The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1895-11-13
THE SCIENCE OF ROAD UILDlNG.
What a Highway Commissioner Saw
and Learned.
The National Road Parliament-Object
Lessons-Road and Traction Tests
What Counties Should Do.

Highway Commissioner J. L. Maude
the other day returned from the Atlanta
National Road Parliament, and as he
went at his own cost purposely TO at
tend and to study and observe road
conditions and exchange views
with other Highway Commissioners,
Record Union reporter yesterday called
on the Commissioner in his office at the
Capitol and propounded several ques-
tions involving news matter of interest
to all the State, and with the result that
is given below:
Mr.. Maude was asked when the
parliament met, and where and how
lcng it remained in session, and he re-
piled:
THE PARLIAMENT MEETS.
'I arrived at Atlanta on the 18th of
October, which was the date for the
assembling of the National Road
Parliament The sessions of the parlia
ment were held in the City Council
Chamber of the City Hall, and lasted
three days, with morning, afternoon
and evening sessions on each day"
How was the convention composed
what was its character"
TT was a very representative body,
lIllIl SEVEN OUT OIL cll the states All
the Union were represented, some by
Road Commissioners, others by Gov
errors and other State officials, and
others by professional men, agricult-
wrists, road-b builders, engineers, pro-
fessOrs of State Universities, and others
who have interested themselves in the
road movement
DO you look upon it as having been
successful. taken all arOund?"
''('OnSidpTjNor the fact that this wa
the first national assemblage in the in
terests of the good road movement, yes
] think it argues well for the success Of
the agitation looking to the improve
ment of highways throughout the
United States generally"
'Who was President of the body
anyone we know?'
OFFICERS OF THE CONVENTION.
THE convention was called to order
by Ex-Governor Fuller of Vermont, and
General Roy Stone, Chief of the Office
OF Road Inquiry of the Department of
Agriculture, who was with US at the
last road convention in this State, was
unanimously chosen Chairman. Hon.
J. A. c. Wright of New York, who is SO
well known as having figured so promi
penty in the good roads movement in
that State, and who was the adviser Of
the special legislative Committee On
Good Roads of that State, was chosen
Vice-President w. C. WILDLY OF
Georgia, q Well-known journalist, was
Secretary
Was that committee something like
that created by our last Legislature,
and upon which yourself and II. Z.
Fairman as engineers acted, and which
advised the creation of your bureau and
the establishment Of the rOck-crushing
plant at FOlsOm?"
We'll, partly; in a way, yes. This
special committee on good roads in New
York. you most understand, is organ
lied on lines similar to those on which
the Bureau of Highways of this State is
established. and is formulating definite
plans for permanent road improvement.
We have had frequent communications
from them and have interchanged
views, so that I already felt personally
acquainted with Mr.. Wright"
RECEPTION OF THE CONVENTION
How was the parliament received in
Atlanta?"
''Oh, very nicely, of course. The par
lament was welcomed in behalf of Gov
ernor Northern of Georgia by Professor
Hunnicutt of the Georgia State Agri-
cultural College, a department of the
State University"
What was the process of work of the
convention"
We'll. Immediately after the organi-
ZatiOn Of the parliament. a Committee
on Resolutions was appointed, consist
ing of one delegate from each State rep
resented of which I had the honor to be
made Chairman, a delegate from
North Dakota being chosen Secre-
tary. All resolutions introduced were
referred TO this committee, and, as
Q consequence, our sessions were
very protracted, and at times quite ami
mated. The afternoon session was de-
voted entirely to the reception of re-
ports of road conditions in the various
States. the reports being made by one
delegate chosen by the delegation.
These reports We're especially interest
ing. were taken stenOgraphicaIly. and
q they will be printed they viii form
for readers, as they were for hearers, a
very valuable series, embodying prac-
ticaily the experiences of the friends
and critics of the good roads movement
throughout the Union"
THE MASSACHUSETTS SYSTEM.
What. Mr. Maude. most especially
impressed you that viii be OF interest
to California readers Of good road mat
ter?"
"Weu, I was most interested in, and
particularly impressed by the report of
the Hon. George O. Perkins. Highway
Commissioner Of the State of Massa-
chusetts. because it embraced an ac-
count Of the successful working of the
new Massachusetts system, by which
the State constructs the main thor
oughfares. The appropriation under
this system last year was 81 900 600
alone. Prior to that what are known in
Massachusetts as town governments"
constructed roads upon plans ap-
proved by the State Commission. there
after the State accepting them through
the commission, if satisfactorily built
This system had been in operation two
years. Prior 80 that there was in vogue
an independent town system similar in
many respects to the county road sys-
tern in California. Neither of these was
found to be satisfactory. and hence the
State system Of construction Of main
highways has been adopted. and has
Heen found to be cheaper for the peo-
pie better for the State, and in every
way more satisfactory. 1t still leaves
the construction Of tributary roads to
the towns. and of course they have the
example of the State constructed roads
before them to use as models, and they
adopt them, for the people demand it."
rs any State doing the same?"
APPLICATION TO CALIFORNIA.
'Rhode Island, in many respects. is
doing similar work TO that being ac-
complished in Massachusetts. High
way Commissioner Chase of that State,
by the way delivered an address,
which was highly interesting Engineer
owen Of New Jersey reported on the
construction of roads in that State. New
Jersey enjoys the reputation Of having
reallythe first modern good roads in the
United States. "
Were there any reports especially
applicable to California by reason of
similarity of conditions?"
Yes. Mr.. Anderson of Virginia a
very young man and a very eloquent
speaker, reported for his State. From
his address and personal conversation
with him, / gathered that the physical,