The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1908-10-30


There is now in session in Paris,
France, a gathering Of delegates
from twenty -four countries, com
prising not only all the leading na-
tons Of Europe, but also such extra
European nations as the United
States, Brazil, Mexico. Chile. IN
dia and Japan This international
Congress will not take up import
ant political problems; in fact, the
sole object of the meeting Is to dis
cuss road improvement both from
a purely local as well rs an inter
national standpoint
4 large share of the attention OF
the Congress il to be devoted to
the consideration of the effect on
roads Of new means of transit. par
ticulary automobile. and an effort
will be made to arrive at some con-
clusion az to the best method Of
constructing the ideal road OF the
future. The papers to be read
before the Congress have been
translated 20 az to he availa bic for
all the delegates, and II appears
from a comparison of the views ex
pressed in these that the experts
agree that the essential features of
a good road are a hard core, pre-
ferably of arnond concrete. making
an unyielding. inconpresaihle
foundation, with the material per-
fectly bound together and surface
properly metaled and tarred to pre-
vent dust or mud.
Although the United States has
done more TO develop railroad
mileage and other means of public
transportation than any other coun-
try, it is a matter of notoriety that
this country has shamefully neg
lected TO maintain ordinary roads.
In Europe good roads are the rule
rather than the exception, aud in
some countries the public highways
as we'll as the neighbOrhOod roads
arr models Of road construction.
and are maintained in the highest
state ut repair amt preservation.
The military roads Of Europe have
n history al countries, and many
important highways extending Tor
long distances through the country
are constructed on the idential lines
of old Roman roads; in fact. the
ancient roads from the foundation
and base OF the present day road
Ii is affirmed by some who have
given attention TO the matter that
Of the 2,l5l $50 miles of public
road in the United States only IA
per cent are improved. A COM
parison of the conditions here with
those in France discloses the fact
that the national and departmental
roads in that country equal in mile
age the improved roads in the
United States, while communal
roads in France are in many cases
better than the improved roads III
the United States.
While such comparison are not
pleasing TO American pride they are
helpful, and the participation of
our delegates in such gathering
rs IildI HOW dSStIll Dltu III 1 al
should create renewed interest in
the subject of good roads and in
augurate a campaign in favor of
the general improvement of roads
in this country. Over large part
Of the United States the roads are
merely paths without drainage or
foundation. The loss and expense
incurred by hauling farm products
and merchandise over such roads
is great, vet the efforts made in the
direction of improvement have been
~ small that the number of inn
proved roads bear a ridicuiOusly
small proportion to the total mile
age of utterly unimproved roads.
Good roads are essential to easy and
rapid neighborhood eommunica-
ton, to the marketing of products
in all weathers and to the proper
conduct of business. New Orleans
Picayune