The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-14

Martin Dodge, Director Of the Bureau
Of Good Roads Enquiries OF the Depart
ment OF Agriculture. was under examina-
| ton by the Industrial Commission yester-
day afternoon. He described and CON-
mented upon the various methods OF road
| building and recommended the utilization
| of cOnvicts either in constructing roads
| or to prepare the materials to be used in
! construction. Road building, he said, had
| become a matter Of great public interest
| and there was a general demand for good
| roads. Accounting for the increased in
| terest, he stated that people were now
| travelling great distances, using bicycles
and automobiles, which demanded good
| roads. His suggestion was that good roads
should be built and the expense divided
equally between the Government, the
State, and the towns benefited by such
improvements.
Mr. Dodge gave the results OF expert
ments which were tried in Maryland, esti-
mating the cost OF hauling loads in short
hauls by animal power, at 26 cents per
ton per mile. He claimed that system
away with many of the inequalities under
which farmers now labor He had learned
by investigation that where Governments
had large number Of men to take care OF,
whether convicts or standing armies, their
services had been utilized FOR the con-
struction Of good roads. He instanced the
roads of Rome. which were built by slaves.
and the Siberian roads, which had been
constructed by Russian soldiers. :
Referring to railroads, Mr.. Dodge said
that the original idea had been 20 use light
rails, small engines, and small cars LOT
passengers and freight. With increased
traffic. however, it was found more eco,
nomical tc increase the size and weight and
carrying power But the need for other
means for lighter traffic was still felt, and
the demand was now being supplied in
the trolley systems and in automobiles.
He spoke Of the need Of an invention where
the vehicle would not overweight the load
which 1t carried, as in the case OF the auto
mobile, which often weighs eighty times
the amount it is built to carry.
Mr. Dodge gave 1t as his opinion that
there are two measures which would assist
to bring about improvements in good roads
to an extent where the public is sufficient
" benefted-the reduction OF the cost Oh
material and the utilization Of labor that
could not be otherwise employed.
At todays session the Commission VIII
examine NJ r. Brown, OF the Michigan
Alkali Company, OF Wyandotte, Mich, anu
John p. Coffin, of Lake Butler, Fla,
vice President of the Southern Industrial
Convention.
AT the morning session Frank H. Hitch
cock. Chief Of the Bureau Of Foreign Mar
kets of the Department OF Agriculture,
made a statement in regard to the export
trade OF the United States. Mr.. Hitch
cock was for eight years engaged IN sta
tistical work for the Department. In which
work the United States Consular Service
co-ccerates.
Mr. Hitchcock testified that the surplus
of agricultural products which are avail
able for export is Is per cent of the total
American production.
He submitted figures showing the
growth of the trade in the last forty years
to have been over 200 per cent. Refriger-
alton. he considered. had been wonder
full help in increasing the amount OF ex-
ports in meats, butter, cheese. fruit. etc.
improvements il transportat facilities
and measures taken by the Government 10
protect and foster trade had greatly aided
the shipment OF cattle. In 1870 exports OK
cattle amounted in value to $500, 600, while
In 1899 II had increased to S3O,OOo,O00. me
export of cured meats, he stated, had also
increased wonderfully.
The growth In the export OF lard MAJ
been enormous. an increase from 81. ooo,Oo0
in 1870 to S42. 0OO, 900 in 1899. Dat cake and
oatmeal, largely used abroad as dairy food,
had increased from s3,500.0OO in 1870 TO
s14 500 COO in 1899. TIE increase in c-ttnn-
seed oil from 1870 to 1890 was from $780,
OCO to s12OO0,O00. Oleo oil, sent to. coun-
tries which manufacture o.e3marga'ine,
had increased from nothing in 1870 to
81, 0OO. goo in 1880. and 100000 in 1893.
Fruits exported in 1870 were valued at
about $500. 900, increasing to nearly se,o9o,-
Geo in 1880.
The distribution Of the agricultural OK
ports of the United States in foreign mar
kets from 1894 to 1898 was next taken up
by the witness Europe. he said. took SIS
per cent OF the exports from this country,
OF which the United Kingdom secured IS
per cent; Germany, 10 per cent. and
France, 63 per cent. The exports to Asia
had increased from 100000 in 1894 to
s15. GOO 600 in 1898. Two million dollars
was sent to Oceania IN 1884 against
So, 500, 600 in 1898.
Mr. Hitchcock furnished the following
statistics on the distribution of various
agricultural products: Raw cotton. to
japan, China, and Hongkong, 1889, $780,
600 pounds; 1898, lis, 000. 900 pounds. Wheat
flour to the Orient, 1889, 100000 pounds;
1898, 1,12O,0 900 pounds.
Raw cotton, he testified, goes princl-
pally to Japan. where enormous quanti-
ties OF our product are used in manufac-
turing. The principle increase in the ex-
port of wheat -four was in 1897 and 1898.
Taking up the subject OF the destina-
lions OF products next Mr.. Hitchcock sub
mitted the following testimony: Indian
corn exported 20 the United Kingdom av-
eraged from 1894 to 1898 100000 bushels
per annum, valued at 600, about
43 per cent Of the total export; Germany,
90 100000 bushels per year. valued at
81, 600, 0G9, about II per cent OF the export;
Canada, 10000. 600 bushels, valued at
So 700 600, about 3 per cent OF the export;
Netherlands 10000, 900 bushels. valued at
So, 500, 900, about s per cent Denmark
took nearly as much as Netherlands OF
this export, and France and Belgium are
the next markets ii. Importance
In the export of wheat -four from 1894
to 1898 the United Kingdom took about 80
per cent, valued at s25,000,000, 100000
pounds In quantity. In order OF impor-
lance the principal markets for this prod
uct are Netherlands, Hongkong. Brazil.
Canada. British West Indies, Cuba, and
Germany.
The United Kingdom took from 1894 to
1898 90 per cent of our export in cattle.
averaging $500 goo head per annum. valued
at $33,O00,000. The trade with Cuba in
cattle is growing rapidly.
NEW DIRECTORS ELECTED