The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-11-29

rived as near to the solution of dust less roads-the present day problem of all highway engineers--as any na- ton. Her engineers have given the use of bituminous materials for spray Ing acadam roads the utmost thought and care. Spraying highways with such materials after science has been called to the aid of the highway builder. has a 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 cities 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.
 So firm are the highway scientists in the demand that these conditions not merely maintain but improve. that the first fight against the horse has been taken up by the autombbiilsts.
 The Motor Car.
 When the motor car began to come into use. the teamlng interests of the world were strong. They bersted the automobile in unmeasured terms; said that 1t was a menace to the public and to thei horse; that 1t endangered lift and limb; in fact advanced every argu- ment against 1t that from time immem- oriall has been advanced against the advent of every great invention or civilizing influence.
 In the early days of the American Republic, the pack-saddle men fought bitterly against the advent of the wagon. They declared 1t would make possible the carrying of heavier loads and the consequent running of the pack saddle industry; the wagon men fought the stage coach on the theory that 1t would facilitate traiff and throw wagon men out of work; the stage coach snen batt1ed against the rail- roads on the theory that the running of steam cars would drive out the stage coach-driver; and each In turn was forced to make way.
 The fight of the horse-car men against the trolley car Is remembered by all. The claim was@then made that 2,000,0O0 horses would be thrown out of work and that horses breeders would starve. The trolley is well-night uni- versal, and get more horses are raised each year than the year before and they bring better prices.
 The horse interests have ever fought the automobile. There have been thou sands Of eolurns of argument published against it, and sl1ort-sighfed men have advocated such heavy taxation against 1t. that great and eA ever growing industry would have been sadly hampered, had half the unwise Iegisla- ton planned beeen put into execution.
 An Attack on the Horse.
 Now highway experts aided by the motor car interests and by a power full association of London and it's st,- burbs have turned like the trodden worm and started an attack on the horse.
 The claim they advance ia that the polIuting of all public thoroughfares is done not by automobilists, but sby horses; that if no horses were allowed to drop organic matter on public thor oughfareE. the dust nuisance would soon be naught but an unpIeaBant mem i. ory. They advance the logical state- ment that the nuisance created by huns drads of thousands of horses Is detri- mental to public health and a mem ace to the pavementa, and they charge that the continual eieansing of the streets because of this trafio imposes vast and an unjust tax upon the citizens.
 It was source of great gratification to the American chairman to be frank ly told in both France, and England that this nation has stepped ahead Of both those nations in the testing of naterials for building macadam roads. Various experiments conducted by the once of Public Roads have developed fEO19AoAC building to obtain a better bonded surface by mixing rocks. such as lime- stone, with silicious rocks, such as granite or sandstone.
 That discovery-embodied fin pubii- cations and sent out through the Unit ed States Department of Agriculture had been adopted by some of the Brit ish highway engineers and while in England Mir. Page was driven over a number of stretches of splendid high way built by the blending of such ma terial. and was commended by those who built them.
 sample Road Material. In conjunction with that phase of highway construction. Mir. Page was asked if it would be possible for his offfce to receive about 300 samples of the characteristic road building rocks of Great Britain and make laboratory tests of them.
 1t was specifically stated in the of- ficial invitation sent from France many months ago that the Congress at Paris was called for the purpose of discuss. ing the effect of automobile trafiic up- on public highways and if deemed det- rimentaI to devise means of overcom- ing the effect. Asked what conclusion was reached by the Congress, Mr. Page said that automobile traffis and it's effect was very thoroughly dis. cussed and that many brilliant papers were presented, every phase of the question being treated of. As if was impossible to arrive at a unanimous conclusion, the question of damage done was left for Q later determine tion. It was the consensus of opinion. however, that automobiles driven at ordinary rates of speed are not espe- ciaI1v harmful to good highways.
 Mr. Page was especially impressed hv the laws regulating automobile trajc in practically an portions of France and England. Unlike the laws nrevaiIing in nearly every section of tbis country, the motor car restric- tiona of those countries are framed for the purpose of stopping reckless driving and the officers responsible for their enforcement are not restricted as are American officials. No speed limit provisions are incorporated In the laws of France or England. If in the judgment of an officer, motor car driver is reckless even if proceeding at less than eight miles an hour. ne fs subject to arrest. If. on the other hand, he is proceeding at express speed on a lbroad thoroughfare, free from other trafnc, and is not endangering the lives or the property of others he ia we'll within his rights, and may not be interfered with.
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