Mexico weekly ledger., 1893-01-26
How to Build Roads.
ECHOES FROM THE STATE con.
vENTlON HELD AT sEDALIA
LAST WEEK.
Some OF the Resolutions Passed Lock.
ing Toward the improvement of
M~issouri's Muddy Roads.

sedalia was full OF business last
week, two large conventions holding
their annual sessions there-the
Missouri State Dairy Association on
Tuesday and Wednesday, followed
by the Missouri State Road Associa-
ton on Thursday and Friday.
There never has been such a large
and representative gathering of road
lmprovers in Missouri before-dele-
gates being in attendance from about
all the counties and drawn from the
farming, professional and mercantile
interests. These, men realizing the
great benefits to be derived from
better roads and the inadequacy of
the present road laws, came to the
convention determined to formulate
some suggestions to the legislature
now in session, looking toward the
amending of the road laws in such a
manner as would permit the desired
improvements to be made. The
convention was called to order by
the President, J. L. Erwin, of Full
ton, who announced the following
committee on credentials and per-
manent organization: Messrs. Nd.
Thurmond, of Galloway; ]. E. Mel
Ion, of Greene, and Edgar S. Barnes,
Of Audrain.
The convention organized by the
selection of J. L. Erwin, Of Gala
way, President; Levi Chubbuck, of
Boone, Secretary, and Edgar S.
Barnes, of Audrain, Asst. Secretary.
All resolutions we're referred to the
following committee on resolutions {:
N. D. Thurmond, of Galloway; J.B.
Quigley, of Pettis; c. P. Ellerbe, CT
st. Louis; Judge Jas. Gibson, of
Jackson; General James Harding,
J. II. Pratt and J. E. Mellon.
The following topics for discus
sion We're announced:
Thursday Observation-Disclosures
how can they be improved? Need
ed legislation for dirt roads,"
Friday, $50 a. m.-Rock roads.
"shall they be built by counties or
private corporations?"
1890 to ~ m.-"Seeded leg
islation for rock&roadsb
1:3O to 5 p. mzKeport of COM
mittee on resolutions and the dis
cussion Of the same.
All these topics were discussed
with intelligence and with the de-
sire to get practical benefit for the
future and relief from the present.
Gov. Stone vas present the first
day and addressed the convention,
telling them that he did not feel
that he thoroughly understood just
what would be the best thing to
do toward improving the roads but
that he thought something ought to
be done. He had come there to lis
ten to the opinions of those who
had made a study of the question
and to learn what he could of the
ideas of the people from the diff
ferent sections of the State. The
Legislative committee, composed of
Senators Tunnel, Cash and Yeater
and Representatives Marsh, Banks
and Davis were present and came as
they said, to learn what was the de-
sire of the convention as to legisla-
ton needed for the improvement Of
the roads and highways.
Discussions on the various topics
were limited to either five or ten
minutes. When some one was
talking Through his hat" time was
called and LIE was shut of, but when
any one was talking to the point
his time would be extended SO as
to receive the benefit of his ideas.
Speeches were made by B. e.
Johnson, st. Louis; J. E. Mellon,
C. P. Ellerbe, Judge Houston, Mr..
Napton, of Saline Senators Tunnel,
Cash and Yeater, A. J. Blake, Of
st. Louis; Geo. Harmed, OF Cooper
J. w. Quigley, of Pettis; T. W.
Smith and John Southern, of Jack
+ son; C. A. Killian, of Perry, and
others, and a very able and scien-
tific article on road making was read
by MI. HI. Rohwer, Asst. Engineer
of the Missouri Pacific Railroad,
which the convention extended then
thanks for and ordered printed and
distributed throughout the State
N. D. Thurmond, of Galloway, was
easily the leader of the convention
: and as chairman of the committee
. reported the following resolutions
| and steered them through a final
adoption by the convention:
fl Resolved, That roads be worked
, under the direction of a competent
county supervisor.
Resolved, That work on road'
. should be, as far as practicable
/. under the contract system, the con
tractors to give bonds for a faithful
performance of their contracts, tina
property tax for road purposes
should be paid into the count,
.,- n N uonara countv roaf