Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1907-08-16


not been settled, but 1t is thought that
1t will be spent In lettering the roads
in counties which are at the present
time most backward In respect to i'm
proved highways and which have not
had the money to compete with their
richer neighbOrs.
with the work started In this direc-
ton, 1t will not be long before the high
way from Philadelphia to Pituburg
will become a reality. and with Its
completion the touring facilities In
PENNSYLVANIA will be second to none In
the United States.
Americans who have toured In
France return to the United States
with an entirely different idea Of road
conditions, for nowhere In the world
are the highways kept in better condl-
ton nor the question Of roads given so
much consideration as they are in the
European republic. Road builders
throughout the world can take lessons
from the French. In that country
there are 270O0 miles Of national
roads. which are built by the govern
ment and maintained at the expense
OF the government, and In the words
OF Mark Twain, "They look as II they
were Jack planed and sandpapered
every day"
Many of the most important high
ways are lined with trees in order that
the rains may not damage the roads.
1he national roads In France are the
main roads connecting large centers.
In addition to the national roads, they
have the roads built and maintained by
the commune, which is tantamount TO
our subdivision called county.
At all seasons of the year the roads
present the same appearance and the
Infinite care taken to keep them IN
first class condition is the cause of the
desire OF all visitors to Europe to spin
over the level stretches, which abound
In France, in their big motor cars.
Unlike the method in the United
States, the roads are maintained by
having a man take charge OF a small
section. A workman of this class Is
called cantonnier He has a length
OF from two TO seven or eight kilo-
meters given to him, and he takes en-
tire charge OF II, the length varying
according TO its character II the road
Is dat, he has a long piece; II noun
tainous and hard TO maintain. he may
hQvn pnlx- furn EtIe..,,a
the bitches clear, the srass sut, tins
trees trimmed, and wherever he ffn6s
depression or little hole in tine road
he evens the ground with a nick. He
has a supply OF fine stones dumped at
the side Of the road and fills Up the rut
with this and tramples II down, and
when he has finished with the defect
you cannot tell that there was ever A
hole there.
BY the use OF this system II can
readily be seen that the road condi-
tons OF country will improve and are
bound TO, for much more attention Is
shown than under that used In this
country.
There are many states in this coun-
try that do not give the road question
much consideration. and II is with
great difficulty that the highways can
be negotiated with the automobile. but
with the national movement for good
roads daily gaining in strength II viii
be only a short time when these states
VIII act with the state automobile as
sociations In the improvement OF the
highways.
BY keeping the HIGHWAYS IN htrh
class condition It is an incentive for
touring, and the revenues derived from
the tourists amount to thousands and
thousands Of dollars I'm the course OF n
year. With the great Increase IN The
use OF the motor ear In the United