Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-01-23
A GOOn-ROADS CONVENTION.
TO NE HELD Al HOUSTON ON FEB
RuAuY 10.
what Is Proposed 10 Bettcr the High
ways of sTcxas--Basis OF Repre-
s.ntation--Thc Railroads VIII Give
Reduced Rates.



Texas Of the central committee OF the
National Road conference. whose OBJ
ject 1t is, acting through their several
states. to secure for the people of the
United states good public roads.
What commodity brings in the
market, less the cost of transportation
from the point of production to the
market is what Is left to the pro-
Queer. with bad roads, at their worst
It is not possible to get products to
markets. At their best, three bales of
cotton or thirty bushels Of wheat is
good load for two horses. with good
roads the markets can be reached at all
times by the producer and one pair Of
horses can draw 100 bushels of wheat
or ten bales of cotton thus reducing
the cost Of transportation two-thirds
At this time, when our products are
being driven from the worlds markets
by foreign competition, 1t behooves us
to do everything in our power to re-
duce the cost OF our commodities, at
which we can enter those markets at
PROFIT. 1t Is not by cutting down pro-
ductlon and retiring before competition
thus enabling our opposition to per-
manently plant their Industries thht
we can establish and maintain our SUI
premncy, IL Is to the use of better ma
chinery. better seed, better methods
of cultivation, better condition in pre-
pairing things for market, better medl-
ums Of exchange, and better transport
tation facilities that we must look to
bring US the prosperity we coVet
Good roads multiply the comfort of
country life and tend to establish pros
porous and Contented homes there,
every one OF which Is tap root to
give nourishmcnt, strength and sta
bllty TO good government Good roads
cheaper the cost of living In the city
by furnishing the proper facilities for
the neCessnries of life to reach the mar
kets at all times. And when we con-
slider that the roads built by Caesar In
France and England in the last CEN
fury before the Christian era, with or
binary repairs, are still among the best
roads OF those countries we can real
lie the wonderful durability OF good
work in this line of Improvement. and
the Importance that no mistake shall
be made in outlining and setting In
motion the work upon which the COM
fort. pleasure and prosperity of the
whole people, for coming ages, will so
largely depend. In the hope OF keep
ing Texas abreast with her sister states
In the movement, and to secure the
aid of the combined wisdom of her
citizenship In inauguratlng the work,
/ respectfully request that you see that
your commissioners court, at their
regular term in February next APP
point delegates to attend Good Roads
convention, that hereby call, TO meet
n; Turner hall. Houston, Texas, at 10
o'clock n. m, on the 18Th day of Feb
ruary, 1895, each county in the state TO
be entitled to one vote, and an addl-
tional vote for every 500 or fraction OF
more than $50 votes that were polled
In 1t at the last election for the leading
| candidates Of the different parties.
The representatives Of the different
| railroads OF the state have slgnifed
| their willingness to make special rates
| TO delegates to this convention. and
the public will be notified what they
are in due time. And for the purpose
/ Of calling your attention to the posi-
/ bic scope Of action OF said convention
| and TO elicit discussion Of thu subject,
| and to secure full representation IN
/ said convention, l will state that from
/ the study l have been able to give the
/ subject / am inclined TO the opinion.
| /, That the departments OF lnsur-
/ ance, statistics and history, geological
and good roads should all be brought
under one head, the chief of which
/ should be both geOlogist and engineer
/ Through this department the people
should be educated as to the import
! ance of good roads and the bcst ma
terial out of which to build them in
different localities. and how best To
construct roads; and n connected work
on general system maintained.
2. That there should be elected in
each senatorial district a good roads
engineer, whose duty 1t should he nm
der proper limitations. to locate the
] public roads, drainage and Irrigation
bitches of his district, and superlntend
their construction.
.. That the state conyicts should ba
used to build macadami2ed state roads
connecting all cities in the state OF -
populaton and that the counties
should be taxed to feed, cothe and
/ guard said convicts while the WORT, 10
IN progress within their boundarios
4. That counties should be authorized
10 work short term convlcts on county
! roads 'u''''
D. That the roads should be kent in
repair after completion by contract
ana tax levied to meet the expenso
these ideas should be embodied in
| q Dill and nactcd into Inv. the ver,.
Important questions would have q. 10
met ms TO how the convlcts should be
apPoruoned and where the work should
/ whether or not the abuttinr rronor.
" holders on said roads should bo
specially taxed to aid In their CON
aTlrueuon, and II 80. 10 what extent.
rhese suggestions trust will be sngi,
Client 10 put You fully on notice Of NE
Importance OF the convention. ana "a
lead YOU to see that you are properIv
trust that the newspapers or tho
state may give prominence To tho dis
eussion OF the subject OF good roads
and invite contributions from tbose
who have made the subject st,,d,
TO the end that when the delegates NEE,
they may be prepared to act IN CON-
iormity with an educated public senti-
ment. that knows how best 10 serge IT,
| interests. is DAIrc.frINr, w, W. us
Memeer for Texas OF the Central Com
mittee OF the National Road Confer.
ence. N'nier-