West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1906-03-29
GOOD ROADS.
Extracts From the Lecture at the
Convention Held Here Recently.


Moore in the Armory was on the
roads Cf the world, past and present
The talk was illustrated by pictures
collected from thirty countries. 1t
was almost an education in itself.
Scenes in remote regions were
brought before the eyes OF the spect-
ators in the form of photographs,
as natural as if the objects them
selves were at hand. The first was
bit of road 4, 900 years old near
Jericho. AS an engineering feat it
was not remarkable; but as a page
from history, what could surpass itp
Perhaps Joshua, the great captain
of the Hebrews, followed that road
after passing the Jordan, and over
it advanced or retreated the noun
tain tribes who fought the invaders
who had come from Egyptian bond.
age TO take the land. The armies
Of David no doubt marched over
that highway: and the rebellious
Absalom's feet walked there. Over
il passed the Assyrians and the Per.
SLAMS in their campaign against
Jersualem. The good Samaritan
perhaps followed it, and the Romans
| who conquered the country, and all
the nations and tribes since. And
there lies the stony road to day,
hot and dry in the shimmering sun
light of parched Palestine. Only
one older road exists in the known
world, and that is in Egypt; but
Colonel Moore's picture of that has
been destroyed.
Splendid pictures were shown Of
the Appian way, the greatest high
way ever constructed on earth,
and which, after 1000 years of
wear, food, war, and abuse, has
not the surface worn off, while
three feet of stone still lie beneath,
capable of carrying the wheels of
travel for ten thousand years.
The road was ara years In building,
and is 800 miles long. With all
our modern machinery, the road
could not be made for less than
SIoo, 900 a mile. No man knows
what it cost the Romans. Slaves
built it, as slaves built the pyramids
of Egypt, and no account of ex-
pense was kept.
Twenty nine great military roads
led from Rome in all directions,
with total length of So, 400 miles.
The Greeks were not famous for
their roads. They went afoot and
followed paths for the most part,
but sections of roads made for
wheels still exist, and their chief
features are the excellent grades,
and their graceful curves as they
wind up and down the hills.
A stone bridge built by Julius
Caesar, and over which he no doubt
marched his army when he invaded
Gaul, was shown. The beautiful
arches stand as solid as on the day
they were built, and the bridge is
still used for travel, and shows no
wear after 1900 years.
1t has been said that Russia has
no good roads. This is true only
in part. A section of highway
among the Ural mountains was
shown on the canvass, and it is a
good piece of engineering work,
winding by grade of three feet to
the 100 up the snow covered noun
tains. The road is goo miles long,
and was constructed at cost OF
$40, 900 per mile. So well was it
made that one man keeps in repair
section of 40 miles.
Napoleon was one Of the worlds
greatests road builders. Where he
found grades twelves or more feet in
100, he made them three feet or
less IN grade. A number of these
highways were shown by the lee
turer, looking like the streets of
cities, with the houses missing.
His bridges we're splendid, and bid
fair to ou,last those built by Caesar.
The old Romon road in England
was shown. 1t leads from London
to Liverpool, and is in a splendid
state Of preservation, and every
mile Of it is still in use.
Sections of roads were shown in
many lands, in Norway, in Spain,
IN Itlay, in Africa, in Mexico, in
South America, in Java, in Porto
Rico, in Switzerland, and in the
United States.
Much stress was laid on the roads
OF this country. All sorts and kinds
we're represented from the mud
pike to the paved streets, from the
trail 10 the avenue, in mountain, or
plain, by the rivers, and among the
hills, in the thickly settled east,
aud in the far west The pictures
we're splendid They showed nat
ure and art; they showed how the
path becomes thorugbfare; how
the mudhole is transformed into