The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-07-15
BUILD ROADSAS THEY ca
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS HERE
PLANNING UNIQUE WORK.
Expect to Send "Good Roads" Train
Through West, Stopping at MANY
Points to Build Sample Roads and
Organize the COMMUNICATES Been
Success in South.

Negotiations have been opened with
IN the past few days whereby it is
hoped and expected there will be ar
ranged good roads train trip through
Inc Northwest as far as the Pacific
COAST. Representatives Of the office of
Pupuc road Inquiries of the United
states department of agricuIt1lra hove
been in st. Paul since Friday lac in
conference with railroad officials and
others whom it is desired to enlist in
promoting this project. These govern
hnent omcerS are Martin Dodge, direct
or OF the office Of public road Inquiries:
James w. Abbott, of Denver, a mining
engineer and special agent of the noun
tain division of the bureau of road in
qulries, and r. w. Richardson. OF
Omaha, secretary of the National Good
ROADS association. Mr.. Dodge. after
remaining here for several days, has
returned to Washington, but Messrs.
Abbott and Russell will remain for the
present at least, and expect to perfect
arrangements for the train. They are
now engaged in negotiations with the
of1c1als Of the Great Northern road.
out thus far have not received a def
mite reply to their proposition.
Practical Object Lessons.
The railroad company has been re-
quested to furnish a freight train of
sufficient size to convey complete as
Softment OF hrSt-claSS modern road
making machinery, with combination
SleeperS and diners for the use of the
government representatives and ex-
perts who will conduct the trip. and
that Will make a train of about ten
cars.
The object of these excursions is to
give practical and instructive demon
stations of road building throughout
the country districts, and the plan fol-
lowed is to stop the train at certain
selected points, and at each place to
Dulld model piece of road and when
lhat work is completed to hold a con-
Ventlon in which are assembled as
many Of the residents OF that section
as possible. AT the conventions the
subject of good roads is to be thor
oughly discussed and every means
possible is employed to arouse gen
eral interest in the good roads move
ment.
Discussing this topic last evening
Mr.. Abbott said to The Globe:
Thus far there have been two of these
good roads trains sent out, both of
them through the South, and under the
direction of Mr.. Russell, who is here
Win US, and who was then acting for
the National Good Roads association
alone. 1t is intended that this North
western trip shall be under the au-
spices of the United States govern
ment, Which has now taken up the
work.
Method Is Successful.
1.-The first trip that was made was
over the Illinois Central road through
the lower Mississippi valley. The train
started from New Orleans, in March.
1901, and went as far as Chicago, 1t
stopped about fifteen times for the
purpose of building sample pieces of
road and holding conventions. That
was the beginning Of the special train
method of spreading information and
instruction as to the building of roads.
The second train started from Wash
1ngton over the Southern railway
through the South to Alabama, and
thence north to Monticello, where the
tomb of Jefferson is located
by the plan which has been follow
ed the communities in which the roads
are built furnish the common labor
and material and are given the use of
the machinery and the benefit of the
services of the experts who accompany
the train.
For the purposes of this trip Mr..
Richardson has been appointed as spe-
cial agent of the government to super
wise the movements of the train, but
in this matter he will also represent
the Good Roads association. 1t is in
tended that L shall also accompany the
train which will pass through the ter
rltory in which 1 represent the office
of public roads inquiries. Our purpose
is to build a sample section of road at
every stop and holu a convention and
to organize local good roads associa-
lions and interest the newspapers as
far as possible in the movement we are
promoting.
Good Roads Economical.
''It is well recognized fact that any
thing which tends to improve the roads
decreases the cost of transportation and
makes a region more desirable to the
resident and the homeseker."
1t is planned that in case the reply of
the railroad officials should be favor
able the trip shall begin in fair week,
and that a good roads convention shall
be held here at that time. 1t is esti-
mated that the trip mapped out will
consume about ninety days.