The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1902-02-04
Growing Interest in Better Highways.

"T HERE has been larger ex.
=; penditure of public money
for the improvement of
public highways in the
past season than in any previ-
Gus five years of our history. The
aggregate of money appropriated for
the betterment of highways will
mount into the millions of dollars
Public sentiment in favor of better
highways has developed so rapidly
chat it has been difficult to keep track
IF the various international. National
md State conventions that have been
called to promote the cause This in
terest has been manifested not only
by farmers, good roads enthusiasts
and public officials but also by sever
al of the great trunk line railways.
If every State in the Union had an
advocate of good roads with half the
spirit and energy of State Senator
Earle Of Detroit Mich. the work of
the next decade would bring marvel
lous changes in the public highways
of the United States If the same
methods that he has brought into use
in his own State should be employed
elsewhere it would be difficult to find
in the more thickly populated dis
tricts, at least an impossible piece of
road at the end of ten years.
Senator Earle is by no means n nov
ice in this field, for he has spent sew
eral years Of active service rs one of
the expert instructors i'm good road
building sent out under the auspices
Of the Department of Public Road IN
quiries of Washington. He might be
called the apostle of good roads
a year ago he was elected a mem
Der of the State Senate of Michigan
from Detroit. At that time there was
no organization in the State which had
for its object the Improvement of the
highways.
Immediately upon the assembling of
the State Legislature last winter he
began to agitate the good roads ques-
ton. 1t was through his efforts that
the Michigan Highway Association
was organized and began its work
He was placed At the head of the Com
mittec of Public Highways and be
came the leader in this field.
He now has a project for the or
ganization, equipment and admins
tration of n State Engineers Depart
ment requiring the appointment of a
competent engineer who shall have
charge of the State work for the i'm
provement of highways. He expects
to procure an appropriation which
VIII keep such department busy dur
ing the next twelve months
In the meantime he has not been
idle. Through his efforts fully Il score
of counties and cities have made APP
preparations for work within their Dor
ders aggregating nearly half million
dollars, which will be expended with.
in the next twelve months.
He expects to start out next spring
as soon as the season will permit with
good roads train drawn by trac.
ton engine, which will make tour OF
the central part of the State. travel
ing about 800 miles. Before the start.
central points will be selected where
the train will stop and build a sample
mile of good road.
This train will consists OF a traction
engine especially made for the work
and fitted with automatic attachments
so that it can be used as a road roller.
There will be an eXcavator, stone
spreader, stone crusher and several
ordinary small cars used for the pur-
pose Of carrying fuel and also for
drawing stone to the point where the
sample road is to be built
The part of the State through which
the train will pass happens to have an
abundant supply of what are called
out West round heads, which have
been used for stone fences in some 10.
caiities along the road From this
source will be obtained an adequate
supply of crushed stone. which will
form the wearing part OF the road con.
structed and the Senator will see that
macadam road is built.-New York
Sun.