Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-01-12
BANQUET Ban. CLOSES
ANNUAL SESSION
ENGINEERS END SUCCESSFUL
CONVENTION WITH PLEASING
SOCIAL EVENT

ed To-Professor A. Marston of
Ames Says Systematic Work by En-
glncers is Needed on Iowa Roads.
From Thursdays Daily.
The nineteenth annual meeting OF
the Iowa Engineering society brought
Its two days session to close yester-
day afternoon with an eight course
banquet in the Ballingall hotel, given
by the city of Ottumwa to the mem
bers of the organization. Thirty-four
covers were laid. The tables we're
;tastefully decorated with asparagus
ferns and pink chrysanthemums.
lmprompru Toasts Are Given.
Professor S. N. Williams of Mt. Yer
non acted as toast master at the i'm
promptu post-prandial program. No
preparation had been made for the
occasion and the following toasts were
responded to: The Popular Host,
Welcome the Coming Guest, Speed
the Parting, c. R. Allen; The Modern
and Useful Engineering Profession,
Professor A. Marston, Ames; Iowa 10
the Front of Engineering Societies, A.
j. Cox, Iowa City; The, College Boys,
Long May They Live and Prosper, Pro-
lessor G. s. Mcgowan, Iowa City. The
Early Struggles of the Iowa Society,
Seth Dean, Glenwood; Better Late
Than Never, l.. H. Gladstone, Des
Moines; Trials of a Bridge Engineer,
Tricks in all Trades Except Ours, ].
9. Radcliffe, Waukon; The Capital
Convention City, deception Always N
Order, G. D. Dobson, Des Moines.
Social Hour Is Spent.
Following the dining room program
the company adjourned to the hotel
parlors where several minor business
matters were settled. Hearty and sim
cere thanks were given to the city Of
Ottumwa for it's hospitality during the
convention. Many OF the visiting engi-
neers left for their respective homes
on the $40 Milwaukee passenger
train. 1t was not decided at this meet
ing where the next annual gathering
will be held, as this matter is set
tied by mailed ballot, several months
prior to the convention.
The Good Roads Question.
Undoubtedly the address of Profess.
or Marston of Ames on the report IF
the committee on roads and pave
ments created the most interest and
comment of any of the reports during
the mesting. This talk is also of
great interest to others than members
8 of the engineering profession, as It
/ touches question of vital Importance
to the farmers of the state, and other
residents of the community who have
/ interested themselves during the past
few years, in an endeavor to obtain
better roadways in this section of
Iowa. In the course of his address,
Professor Marston said:
Reinforced Concrete cuIverts.
During the year 1906, the most i'm
portant development in connection
with good roads in the state of Iowa
has been the increase in the con-
struction of reinforced concrete Gull
verts. The Iowa Highway Commission
reports a constantly increasing de-
mand of the highway officers of the
state for information and assistance
in connection with the construction IF
such culyers. 1t has sent out many
plans and has assisted in the actual
construction of many culverts, al
though it has been impossible to re-
spond to all the requests
Road Dragging.
"The past season has not beer a
very favorable one for striking re-
suits In the maintenance of earth
roads by King drags. To careful OBJ
servers who have have opportunity to
visit different sections of the state,
the results obtained by road dragging
last year must be considered in some
respects discouraging. This is not be-
cause Of any lack of possibility of
securing good results by this method
If the work is intelligently and faith
fully done. The retrogession from re-
: suits obtained the year before in many
4 places has been due to failure to do
the work faithfully.
During the preceding year road
dragging was taken up with enthus-
iasm all over the state and many
thought that a panacea for all the
! evils of bad roads in Iowa had been
found. This year. many sections of
roads before kept dragged, have been
left to go back to their original bad
condition. To those who had been
promised good roads at practically no
expense, the deep mud which has time
and time again characterized the
streets of our small cities which had
adopted dragging, and principal roads
leading into them during the past
season, has been rather discouraging
Systematic Work Needed.
Until road dragging is taken up-sys
telnatically by trained road engineers
at public expense, it cannot be relied
upon to maintain the earth roads Of
community in good condition. How
,er striking may be the results ob-
ined where public spirited men faith.