Evening journal., 1907-07-10
ROAD BILL,
How He Would Have the Govern
ment Improve Highways.
WANTS BUREAU ESTABLISHED.

the Next Congress.
One Of the most enthusiastic advo-
Gates OF good roads in the United
States is Horatio s. Earle. the state
highway commissioner Of Michigan,
who has done so much 10 improve the
roads OF the Wolverene State. Mr..
Earle wants the government to aid In
improving our highways, and he has
drawn national reward road bill,
which Will be introduced I'm the next
congress by Congressman Charles 70.
Townsend. In an argument he made
for his bill recently Mr. Earle said:
Our educational advantages are far
ahead OF any other country. Our postal
service Is fair. but not equal TO that Of
few nations. However. we are taking
steps every day 20 improve II and have
made wondrous progress IN the past ton
years. sOur methods Of transportation
Take the. railroads They are the best In
the world They ought 20 be. We've done
| enough TO make them good-hrat built
them and then gave them away and paid
the takers large sums OF money every
year 10 keep them.
But our common, everyday wagon roads7
| BY gum, they are by all ODDS the poorest
on the face OF this green earth-no other
l civilized nation on the globe but has Dct-
ter than we. Why Is it2 Is II because we
are poor? A people that has created and
builded a nation In a day, with more mill
lionaires than any other two countries
can olaims poor? Well hardly The trou-
BILE Is that we are 30 blamed rich that we
can live even with poor roads. II would
bankrupt a commonly blessed nation TO
haul the product OF field and factory over
such aboninablo roads
What are we going TO do about it7
Knowing as we DO that the nation has
paid out IN land and money TO railroads
and rivers and harbors t2,0o0.0o00oo or
$1,000 per mile for every ono OF the
100000 miles OF public wagon road
there is IN this home land Of ours isn't II
about time that we insisted upon having
some national aid on our highways that
the roads Of our country may show signs
OF civiization-fnay show that our reli-
gion has taken effect and that we are
putting our education 20 a good use. bene-
ntlng our postal facilities and making Il
easy for us 20 get 90 the church, 10
school to library. lodge. thcater. 10 mar
, lxet and last, but far from least. 20 our
neighbors dinner table and sitting room7
This can be brought about all over the
United States only BY national assistance.
No other country ever got good roads In
any other way. Then why should there
be longer delay IN following the prece-
dent established by all the nations that
have good roads7 I am one OF very
large majority OF tho people OF this coun-
try that demand national help.
Among other things Mr.. Earle's road
bill calls for are the following:
To establish in the department OF agri-
culture a bureau 60 be known as the Unit
ed States highway department and 20 pro-
vide for national reward for the Improve
ment OF the public wagon roads
That the object and purpose of said de-
partment shall be 10 assist In and cncour-
age the improving OF tho public wagon
q roads in the various states and territories
, | Of the United States by the payment OF
= national reward according TO the provi
o sions OF this act. 10 make investigations
! experiments and tests in regard to meth
DDS OF road making and road materials
/ TO furnish without charge to any state ol
a territory the result OF any such investigh
q ton experiment or test upon request o
the state or territorial highway commits
sloner, state engineer or other Oihcer OF
officers having IN charge the question o.
n improving the public wagon roads OF sucl
L state or territory; 10 give advice, infor
nation and reports on the subject o.
roads. road Improvement, road materia
i and so forth. by means OF lectures, bnlle
n tins or otherwise; 20 suggest from time q
- time laws which. n enacted. would tent
70 bring about as Tar as may be uni
% form system for the construction, rcpai
" and Improvement OF the public wagol
a roads throughout the United States
That an onicer 20 be known as the Unit
a ed States highway commissioner shall b.
, appointed by the president, by and witt
e the advice and consent OF the senate
n within fiftecn days after this act shol
take effect Such commissioner shall b
II q citizen OF the United states and shal
[. have practical knowledge OF road con
= strucuon. Improvement and repair. IL
shall receive salary OF 5000 per annum
S' That whonever any state or territorl
% shall file notice with the United State
Ir highway commissioner through the ONCE
or officers having IN charge the matter o
improving or aiding IN the Improving o
% the public wagon roads Of such state o
70 territory or the officers OF any two o
more states or territories shall do 8
Jointly. stating that Il 10 the intention o
j. the state or states. territory or territories
v to build a certain number OF miles OF roa
10 such as will merit United Statea reward
Il shall be the duty OF the United State
y highway commissioner TO furnish genera
J. plans and specifications which, II follow
10 ed will entitle the state or territory {
Ia receive the amount OF reward due for IN
length and class Of road built.
q. That every mile OF well graded road o
y which the stccpest incline shall not ea
~ ceed per cent and the width OF whic
= shall not be less than eighteen feet be
~ tween side bitches and which shall b
IS shed water quickly 20 the side ditche
and which shall have wagon way q
travel track not less than twelve fee
III wide made IN two courses and thorough
ID compacted, II built IN accordance wit
IN the plans and specifications OF the Unite
\. States highway commissioner ana approx
AZ ed by him, shall merit reward as follow
70 II built Of gravel. $500 per mile. II bui
NJ with one course OF approved stone an
M ono course Of gravel. $3.50 per mile;
macadamized. 81 900 per mile. II the Uni
le cd States highway commissioner shall
M investigation or experiment find the
q some other material than those mention
ed in this section is equal to them or an
one Of them. then he may prepare plar
and specifications for roads to be built {
such material and shall place them In or
20 Of the classes described IN this scctiol
=. and such roads shall be entitled to recei'
as the reward of the class 70 which they al
be assigned by the said commissioner
1e That the decision Of the United Stat'
highway commissioner shall be final reli
~ tive TO whether the road Is built We
IT. enough 10 merit United states reward {
r. not.
M That there IS hereby appropriated out
any moneys IN the treasury not otherwil
" appropriated for the purpose OF carryir
RI out the provisions Of this act the sum
H. 800 10000, the said appropriation 20
- available at the rate OF Si0.000O00 a yea
~ beginning with the year in which this a
10 shall take effect. II any portion OF Il
he SOOOOOO0 appropriated for any one yel
n shall not be expended IN the year 4
. which Il Is appropriated. such portion NJ