Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-23
Good Roads Here and Abroad.

Logan Waller Page, who was named
by President Roosevelt as the Ameri
can commissioner of the recent Inter-
national Roads Congress at Paris, has
returned to this country enthusiastic
over the results of the Congress and
also firm in the belief that in some of
the more scientific branches of high
way construction this country has
nothing to learn from Europe. He COLI
cedes, however, that those countries,
especially England, and France surpass
America to an amazing degree in the
percentage of improved road mileage
and in the jealous care with which
their splendid highways are main
tanned OF course. however, those coun-
tries arc small affairs geographically
as compared with this one. and the
good roads problem there is a very
simple matter as compared with that
in this great country with all it's diff
ferent conditions of climate and soil.
One thing in particular which i'm
pressed Mr. Page was the method for
regulating automobile traffic in France
and England. Unlike the laws prevail
ing in nea early every section of this
country, the motor car restrictions OF
those countries are framed for the pur-
pose of stopping reckless driving and
the officers responsible for their en-
forcement are not restricted as are
American officials No speed limit pro
visions are Incorporated in the laws
of Franco or England. If in the Judg-
ment of an officer, motor car driver
is reckless even if proceeding at less
than eight miles an hour, he is sub
ject to arrest. If on the other hand
he is proceeding at express speed on
a broad thoroughfare, free from other
traffic, and is not endangering the lives
or the property OF others. he is well
within his rights and may not be in
terfered with He also says that it
was TIE DeueI Oh tllt iidJoii.y VI 'HN'
delegates TO. the Paris convention that
the automobile running at average
speed on wcll-built roads is not detri-
mental to them
Tha splendid highways Of England
are largely constructed by mixing
limestone and granite after the method
set forth in a recent publication issued
through the United States Bureau of
Public Roads. 1t is his belief that
England has arrived as near to the
of dustless roads-the present
dav problem of all highway engineers
---as any nation. Her engineers have
given the use OF bituminous materials
for spraying macadam roads the ut
most thought and care Spraying high
ways with such materials after science
has teen called to the aid of the high
way builder, has tendency to preserve
the solidity of the roads and prevent
the formation of dust; and England has
made such progress in this branch of
road study that many miles of sub
urban roads are as free from the dis
ease breeding dust nuisance as the
best kept streets of the principal cities
Of the world.
AS a result of this gathering at Paris
where 30 governments were represent
ed there will be created an interna-
tional bureau of reads similar in some
respects to the International Bureau OF
This was the suggestion
of Mr. Page himself and it is probable
that the next International Congress of
this nature will be held in America.
In summing uD the results of his OBJ
servations abroad Mr.. Page says that
while no better roads are built in
France and ENGLAND than can be and
are built in this country, they are
maintained with greater care and that
in this constant attention tC their
is found the real secret
Of the splendid highways which are so
and envied by American Wis
ltorS.