The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-04-12
ROADS MADE WHILE
YOU LOOK ON
A Few Facts About the Good Roads Movement
and Colonel Moore's Peripatetic School
of the Art OF Road Building

When Wyman Elliot, some years ago.
while q member Of the city council Of
Minneapolis. introduced an ordinance to
regulate the width Of tires for vehicles
used on the public highways Of the city,
he was years ahead OF the times. Mr..
Elliot stood almost alone in his cham
pionship of the measure and 1t suffered
most 1nglorious death, but some day
and the time looks near at hand-every
schoolboy will know more about good
roads" than many persons who now con-
slider themselves authorities ON roads. A
great impetus will be given to the move
Inent when Colonel Moore and his army
OF engineers and expert roadmakers have
made their proposed tour through the
northwest. They have toured the south,
where roads, such as are to be found in
France, for instance, are unknown and
undreamed of.
Good-ro9ds trains have traYersed the
south pretty thoroughly in the past year.
The Southern railway and the Illinois
Central have at their own expense sup
piled trains and otherwise materially as
sisted the government in teaching the
people OF the south how to build roads.
That their minds were ripe for instruc-
ton was quickly noticed. The people
came many miles in every form of con-
veyance known to the south and witness
practical demonstrations in modern
road building by modern experts. It was
revelation to the southerners.
Good Roads and Feasts.
Every suggestion that was made regard
Ing the organization Of county state and
district good roads associations was
promptly followed Everyone entered
heartily into the work and the conventions
as we'll as the open air schools were
we'll attended. Often there was a bar
becue. At one place in Kentucky fifty
sheep were roasted on splits and the peo-
pie had the biggest kind Of a Notification.
The government men were made a great
deal OF and were received as distinguished
guests. The result was that all became
intensely interested and they talked good
roads and read good roads and watched
every detail with open-mouthed absorp-
ton, learning much while they fancied
that they were being amused.
There is no place where roads are more
needed than in the south. Soldiers of
the civil war will tell any one of-the
hardships of the southern highways and
those highways are not whit better to-
day.
Even in the great state of New York,
the most progressive of the states of the
the wealthiest, most important and one Of
the most progressive of the union,
1t is admitted that there have been
no advances in the science of roadmaking
in the past fifty years. 1t is admitted
that the progress and prosperity Of the
whole state has been retarded because Of
the roads have not kept pace with ad-
vancement in other directions. Now they
are beginning to realize the mistakes and
steps are being taken on princely scale
to remedy the neglect Of the past
New YOrl<'s Plan.
1t is proposed to bond the state for $780,
100000 in order to raise funds for the i'm
mediate building of 1900 miles of perma-
nent roads connecting the principal places
The state will pay the interest on and
redeem one half Of the bonds The coun-
ties will redeem 35 per cent and the towns
will take care of the remaining Is per
cent. WITH this law will come a wide