The Washington times., 1904-05-13
Good Roads Convention
Will Meet in St. Louis
Brief History of the Movement Leading Up
to This Gathering and results Expected
TO Flow From It.

Invitations have recently been sent out
by mail and through the press request
ing pubEc-spirited citizens in all parts
% the country to attend n National and
International Good Roads Convention
to be held in St. Louis, May 16 to p.
1904 These invitations are signed by
President w. II. Moore and Secretary
r. ". Richardson, Of the National Good
Roads Association; by President Francis
of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition
Company; Governor Dockery, of Mis-
souri; Mayor Wells. of St. Louis. and
twenty-five other men prominent in in
dustrial and commercial enterprises.
II the present plans and hopes OF its
promoters are realized this convention
win be one OF the largest ever held in
this country for the promotion of this
necessary Industrial development.
Other Countries Invited.
The Secretary of State at Washing
ton has transmitted TO the governments
of foreign countries invitations to send
delegates. and il is expected that num-
Der OF foreign nations viii be repre-
scented The management Of the Expo
sition has designated May 10 as Good
Roads Day"
1t Is announced that object lessons
exemplifying all phases OF road con-
struction and the operation of road ma
chinery viii be witnessed daily within
the Exposition grounds.
Among those who will be present and
deliver addresses are Senator A. c.
Latimer of South Carolina, Representa-
tive w. P Brownlow of Tennessee, the
leading champions OF the national aid
plan These men will present the merits
Of the bills which provide that the Gov
eminent shall cooperate with the States
in improving the roads. Other speak
ers. engineers, and expert road builders
will deliver addresses on various phases
of the road question.
Good Roads Movement
began 70 assume national proportions
about twelve years ago. A number Of
good roads enthusiasts. among whom
Col Albert A. Pope. Isaac 3. Potter.
and Gen. Roy Stone were prominent, had
been trying for a number Of years to
arouse general interest in road improve
ment. but with small success.
They were so much discouraged that
when it was proposed to hold a conven-
ton in connection with the opening of
hesitated. Nevertheless. it was finally
decided to make the attempt. To the
surprise and qualification Of its promo
tiers. the convention turned out TO be n
decided success. and attracted the at
tention OF the whole country
One of the principal aims of the good
roads people who met in Chicago. was
TO secure the esta blishment of some
kind Of a Government road office or bu-
reau in Washington. A committee was
= n cd n before n
g-ess; a pamphlet of nearly 1O0 pages
vas prepared, and hearings were Sc
cured before the committees OF Con-
gress The outcome was the establish
ment in the Department of Agriculture
OF the Office Of public road inquiries with
an appropriation OF $4,000. It's work was
TO be educational in character. and Cen
eral Stone was made the first director
Of the Office.
Work of Education.
The first important work of the Office
OF public road inquiries was the collec-
ton of information. Road statistics were
collected. Methods of road building
were studied. Conditions under which
roads had to be built in different parts
Of the country were investigated. The
available materials for road building
were ascertained. Then all this informa-
ton was published in small pamphlets
for free distribution 70 the people.
About fifty different publications of this
kind have been issued. and several hun
bred thousand copies have been distrib-
uted.
More recently the educational work OF
the General Government has taken the
form of object lessons. Short pieces of
road have been constructed on scientific
principles 10 illustrate the best meth
DDS Of road building, and the use of
available local materials Such work is