The Democratic advocate., 1908-11-13
crosby Home again
,,,f,nFp FIRST INTERNATIONAL
pOlDs CONGRESS In PARIS
,,,, Our AVN Roads are Equal to
Those Of Europe

,.,brays division Oh tne 0'"'e ~
nsI' and Economical Survey Commits
&c" ho ~ was commissioned as a del
'O. from this State to attend the
Fst rs. International Roads ''laas Congress-, IS:
'.,, .,, was held under the auspices OF
'1r " rrench Government at Paris In
ns,.mber. NV returned last week.
Sr rssineer Crosby travelled through
r,ssnd and France and studied the
I'D ., conditions. While the highways
w., ,,.o,d are in good condition, he said
~ ~ +bav we're not in better shape
' - tho roads of Massachusetts,
s,,s the roads engineering corps IS
,,.rtipg every effort to maintain good
ID. When the commission appoint
d by Governor Crothers puts through
nlsns for modern highways Mary
,,a roads he says, will be equal to
he f0relsA lo"""
W. Crosby left Baltimore on Septem-
l.. 9e and went to Boston, where he
,.;,od NIessrs. Harold Parker and A.
. Hatcher of the Massachusetts high
r,rs Commission. The trio sailed the
nIoviDg day for Ireland. They trav-
Jsd TO Dublin in automobiles and
ssrco 10 Holyhead and Wales, then to
rordon All along the route they
hrri the roads highly satisfactory.
rasr had heard much OF the Welsh and
English roads and made the trip to
a-sfy their curiosity.
They passed over 10 Paris, using
m-omobiles from Calais, and attended
As first session of the roads congress.
Rsrresentatives from 25 countries
vpTe at the conference and there were
300 delegates. The committee which
bad charge of the congress expected
about 500 delegates, but so much in
rrest was taken in the conference
that many more attended.
After the daily sessions in Paris the
ieegates were taken on excursions
through the streets of the city and out
in the suburbs. On October Is the
congress adjourned in Paris and went
Nice, where the delegates made fire.
quent excursions throughout the city
and suburbs studying the roads.
The various delegates presented
papers which were printed and dis
uSsed by the congress. Engineer
Crosby read a paper on ''The Treat
nent Of Macadam Roads Under Pres
lt Conditions" The paper was in
EFestng and much favorable comment
resulted.
After the adjournment of the confer
tlce, Engineer Crosby, accompanied
By Messrs. Parker and Fletcher, went
Italy, Genoa and several other large
cities, where the roads were found to
De in fair condition. They then re-
turned to Boston
The secret of the excellence of the
roads IN England and France" said
Angneer Crosby is the fact that after
oalldlng them the Governments see
AsI they are properly maintained and
1hel care Of The maintenance of
ue roads costs quite sum, but we
could build and look after roads here
'1Vaper than the authorities abroad.
lucy give unremitting care and atten-
uoa 10 their roads, each county feeling
Qst 1t is its duty"
Ile roads abroad are not in most
instances any better than those found
Il massachusetts,. They are built in
n'ny cases similar to the roads in our
'"llern States, but they are properly
%A'A care OF. Men ere employed who
lo'nins else but make trips over
~' highways and look after their i'm
',O'elnent. A tar preparation and as
srai' are used and this really makes :.
SUBSTANTIAL roadway.
IAere is one advantage they have
YeF US in the fact that in neither Eng
ANU nor France are there any cloud
". '4'S'S Or frosts of great extent. Fol
'' reason they have the opportunity
Oulld nat roads, as there is no dan
~ ., VI lne roadbed being washed. The
~. ','' climate also conduces to hell
r'' roads for the moisture keeps
hem solid
II. 'nlS country we have much trou
III building our roads because O
,s ~ weather conditions. The heavy
N.Y., ,e'S and cloudbursts hurt tn,
n,a No and the frost also causes gaps i
p.f ~ precautions are not taken.
ht Nel that Maryland will have road,
or' m't proud of after we have complete,
,ot ". "OFk' The roadways abroad ar
nm, 'euarkable and when we once ge
tSs. 'Oads We can maintain them a
sr are maintained in France.
Ohio. % street paving in Paris an,
tor.,. rs, cities impressed me for it's uni
lotiN l'y' Much care is exercised il
y,ra s after them as well as the foot
rass rass The stone block, as we'll as tn
l,t,. asn block, is used extensively an
~n. trouble is experienced.
s,s n Oiocks are laid carefully an
DID mo- more than one-ha1f inch apart.
hIo U' See horse fall during my tri
bho,. laon or Paris on the woode
] d. 'R Pavement. This is the result q
bOe,ss authorities spreading over tn
VAS gravel or stono 80 M