The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-02-18

pou. OF this district; Mr.. a. w. Machen.
superintendent Of the Rural Free Delivery
Service, and senator T. VI. Simmons.
In tie afternoon, there were addresses
by Dr. Charles D. McIver, of the Indus
trial ana Normal College at Greensboro
Col. T g Skinner, Of HEREFORD, and Mr..
z. ". Richardson, Secretary OF the Ma
tional Good Roads Association.
Last night Mr.. NJ O. Eldridge. of Tho
Bureau Of Road Inquiries at Washington,
gave an illustrated lecture.
As or The previous day, the Metropoli-
tan Opera House was fiileG af all three
II TIE sessions.
MORNING SESSION.
The Good Roads Convention was called
10 order by Chairman Patterson prompt
" 1T To- 80 q. IN. for the second day ses-
| sion.
The opcning prayer was offered by
i,ay. DR.. Eugene Daniel, Of the Presby-
toFian church, this city.
The first speaker OF the day was Mr..
W. 9. McNackin, County Superinten-
dent Of Roads fer Wake county. who
spoke on Raleigh ownship Roads and
Road LaW.
Mr.. McAiackin began by giving a brief
account Of the history Of the Wake
county road laws. He then went on to
speak of the needs in the great question
Of good roads, and said il part:
Every convict in the county should
be building roads and preparing mate
rial instead Of coming into competition
with other labor. (Applause)
AS 10 our road law in the county. We
~ ~ L y,> Irrr, 49, L,nt Nv e -,
SIDE Of Meckltnburg. When we began
the movement. there We're only six o.
seven people III the county in favor
Of it.
DIR. Lewis is really the father Of the
road law. M he got it through the Leg
islature with the proviso tina the mag.
istrates could use their discretion in
sending the convicts TO the ROADS.
" have nineteen miles OF tnacadaIn
road, and a great deal CT gravel road,
which IS nearly as good as lnacadam.
On nearly every road leading out OF the
city there are piles Of ~grayel, which can
be bought at comparatively low figures.
Many Of the people are willing to give
this gravel for the sake Of having good
roads"
hpS1AiiiS VI iiIoCIIlHtIS MI. vi C4IdCEIn
said that a great deal could be accom-
plished merely with wagons and good
mules to improve the conditions where
machinery was not Cbtainable for lack
of money.
Il think" said he, "the proper way
for us to do is for each county to have
a law in accordance with the particular
needs of that section
Reyerting to the subject of convic
labor, Mr.. McMackin said
" have worked these convicts ever
snce We have been in the business. It is
much cheaper to keep these convicts at
work on the roads than in the peniten-
tiary at 80 cents per day. Even if he
ccsts US 80 cents q day on the roads, we
are getting his work.
At the conclusion Of Mr.. NcMackin's
speech, Judge A. w. Graham, Of Oxford,
introduced the following resolution:
Resolved, That the president and
other officers Of the association be ap-
pointed a committee to draft a bill pro-
yiding for the working of all convicts in
the State Except those serving a life
sentence, women and invalids,) upon the
public roads Of the State, which bill they
Legislature and request the passage of
the same
The resolution was referred to the
Committee on Resolutions.
DR.. IvEY'S ADDRESS.
The next address was by Rev. T. n.
1vey, on The Relation of Good Roads
to the Churches"
Or. Ivey showed with much force the
between the church's interests
nd the temporal interests of any COM
munity or country. After showing its
connection he went on to say that if the
interests are Influenced by
good roads, then it must follow the
.hurch's interests also are influenced by
the same agency.
He continued in part as follows:
THE church Is certainly suffering for
shall present TO the next session Of the
the want Of good roads, for the major
ity Of the people Worship in country
The church today Is the foundation
which much of the social life Of
the farmer of today rests. Many a man,
hardened by toll, longs on Sunday morn
ing for the kind of rest thatohe can get
At the country church, but on account Of
The poor roads he would be too much
worn u by the time he reached there
to benefited by the service. This is what
IS diminishing every year the attend
ance upon the churches throughout the
Or. Ivey spoke Of the iourishing con-
1ition Of the churches in Mecklenburg
and said that in every church
ought to be offered for good
roads just as much as for the other
blessings commonly asked.
II have not" he said, found a single
interest in the church that is not af-
[ected by this road question, that would
not receive a mighty stimulus from this
great movement.
Good roads would cradle the Sunday
schools to run all the winter.
Then, taking the editorial interest,
The subscription lists Of the church
periodicals would be largely Increased