The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-09-24
Some Of the Worst in the
Country Are to Be Found
in District and Its lmme-
diate Neighborhood.
"THE DEVILS BACKBONE"
IN ALEXANDRIA COUNTY
Agitation Over There and
Locally Would Inure to
Farmers Beneflt--Agri-
cultural Department Will
Help.

NJ. o. Eldridge. chief OF the division
Of road inquiry. of the Agricultural De-
partment. has returned from a tour
through New England. where he inspect
ed the roads which have been construct
ed with State aid. Mr.. Eldridge' is en-
thusiastic over the work that has eeen
done in some of the States and is urging
that States in other sections follow the
example set by those in New England.
He was particularly impressed with the
fact that the roads in and around the
District OF Columbia are lamentably
poor compared with those in the more
progressive States of the North. and ne
is anxious to have the citizens of the
District and surrounding country start
an agitation which will result in the
Improvement of the roadways. In speak
ing of the matter yesterday Mr.. Ed
ridge said:
Washington and the District of Co
fumbia and the surrounding country
should have the finest roads in the
world. They should be models for the
whole United States and objects of pride
with our citizens
Worst Roads Imaginable.
Instead of our having these model
roads in this vicinity a man can view
from the top of the Capitol some of The
worst roads In the United States. Their
defects are of every conceivable kind
and those upon which Improvements
have been attempted have in many cases
been so poorly constructed they are not
much better now than before
81 have been driving through the roads
in the District itself and find that some
of them are little better than those in
the back country sections, while none
OF them can compare with the good
highways OF Massachusetts. Connecticut
and New York. l also find that several
sections of road are receiving improve
ments which will not be of permanent
value. Only two sizes of stone are IN
use. the smallest and the largest Con-
struction OF this kind has been demon
strated to be mere folly. as it is i'm
possible for the large stone 20 give a
good, permanent surface. and already
there are to be seen loads of big stones
which have worked out of the road bed
and are a menace TO all horses.
''Put the roads in the District are
sources OF endless Joy compared with
some OF those within few miles of the
District line. Leading out from Alex
andria and through Fairfax county, Va.
is a road which / consider the worst in
the United States. In the old days it
was a pike. but it has received no i'm
provements for many years. and is so
the DEVILS Backbone
Dust in Summer, Mud in Winter.
Leading from the District itself are
roads which are deeply SCARED with
dangerous ruts and holes, which give put
clouds OF dust in the summer and in
the winter become seas OF mud Stran-
gers coming to Washington and wishing
TO take a drive of any length into the
beautiful and historic country around
the city are completely disguised with
the roads and turn back. That is a sad
commentary on the reads leading from
the Capital City of the largest nation
IN the world.
The roads division Of the Agricul-
turaI Department is willing to do any
thing in its power TO help the farmers
in the vicinity of Washington TO appre-
csate he Importance Of better roads and
is willing at any time 10 furnish free
the a.ivice and counsel of it's best and
most experienced experts.
THE Government in cases of this sort