The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-06-15

| lUiillc.
GOOD ROADS
Major Mott red the icll,Ning paper
whici had ben prepared by Hon y. j.
! was unaNiu to attend tie ccnN cntAun.
| Rcgardiul of the demands which ngrl-
| cultural and commercial convenience mas
| Il right To nuke on the Stn.c. and of IN,
! lncalrulahl, advantage at easy ana safe
! communication between separated places,
/ to nat think II possible to ,Nasgerate
| the value OF the purpose which mas sug
gested this assembly. Certainly nothing
i moro concerns the comfortable ronducI
OF business than facilities Tor ,runsporta-
tea. IN a purely social sense hothing
/ mur, directly IN onIotos on discoGlagcs
/ the fellowship of men Than The character
! OF the opportunities afforded them tor in
/ tcrC0ursc with one another. In u word
to speak comrrehcnsiv Ely. the general
| prosperity oi noighbcrhootis rommuai-
! tics. cities and towns are largely affected
by thc conditions und,r watch locomotion
! to ana from different points - accom-
/ pshci. To satisfy III, wants OF man.
the genius of man is and always has been
alert and active, 10 this end IN, cxcr-
ciso oi his best mental and physical uu1ll-
| ties has ever Ioon indust,rOusly arpll I'd,
In lao irld of opofauon wherein sGnstau-
! tlal a-iNic" to tto pubic Is scusnl 10 nc
/ patient lihorS IN testing scirntiii' theories
/ and suhicctiug scientific principles 10 Tho
! Improvement of his material conditions
! been NOR, irui'ililN employed pr con-
/ tIibtiicl results OF more lie 'dcd benefit 10
,ho l.ibic than ,hll ~ which ne mas
/ cNplolted In + half of good roa'lS and i'm
proved facilities ior frnnsl ortaiioii
We know that in Tie old. old days be-
for ihr christian era, when tbs pagan
religion was set prevailing amt It's In
flurnc' an uuchtiengcd force. science
siumherse. While philosophy art, ofa,nry,
+ craftsmanship. PATRIOTISM aud military
methods Were chiefly invoked To lemon
s'tnle the capabilities of civilization. aud
" re at tho same time It's most impressive
fnin- Of expression. Vet, the slurnher.r
SCIENCE lid not always deeply sleep, hut
Gwen in those early days WAS som Times
" ,koful and, in sarlous instances, caro-
lul 10 enrich thc world With coax incing
proofs OF its conpc cncy Ah"n enlisted 20
help in mriorAilns tha conditions oi the
human race. II, M department. OF skilliul
effort has this been 50 sgnally evidenced
as IN the construction of roads. TO WIS
law makers. inlors ana scien'ilir ma
have always been ludv To give thu besc
eurrLieS I'd Thought. Ii Is rcinarlShnle how
Will NJ ancicnis. especially The ROMANS,
wrought M these particulars. ami that is
am interesting ioniusr" OF MIS- Dry, which.
! a. this late hon IN the evening of the
Ninr.ceith century. leads us back
throui,h the ages III long ago oTei me
highN iAs. tn" thorUucathr-S, pubic
roads and bridges lhcn constructed anl
over which auelcut iratiic ,hrongal and
.urgcd and chariots rolled ana armies
marUhcd. The necessity f1r good rua'is
WAS early recugnizcd. Indeed. so carry
That W. are entirely without d"initc data
concerning their first CONSTRUCTIONS che
lllSspiN pl itt bnHilnliiL * obscure 40 az
imp"uctrahle degroe. Beyond informing
Ms that ii)lic roads arr OF a very 1nslant
origin, history is silent on the subject.
It does not yoniurc to tell rs Ahrre and
how y origin had its birch. Tradition,
which t. usually At least accommodates.
If not always reiabIo in matters oi an
tiQuiiy is mute on this ana leaves the
problem still unsoved. darkened with The
accumulated dusts ana webs of the many
vanished years Wo may, think, safely
assume however that VITA the rery ne
# IL
stin"ts guided Wandering beasts TO dis
cover the shortest aud least difficult Ills
tancrs In their search for food and water.
course. distance ard topography. alpeal-
ine 10 intelligcn, perceptions, directed IN
tutored maG in shaping the trails he
travelled. Rnt rugged trails and stras-
cling paths, TO whatever extent they may
have satisfied the needs Of proving
beasts and primitive man. did not and
could not suffice for the emergencies oi
aggressive civilization. As mon increased
in numbers. 50 also in proportion in
creased their wants The growth CT hui
man exisences kept pate with the
growth of human onlighten'nent; social
cNactions and ohservancas became more
frequent and more clearly defined. the
pursuits OF men multiplied, agriculture
and It's consequence. commerce. became
more and more expansive. aud every
sphere Of Industry more and more en-
largoa and at the same time more and
more persistent in demanding easy roui es
Of passage dedicated - pablo use.
Hence came the highway, The thorough
fare, the public road. as substitutes for
ne old hoof-worn path and taii, and
refer To ihe antiquity Of public roads sim
ply Tor ne purpose of showing that .heir
preservation have eng9ged tn close at
'eniion Of individuals and governments
from period which ante'latcs history il
self. II preceded civilization. bul roud-
making as scienc, has found it, best
deye!ppmcui in those countries where
well reHn'atcd government has realized
It's best results and been most progress
I've i'uhlic roads indicate the character
Of peoples civilization, are unfaling
I cNid"opta OF its existence and strong
strengths of its support IN countries
best Is but sickly nowcr and fields are
barren to The touch Of culture. persistent
"uclt, however. modifos this As uncll-
turad liie Yields 10 tho ncrsu'sions nj
cultured perseverance,. better conditions
IN tryenr. and Among their ioremost
manifestations IS he establishment of
roads for thr interchange OF social visiis
! and business Intercourse 10 he reliable
evidences OF the thrifty characteristics
of me people through whose communities
= thoy are distributed. roads need not he Of
iaultloss construction, hli they should at
: lest he ecnstructcd in Il way eorni1en-
p siiinte With The menus and capabilities Of
: these mnuAilios. Their qualities depend
upon such local considerations MS density
ol p9tnation pecuniaty resources ana
, pctuliiri les Of soil climate and aVltiahle
material. / the Standard of condition
, 1 me- Iics MP 10 the standard - these
:. considerations then th"y fully attest pub
liz enterprise and a piospering spirit j.
~ Is me showing OF push ana pluck in the
march of progress.
have referred 30 the Roman roads
ana b,lieNr have stated them 10 be she
oidoM OF shich an authentic knowledge
has come down 10 us. 10 discuss them
iur;her may be aggressive and prolific
OF no prpclicil suggestions Tor he pua-
. pose of this convention. but u brief rtate-
: mem as TO ihe principal one of those
. roads may noi b. without inleres ~
al'os thor without profit as showing
: nigh highly and how correctly The ,loople
= of those days valued The advantages, of
, GOOD roads. OF these { NOUS old roads
3 OF which We haNe any disiino and irust-
worthy knowledge. IN, most celebraio "a
= was constructed 3la ". e., drrlns the
Gems lrshlp of Applus Vlaudus IT'S oiig
mai length was - miles, from Roine 10
/ ,arua Down 10 thu present time il Is