telegraph and railway service. Will" wagon
roads are under National care everywhere bat here.
In ,hese DAYS 81 railroads there /, no need ~ great
National or state rlnd, and 4 would Dee a m,iah"
10 set up any plan ~ separate construction iN
Nation state and county, A. has been Pop'-'L II
vould bee impossible 10 DO justice In the Distribution
Of aid I'm this way. and local Jcalon,c' would Don
Kill the movement.
ON fine other hand n the state and nation VII
undertake IN contribute equally with any county and
township desiring the improvement Of highways ana
viii ioIn IN deciding upon the plan and -c'i"' "'
such improvement and In experimenting lis cA''""oh'
iusicc can Dee done while local enterprise ana pubic
,r,rlt will be stimulated 10 the utmost Such co
opraron would guard against COLLISION Win ''A'fa'
tor. by triple lnspc0'o on of all Work none "n"
while the county and State officers might b" IN a
.,,rc under poltlcal influence. the National Road
o-.. ,i,ot,u could be made free from politics ms
Ga, Army and Navy \ National school Of roads ana
bridges would -,on furnish The material Tor Su'h
corps. Meanwhile the work could h" begun by Amy
officers and civil engineers.
organization on grand scale would bnnG hDou'
p,ouy cconornics in the work. Convict labor could
he employed In quaries, gravel pits. r'llroad rock
cuttings ara tunnels. ard would probably be more
than sufficient 70 supply all the material that womb
need railroad or water transport. Mr7nFchie''S
could be made with railroads for transportation ~
o I'm consideration Of their Interest In the Improve
mani az wagon roads or perhaps OF their being Iu
,cd with ballast AT il cost In convict Hhnr hi
nc,d Recommendation would be an important mau"r
nco M cost or about 80 cents per ton Irr hundred
nile II would be- cheaper Ia NOV" material cen
that distance bv rail than one mil" by team. me
nsc Of steam snovcls COR loading II Into wagons avg
traction engine FOR hauling TO place WOMB
r.dnrc t,c expense Of distribution 10 "A mini
mum while the latter machines "ouI
compact the road as i was made ana save mu,h o
The cost Of rolling. In prairie districts. ana "in'T0
uI GRO hc reads are sufficiently level ana straight
fu,thcr saving could be- made bv laying temporary
r.iIroad track on the road and delivering The ma
,"TnI IN place without. handling or hauling WIN
tbrsn economics and win the dlminutiN ana dls
ril,uton Of interest and capital charge, hcXciopl.
detailed this great work will be made - easy tht
no settled portion Of the United states nrrd d"nH IT.
self the blessing Of good rpad'. Kol sloNF"
New York, June 10, lSj2