The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1901-10-17
GOOD ROADS TRAIN.
ITS EDUCATIONAL TRIP PROVED HIGH
LY SUCCESSFUL.

Good roads were made In samples by
the National Good Roads association
during Its special trip which ended re-
Gently, and rs a result the farmers and
owners of acre property throughout the
farming districts of the south have
come to the conclusion that 1t will pay
to have good earth roads, we'll drained
and so hardened that the heaviest
wagon can make good time In order to
reach railroad depot with freight.
The special train of the National
Good Roads association, which has
been travelling for three months
throughout the south. carried rnachiu-
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 large sum of money for
the building of country roads.
"The trip Of the association proved
conclusively," said President w. II.
Moore, 'that rapid transit is just us
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
his load. but his wagons. He can do
this on n good road. The present dirt
roads are mere apologies. A rain will
make them impassable. They are not
drained properly. The association
tried to show how to build "A dirt road
and how to drain it so that 1t 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. ~ to 81. when the con-
vention of the, International Good
Roads association will be held. Presi-
dent Moore says that states usually ap-
propriate about $500 n 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 It's steam rollers,
graders. traction engines, ditchers,
plows and stone crushers, was meant
only as a feature in the object lesson
to farmers in order to carry out the
plan for good roads.
"We began at Flossmore, 25 miles
from Chicago" said President Moore,
ito show what a good earth road
meant. We constructed half a mile.
The farmers began to realize that II
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 were 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
80 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
read after 1t 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
of surface water, and then by con
structing bitches to carry off the deep
drainage.
AT Natchez we built one mile of
earth road and filed in 20 feet MT one
point. AT Vicksburg. Miss, we built
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 q good road.
Then a mile of road was built at
Clarksdale, Miss. where the gumbo
soil was handled.
'srhe engineering difficulties were not
many, and II roads were constructed
scientifically instead of being left to
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 Mt the last
city. At Cairo, Ills. we tried the ma
vaculite in building half mile of road
One of the suggestions made by the as
ISOLATION was that oil be used to sprin-
kie the roads at certain periods, so
that water would trickle off into the
bitches. The convention at Buffalo will
include the members of the National
Highway association. of which General
Miles Is president. We will take UP the
question as to the best roads according
to the soil"
Tristate Good Roads Association.
The good roads convention held re-
Gently at Cairo. Ills, formed itself into
q tristate good roads association.
Congressman W. d. Vandiver of Cape
Girardeau was present at the session
and made a speech. In which he went
on record as favoring all kinds of In
ternal improvements. He said he hoped
to see the day when a farmer could