Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1902-01-18
THE BUFFALO CONGRESS.
Public Interest on Good Roads steady
and strong I'm All Parts OF the
URited states.

One of the most important and en-
couraging of the many conferences
and meetings which have been held in
Buffalo this year in connection with
the Psn-American exposition was the
good roads congress. 1t was note
worthy for its size and for the prom
lse it afforded of progress in one OF
the most backward phases of Amer
lean civilization.
Delegates were present from AZ OF
the states, and from Belgium, Mexico
and Canada. They were representa-
tive men, as a rule, and very much in
earnest. The proceedings of the con-
gress showed that its members real
lied the vast Importance of good pub
lie highways in the development of
any country's business and resources,
and in promoting the welfare and
happiness of it's people. There was a
general determination to improve ex-
listing conditions in the United States.
What is more to the point, it was
ebundantly shown that great prog
ress was being made. Particularly
gratifying reports came from the
south, where the highways have been
worse than anywhere else in the
country, although that is saying
great deal. One of the principal rea-
sons why the use OF the saddle horse
has been much more common in the
south than in any other section has
been the extremely bad condition of
the roads for wheeled vehicles.
Yet this is part of the United
States where il is much easier to
maintain good roads than it can be
in colder regions. The greater part
of the south has little freezing wealth
er in winter, and hardly any in the
autumn or the spring. Therefore,
the maintenance of good roads is
freed from one of the most serious
difficulties encountered in the north,
which is the breaking up of highways
by frost, deep and long continued
winter and winter thaws.
There was a general agreement
among representatives of all parts of
the country that the rise of public
interest in good roads was steady and
strong, and it was believed by the
! delegates from every section that
| much progress would be made in the
| next few years. This hopeful view is
probably well founded. In nearly every
/ important district there are enough
good roads, or samples of good roads,
to serve as object lessons, and it is
certain that wherever people have an
| opportunity to use and enjoy fine
highways they will demand the i'm
| provement of other roads near by.
Comfort and convenience in the use
of public roads seem necessities to
those who have any opportunity to
ride on highways such as all prosper
Gus countries ought to consider in
| dispensable. Then ways and means
of building and maintaining them are
found, even though it may have
seemed impossible to do so when all
the roads were bad.
The United States has a very un-
favorable winter climate in the great.
er part of the country, from the point
OF view of the road engineer; but
American energy and prosperity
ought TO be equal 20 the task, none
the less, of giving this country a sys
tenn of common highways as good as
the average of European roads. We
should be unwilling to admit any
longer inferior;ty in that important
feature Of social and economic devel
opment