New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1901-06-26
AUTOMOBILES AND GOOD ROADS.


New-Yorl City is spending millions of dollars
for good roads The rapid transit tunnel and
the new bridges are merely good roads for GER
tain kinds of traffic Some of the first railroads
We're designed 10 he merely public highways on
which each man should carry his goods in his
own cars. The great development of railways
led TO almost universal neglect of ordinary
roads. 1t might have been thought that the
object lesson of cheap transit by rail would
have taught people the folly Of spending more
to take products a few miles over bad roads 10
the railroad station than ii cost 10 send them
by train 10 distant markets. But it did not.
The idea that the wagon road was an anach-
ronism and that it was beneath a modern
nation 10 pay the attention to highways which
the Romans bestowed seemed rather 10 pre-
vail. and even in the most prosperous and
thickly settled regions of the country the Ordi-
nary driving roads have been left until the
present day in a disgraceful condition
Perhaps the greatest factor In bringing about
a reform was the bicycle. The influence Of the
wheelmen in stirring up public sentiment and
securing the passage of good roads laws has
been tremendous. Following the bicycle comes
another vehicle which should exert an even
more powerful influence That is the automo-
bile Somehow or other people could get over
almost any sort OF road with a horse and ear
rage The road might be uncomfortable and
slow, and even somewhat dangerous, but IL
was endurable. The wheelman. if he could not
get a whole road improved was well content
with a narrow path. If people wanted their
horses TO founder through mud or stumble over
stones it was no affair of his The automobile
driver, however wants a good smooth wagon
road. and if automobiles are 10 have any wide
popularity and usefulness outside of cities in
where almost all country roads seem marves
of perfection in American eyes-the good roads
movement must be carried forward. Men will
not buy thousand-dollar machines to have them
shaken 10 pieces rough roads or stalled in
sand beds. Just as the railroad turned atten-
ton from highways. the new vehicle which
ought in time to be of universal use must turn
attention 10 highways.
With proper road improvements an enormous
market for automobiles might be secured City
populations tending countryward, and will
90 far they can with comfort Where
roads are adapted TO automobiles the suburban
area may be extended much further from rail
road stations and trolley lines than now, and
large tracts Of land be made available for resi-
dence. Neither in city nor country will traffic
forever be concentrated on railroad lines. More
smooth streets will be demanded in the former,
Dy WHICH people can make LlelF way III COLL
fort with their own vehicles TO and from their
business. The development of good highways
is as much matter of public interest as the
building of bridges and tunnels, and when the
latter have been provided to meet the imme-
date needs of the greatest number it may be
expected that with the rapid improvement in
automobiles, making them even more than now
practical vehicles for general business and
travel the demand will be irresistible for extern
sive street and road improvements.