The record-union., 1895-02-07
THE MOVEMENT FOR GOOD ROADS.
Opening of the State Convention
Here To-Day.
General Roy Stone, Government Road
Engineer, Arrives-Brief Sketch
of His Career.

The State Road Convention will be
.alled to order at 2 o'clock this afternoon
at the Art Gallery, and will probably con-
tinue in session until tomorrow even
ing. A large number of delegates have
arrived in the city already, and as a rule
they are extremely anxious to have some
thing practical accomplished. They
say that, as to the convention, it's work
is general-notto to teach men how to make
roads, but rather to consider principles,
and systems and means of bettering road
conditions in California by wise legisla-
ton.
Reports of road co nditions will be SUBJ
mltted in print fir ON thirty counties out
OF fifty-seven. They are not fiattering, it
Is said, to our ideas of economy and
thrift. Governor Budd will address the
convention Immediately on its convening.
General Roy Stone, Special Agent and
Engineer officer of Road Inquiry in
the Department of Agriculture, arrived
III the city yesterday to attend the con-
Vention by invitation of the State Execu-
tive, the Mayor and the Convention Ex-
eCutive Committee. He called upon Gov
ernOr BuQd and was cordially received,
and then proceeded to gather all the in
formation he could relative to road condi-
tions in California, and he is rapid
and decisive worker. General Stone is
General Nice-President of the National
Good Road League also, and probably
one of the best-informed men on road
economies of this day.
An old friend OF the General, Joseph
Consdine of Virginia City, New, sends
Che RECORD UNION a sketch OF tho career
OF this Union soldier, from which these
facts are CLEANED, the General himself de-
cIining to speak of his services during
the war. Mr. Considine says:
General Roy Stone is a native of
Steuben County, New York. At early
age he removed to Warren County, Penn
sylvania, where he engaged in the lum-
Der trade on large scale, having
mills at Warren, and lumber yards at
various points, rom Pittsburg on the
Allegheny River to Memphis on the
Mississippi.
''At the beginning of the War of the Re-
belliOn he WAS obliged to leave Memphis
on account of his strong sympathy for
the Union. Through the efforts of influ-
entiaI friends he was enabled to return
North to his home. There he organized
a company of one hundred and ten men,
selected mainly from his employees, and
all backwoodsmen and hunters.
This company was equipped and uni
formed ready for the field at his own eX-
pense and kept in readiness for action for
month. He then paid the transporta-
tion of his men to Harrisburg, where he
Joined Colonel kane's Regiment of Rifles.
He furthermore paid the expenses Of two
officers OF the United States Marine Corps
to drill his company prior 10 their joining
the Bucktail Regiment"
Mr.. Considine says iurther: 'As soon
as General Stone Joined the regiment he
was elected to the office of Major and the
regiment joined the Army of the Poto-
mac At the battle of Gettysburg Major
" Tod int tlol
and while disabled was appointed to the
command Of the prisoners camp at AL
ton, Illinois, where he remained but
short time, and rejOined the Army of the
Potomac. He participated in the seven
days fight before Richmond, where he
had command OF his regiment, the Buck
tail Rifles.
After this campaign, at the request of
Governor Curtin, Colonel Stone returned
10 his home 1Or the purpose of raising
brigade of the same class of fighters as
the famous old BucktailS. The brigade
included the One Hundred and Forty
ninth, One Hundred and kittieth and One
Hundred and Forty-third Regiments OF
Pennsylvania Volunteers, but the orig
inal Bucktails never lost their Identity,
and the bucktail was always worn in
their helmets in action, where they were
conspicuous in the front rank.
This brigade was soon after attached
to the Army of the Potomac, and fought
in every battle to the close of the war. At
the battle OF Spottsylvania Courthouse
Colonel Stone was again severely
wounded. Colonel Stone was brevetted
a Brigadier-G in September, 1864" |
Mr.. ConsIdlne speaks OF General Stone, |
whom he knew well, a brave man
among the bravest, and always at the
front. He was aware that General Stone
would not say anything of himself, hence
he sent the above notes as the old soldiers
hereaDouts might be Interested.
General Stone deprecates any praise of
himself, saying that his thought is not
with the past, but Is absorbed in the pres
ent and future of the good roads move
ment.
GOOD ROADS COMMITTEE.
The Good Roads Inquiry Committee
appointed by the Senate and Assembly
had conference with General Stone yes
terday afternoon TO consider various mat
ters connected with good roads.
The questions OF the power of over
sight and of determining plans for roads;
of taxing the assessment rolls of cities as
well as the country, TO raise a road fund:
of making the law prescribe wide tires
for wheels, and other subjects, were dis
cussed.
General Stone gave very interesting
account of the action taken by New York
and other States.
J. L. Maud and II. E. Fairman. road
engineers, were elected members of the
committee.
The meeting was a most satisfactory
one and the suggestions made on an ex-
perimental road station at the University.
right of way for country roads and Law
ing them out were thoughtfully discussed. |
and large amount of ground gone over
in order to formulate and systematiZe
plans for work.
The committee became convinced DUR
ing the discussion that it was the most
important body created by the Legisla-
ture.
ADJUSTMENTS.