The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-07-23
A State Lecturer to be Put In
the Field.
Officers Of The N. c. Good Roads Association
Meet and Discuss Plans for I'm
proyement

provement
The executive committee and officers
of the Good Roads Association of North
Carolin were in session yesterday in Raj
eigh.
Besides discussing in general the affairs
of the association it was determined to
take great forward step for Good Roads
in the State.
1t was determined to put lecturer on
/ good roads in the field, whose duty it
will be to visit the various sections of the
State and to present to the people the
value and needs of good roads to all
people The money needed for the en-
ployment of such a man viii be raised
The financial report of the association
showed that there was in the treasury
$2O9.22 and that during the year there had
been spent for literature $lSO.7S.
There was present at the meeting the
president Mr.. P. H. Hanes, of Winston;
Mr.. Joseph G.. Brown, of Raleigh, treas
urer; DR.. R. H. Sykes, OF Chapel Hill,
representing the secretary, Prof. ]. A.
Holmes, Mr.. w. f. Tomlinson, of Wash
ington, ID. c., of the Department of Road
Inquiry, and DR.. H. j. Weber, OF Wash
ington, d. c., of the Department of Agri
culture.
The outlook for future work and that
already done was discussed and it was the
opinion of the gentlemen that the road
problem in North Carolina was working
out in good shape.
The report of the secretary was dis
cussed during the meeting and in his
report Prof. j. A. Holmes gave the fol-
lowing facts concerning the progress Of
the good roads movement and the conduct
of the affairs of the association.
/. The Coed Roads Circular is now is
sued twice a month and the newspapers
use the notes freely. Franked envelopes
of the Department of Agriculture are used
to save postage.
q Replies from forty-one counties re-
ceived In answer to inquiries to all coun
ties show that twenty-four of these are
working under special acts or are using
a special road law already enacted; that
convicts are worked in fourteen counties
and some report it impossible to get con-
victs from the penitentiary under the
present law. Sixteen counties have pur
chased improved road machinery and sew
eral have complete road outfits for crush
ing stone and macadamlZing.
g. The INST hopeful sign is that fifteen
counties have special acts from the last
Legislature for elections on bond issues
from $4,000 to 100000 to improve roads.
Some are already carried, notably Gull
ford for 100000. Campaigns for good
re ads are on in several counties.
4. BY cooperation of the State and
Federal government Mr.. w. L. Spoon has
been retained as road expert He has
given much time to the work in North
Carolina and is now at the A. and M.
Summer School giving instruction to road
o. erseers.
5. To solve the good roads problems
wide tires on vehicles are urged, especially
on heavy wagons, and the association is
asked to recommend means to accom-
plish this. A plan suggested is to induce
large dealers In wagons TO equip with wide
tires and to keep the necessary fixtures
near the farmers, as the greatest draw
back has been that farmers had to send
long distance for them, and for repairs
to factories out of the State.
g. Attention is called to the Road Build
ers' Convention now in session in Raj
eigh, at which it is> hoped to form a.
Road Builders Society to work in har-
mony with the Good Roads Association.
Z. The statistics compiled concerning
good roads by the Department of Agricul-
ture from the South show a steady in
crease in interest The difficulty of no
rock in eastern counties is being some
what overcome by the sand-clay method.
The statistics will be published the last
of the year.
s. Reports from the State show an in
creased and lively interest in road build
inging and an increasing willingness on
the part of the people to be taxed for
road improvement. This is along right
lines and the association seems TO be ac-
complishing at least a portion of what its
originators intended.