The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1908-07-08

DAMAGING EFFECT OF AUTOMOBILES
over IL crushed stone highway would
grind dust particles from the stones.
that those particles would fill In all
lnterstlces and that wettlngs and roll
ings would not only give a hard,
smooth surface, but that the highway
would improve ms the years pass.
For century and Il quarter tho Wis
dom of the Scotch road builder was
Justified Every country that lays
claim to civilization adopted 1t, and
thousands of miles of road were laid
annually in France, Germany, England.
Holland and the United States.
Then came the automobile, and a
few years after It's arrival the road
overseers began to notice tile detcriora-
ton of these highways. Broad and
level stretches became strcwn with
surface stones, ruts became frequent.
and dust clouds were constantly set
Ting on the adjacent property. The
trouble was quickly traced to the au-
tomobile.
These machines through the tractive
and centrifugal forces cXcrted by their
rapidly turning wheels were pulling
the rock dust from the roads ana
swirling 1t away in binding clouds.
While every Iron bound wagon tire
was doing It's own small percentage of
rock crushing dust making, road
smoothing and rock tamplng, every
rubber automobile tire was undoing
that work by taking the dust away.
Tresauget and Mncadam knew that
the effect of wagon traffic would be
beneficial to rock surface roads. but
they never suspected that in future
years chugging machines, guided by
begoggled, speed mad enthusiasts.
would rush frAntically across the face
Of nature or TINT the wheels OF the
odd vehicles In which they journeyed
would be bound by mir stuffed rubber.
The antiIote lies In the discovery OF
method which will benefit both the
road and the car. Study TO overcome
existing conditions by creating better
conditions is now going forward, and 1t
Is practically certain that when the
international congress meets IlYE"
will be a solution of the road problem
and the evil effects of the automoDhc
will be turned to benefit.
Director Page of the Office OF public
roads OF the United States department
of agriculture, who recently received
through the French ambassador, NJ.
Jusscrnnd, an invitation to attend the
congress mt Paris in the fall, was ask
ed recently If the life of the highways
was so seriously mcnaced as to JUSTIFY
condemnation of the motor car ana
to warrant nm international congress
to discuss 1t.
"Noboly who has made n study OF
the hard surface roads of this or any
other country would attempt to deny
that the motor Cur Is constantly short
enlng the life of such thoroughfares,"
said the director, but that is no rca-
son for the condemnation of the auto
mobile. The arrival of this machine
has created a new and unlocked for
condition. That means that the new
condition must be studied and the
problems which have arisen must be
solved. 1t does not mean that because
the roads suffer through the arrival
of the motor car the motor car shall
pass in the interest of load preserva-
ton.
az regard the automobile rs an Inn
portant factor in the upbuilding Of
civilization, and 1t has come to stay
II has created conditions demanding
the best thought of the highway en-
gineers of the world. see In the so
luSion nothing short of ideal dustless
roads"