Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1901-09-13
GOOD ROADS TRAIN.
ITS EDUCATIONAL TRIP PROVED HIGH
LY SUCCESSFUL.

For Improved Highways - Rapid
Transit Needed In Agricultural
Districts.
Good roads were made in samples by
the National Good Roads association
during Its special trip which ended re-
Gently, and as result the farmers and
owners of acre property throughout the
farming districts of the south have
come to the conclusion that it will pay
to have good earth roads, we'll drained
end so hardened that the heaviest
wagon can make good time in order to
reach q railroad depot with freight.
The special train of the National
Good Roads association, which has
been travelling for three months
throughout the south, carried nachin-
cry and implements in order to prove
the benefits accruing from properly
constructed roads. 1t was recognized
from the outset that the majority of
the roads in the United States would
be earth roads. The majority of the
present dirt roads are impossible in
hot weather. The success of the Ma
tlonal Good Roads association aroused
enthusiasm everywhere, and the result
Of the trip may be that congress will
appropriate a large sum of money for
the building of country roads.
1.-THE trip of the association proved
conclusively," said President W. II.
Moore, that rapid transit Is just as
much needed in the farming districts
as in large cities. If the farmer can
get his products to the nearest railroad
station in quick time he saves not only
Ills load, but his wagons. He can do
this on a good road. The present dirt
roads are mere apologies. A rain will
make them impossible. They are not
drained properly. The association
tried to show how to build dirt road
and how to drain it so that it would
remain hard and fit for travel all the
time"
During the trip, which lasted for
three months, the association showed
southern farmers the best methods of
building roads by constructing 20 miles
of earth roads and three miles of mac
adam. The climax of the trip will be
at Buffalo Sept 1G to 81, when the con-
vention of the International Good
Roads association will be held. Presi-
dent Moore says that states usually APP
propriate about $500 mile for earth
roads, and that the money is wasted
because the roads are not constructed
to prevent blockades by storms. The
special train, with its steam rollers,
graders, traction engines, ditchers,
plows and stone crushers, was meant
only as n feature in the object lesson
to farmers in order to carry out the
plan for good roads.
I'VE began at Flossmore % miles
from Chicago" said President Moore.
ito show what good earth road
meant. We constructed half a mile.
The farmers began to realize that it
would be better for them to have good
roads, because they could ship their
products quicker. The association fig
ured out that the United States was at
peace with the world. Consequently
the only problems We're for internal
economy. There is no doubt that this
country is far behind Europe in the
quality of its roads. This may be ac-
counted for because the distances are
so great in the United States. There
can be no excuse, however, for poor
roads between small cities and farming
centers.
THE trip was amply justified by the
enthusiasm of the farmers who wit
: messed the sample roadmaking. At
New Orleans we built one and one-half
miles of earth road which was good
enough for automobiles. Farmers
wagons could make double time on the
road after it was finished. We showed
local boards the best methods of build
ing earth roads by putting in drain
tiles for the road itself so as to carry
off surface water, and then by con-
structing bitches to carry off the deep
drainage.
Eat Natchez we built one mile of
earth road and filled in 20 feet at one
, point At Vicksburg, Miss, we built a
road up to the National park, and dug
up cannon balls, skulls and many
relics of the civil war. At Greenville,
, Miss, we ran against the buckshot soil
but we put In drain tiles and showed
the farmers how to make good road
Then a mile of road was built al
= Clarksdale, Miss, where the gumbO
= soil was handled.
1.-The engineering difficulties were not
. many, and If roads were constructed
, scientifically instead Of being left tC
, country boards the farmers would ben
= eft. We had large conventions at Jack
: son, Miss. Jackson, Tenn; Louisville
:, Hopkinsville and Owensboro, Ky. We
!. built 500 feet Of macadam at the last
'. city. At Cairo, Ills, we tried the ma
= vacullte in building half a mile of road
- One of the suggestions made by the as
= ISOLATION was that oil be used to sprin
= kle the roads at certain periods, 81
:. that water would trickle off into the
= bitches. The convention at Buffalo will
include the members Of the Nationa
=, Highway association, of which Genera
=, Miles is president. We will take up tn,