New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1901-09-30
WORK FOR GOOD ROADS.

That the results Of the International Good
Roads Congress recently held in Buffalo will be
far reaching and of great public importance
there can be little doubt. The interest shown
in the convention by the officials Of the various
States of the Union and by foreign governments
is a guarantee that the movement for better
highways has taken firm root and will grow
and flourish Forty-two States and three foreign
governments were represented at the Buffalo
meetings, Belgium sending as delegate across
the Atlantic one of her best known civil engi-
neers who is an expert on the subject OF roads
The expressions of opinion as to the best
methods of building and maintaining roads
showed a wide diversity Of ideas, but the result
Of all the discussions was the announcement
that the better plan for each section would be
to use the material nearest at hand and best
adapted for highway purposes. This was almost
foregone conclusion. II was shown by Pro
lessor Holmes, State Geologist of North Caro-
lima, who was one of the speakers, that there
were places in South Carolina where roads
could be built for S125 or $3.50 a mile. AS
contrast to this Captain Chittenden, OF the
army engineers in charge of Yellowstone Park
improvements showed that IL cost in some
places in the great national pleasure ground
about S125 a mile TO keep the roads properly
watered in summer The experiences of New
Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut and New
York were largely drawn upon for the benefit of
the Southern and Western States, and the expla-
nation of the workings of the Higbie-Armstrong
law in this State by State Engineer Bond was
of great value.
The employment of convicts in road building
was urgently advocated. as was the creation of
a road bureau in the Department of Agricult-
ure expanding the present duties OF the Office
of Public Road Inquiries. The point of convict
employment is one on which there has been
great deal of discussion, and the value of con-
Wet labor on the highways of the various States
was shown by Senator Earle, of Michigan.
whose announcement that 100000 days labor
was locked up in the prisons and penitentiaries
of the United States which could he utilized in
improving highway conditions caused many of
the delegates to decide on active measures look
ing TO that end before their respective legs
latures There seems TO be no good reason why
convicts should not be employed in this way.
The cry of opposition TO or competition with
free labor is practically eliminated. The men
are busy works of public utility and impor-
tancc. and with the State owning the machinery
for grinding rock and producing road material
many miles of perfect modern highway could be
made each year with little more expense than is
now entailed in keeping these men in compare
tive idleness There will be a number OF meas
ures presented 70 the various legislatures at
their next sessions covering this point and it
might be we'll for voters who are in favor of
good roads-and that means every voter who
thinks on the subject at ALTO look after aspi-
rants for legislative honors and make sure that
they have decided views the subject.
New-York's good road building is at present
far behind that OF Massachusetts Connecticut
or New-Jersey; but under the Higbie-Armstrong
law and a legislative enactment providing for
the use OF conviets by the various counties
which have applied for the benefits of the State
law there is no reason why the Empire State
should be in any other than first place in regard
to its highways. 1t may be some time before
the fruits of the Buffalo convention are shown,
but when they are they will he found good.