The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1907-10-31
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Robert p. Hooper, chairman OF the
Good Roads Board of the American
Automobile Association, was one of
the speakers at the automobile con-
vention at Springfield, Mass. Mr..
Hooper was appointed by the direct
ors as one of the A. A. A. delegates,
and he told what is being done under
automobile influence throughout the
country for improved highways. The
A. A. A. Good Roads Committee in
the past have usually been so only In
name. This season, however, has
been characterized by genuine work,
and the national board has been en-
abled to organize several hard-work-
ing committees in a number Of States.
Mr.. Hooper told the directors of an
important move recently started in
the South, a plan which, If success
fully carried out, will be exactly in
line with the practical results that
the Springfield convention hopes to
accomplish-that is, uniformity in
the building and maintenance of
State roads.
Mr.. Hooper takes a very sanguine
outlook of the work that farmers are
going to do and the influence they
will exert for better roads in the fu-
ture. Reports lately received by him
from Wisconsin. Missouri, Minnesota,
Indiana, Ohio, and other States show
that a far more favorable view for
good roads Is being taken in the rural
districts than was the case year or
two ago.
Il wish to emphasize one thing
which is becoming moro apparent
every day." said Mr.. Hooper, land
that is that farmers all over the coun-
try are at least realizing that there
is a good side to the automobilist,
and with very little work on our part
we can secure their cooperation.
In Missouri an active campaign has
recently been started to build State
highway from st. Louis to Kansas
City. At the State Fair in Milwaukee
the State Geologist was requested to
construct a piece of good roads on
the grounds as an object lesson of the
benefits to be gained by improved
highways.
That the subject of improved high
ways in America is still in it's infancy
is amply demonstrated by the first
exhaustive report recently issued by
the United States Government Office
OF Public Roads. Statistics have been
secured from every State and county
in the country showing the respective
road conditions for 1904. This shows
that there were in use at that time
2,151,570 miles of public roads, of
which only a fraction over seven per
cent, 153,664 miles, could be termed
improved roads. Indiana has the
largest mileage of improved roads,
23,S77, Ohio coming next with 49,
460, Wisconsin third, 1868, and
Kentucky fourth 94S6. Illinois,
Michigan and Massachusetts have
about 1000 miles each.
The fact that these Western States
excel in their extent of good roads
may be surprise to many Fasteners
who have regarded Massachusetts,
New Jersey and other States as be-.
ing the leaders in good roads work.
In proportion, however, to it's total
road area, Massachusetts leads with
about forty-six per cent, Rhode ISL
and being second with forty-three
per cent. OF this total of improved
roads only a small proportion is mac
adam, 10S,232 miles being surfaced
with gravel, 9S,622 miles with stone,
and 6S10 miles of special materials
as shells, sand, clay, oil and brick.