The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1904-12-01
THE GOOD ROADS CONVENTION
ADOPTS RESOLUTION BEFORE
ADJoURNING YESTERDAY.
James w. Abbott Delivered an Inter-
estins illustrated Lecture at
Park Last Night.

brought to close last night at La
| Venr's park when a large crowd lis
tened to a most able address on the
subject of road building by James w.
| Abbott, special agent of the agricul-
tural department. and who has charge
of the good road department for the
Pacific coast and Rocky mountain di-
vision. The lecture was illustrated
by stereopticon views which added.
much to the explanations as the
speaker went through the details of
! his lecture.
! Resolutions Adopted.
| Before the afternoon session was
closed the following resolutions were
adopted:
Resolved, That the Eastern Wash
| ington Good Roads invention, as
sembled at Walla Walla this Goth day
of November, 1904, favors the amend
ment rather than the repeal of the
present road law, as demanded by the
! platforms of both political parties
and that the secretary of this meeting
be and is hereby instructed to trans
nit a copy of this resolution to the
proper committee of the legislature to
convene in Olympia, January 1905.
Resolved, That the great need of
the state of Washington is better
wagon roads, and that it is the sense
! of this convention that a state high
/ way commission should be created by
! statute, with highway commission
/ er whose duties ana authority should
/ be analogous to those exercised by a
| similar official in California, and in
nearly every eastern state, and we
earnestly request the members elect
of the state legislature to enact such
a law.
/ Resolved. That this convention IA
dividual cooperation, whereby the
state shall pay one-third, the county
one third. ana the property owners
/ benefited by the construction. of the
road one-third; that the county pay
first cost, ANA that the state reimburse
the county and the county collect
! frcm the individuals as their install
ments fall due on plan similar to
/ that of New Jersey and other eastern
! states
Resolved, That this convention ex-
/ press in the most forcible manner it's
broad minded policy of the county
commissioners of Walla Walla county
in securing the cooperation of the of
! flee of public road inquiries of the
! United States department of agricul-
| ture, and in furnishing to it the nee
essary facilities for the construction
of a macadam road built on modern
methods, which shall serve as per-
manent object lesson for Walla Walla
and adjoining counties; and further,
| Resolved. That the cordial thanks
Of this convention be extended to
James w. Abbott. special agent and
J. H. Dodge, government expert, for
their earnest efforts to meet the
wishes of said commissioners, and to
construct a first class highway; and
further be it
tors and representatives in congress
to use their most persistent efforts to
secure an appropriation for the office
of public roads inquiries, which shall
enable it to meet properly the demand
| for more instruction in road building
in all parts of the United States.
Informal Discussion.
Although many of those who attend
ed the road convention yesterday were
obliged to leave for home last night
an earnest crowd of enthusiasts col
lected in the Walla Walla club rooms
at O'Clock this morning at the ad--
! journed session of the convention
! A paper from Professor o. L. Waller
of the Washington Agricultural college
at Pullman on "Culverts in Roads" was
read by Secretary H. S. Blandford. also
one on The Relation of Good Roads
! to the Development of Natural Re-
Sources written by James B. Meikle.
secretary of the Washington Good
| Roads association. n>
| After the reading of these papers an
/ informal discussion followed during
which the county commissioners pres
! ent talked about the best method of
| amending the nreSent road laW