Omaha daily bee., 1907-03-13
ROAD MAKERS START TALK
Fourth Annual Convention OF Ascot
alton f. Opened at Pitts
burg.

PTTTsBURG, March 1.-THE fourth an
nual convention Of the American Road
makers association convened today in Car
negie Music hall. schenley park. over
$500 delegates, representing thirty-eight
states, are in attendance, in addition 70
many prominent men from all parts OF the
United States interested IN the advance
ment Of good roads.
The convention. which is termed the
greatest good roads meeting ever held"
was called to order by James II. MacDon-
aid Of New Haven, Conn. president Of the
association. Following the invocation de-
livered by the Rev Thomas N. Doyle,
d. D., Of Grafton. Pa, Mayor George w.
Guthrie welcomed the guests.
Governor E. s. Stuart, who was to have
addressed the convention on behalf Of the
state, was unable to be present at the
opening, but II is said will address the
delegates tomorrow
President Macdonald, IN his address, con-
graduated the delegates upon the growth
Of the organization and called attention to
the fact that when the association was
organized six years ago there we're but
sixteen states represented, while at the
present convention thirty-eight states are
represented, with 1850 delegates enrolled
The speaker referred TO the convention as
school for roadmakers and said that
each state had its own problems, and that
with the interchange OF ideas that would
result all roadmakers would be helped.
While President Macdonald was speak
ing, Hon. william ]. Bryan entered the
hall and was greeted with heavy applause.
Mr.. Bryan made a short address, commend
ing the movement. As he concluded the
proceedings we're halted several minutes by
the delegates.
Tho first speaker was Logan Waller
Page, director of public roads of the Agrl-
cultural department. His topic was Work
OF the ONCE of Public Roads,"
MIR. Page said in part:
The public roads of the United States.
taken in the aggregate, represent an inter-
nal Improvement OF vital interest TO every
staggers the imagination. The Office of
public roads has nearly completed an in
vestigation which develops the fact that
roads in the United States. The annual
expenditures on these is only about So
100000 now, but when you consider that
per cent Is a good return for a large In
vestment the amount that Is annually spent
on our roads would represent the interest
on valuation OF 1855, 100000.
Our investigation shows that less than 0
per cent OF these roads are improved by a
surfacing of hard material, so that the
such as to give ample room for the efforts
of the individual citizen, the local. state
and national governments.
Mr.. Page, in emphasizing what he termed
the most important mission Of the office OF
public roads, said;
We have urged the passage of state aid
laws in a number Of specific instances and
have given fully and freely In the effort to
aid legislation in the various states to
, frame suitable road laws We hope TO sue
coed In partially mitigating the deplorable
conditions, due to incorrect methods of
road constructions; TO induce some of the
road builders to exercise judgment in the
selection of the road materials, to enable
legislators, by placing proper information
before them, to improve existing legisla-
drive out incorrect methods, wasteful ex-
| travagance, unsuitable laws and made
| quate organization until every state is or
ganized and the spirit os cooperation is
the main factor In ali our endeavorS."
! The afternoon session was opened by an
address by Stephen Ryan OF New York.
He was followed by Sam Huston. state
highway commissioner Of Ohio and Horatio
s. Earl, state highway commissioner Of
Michigan.
Other speakers during the afternoon were
August w. Post OF New York, E. L Powers
OF New York and George w. Cooley of
Minnesota.