The Washington herald., 1908-07-03

saw the wheels fairly lift the surfacing
material and scatter it 20 the four winds,
TO the far roadside, 70 the trees and
hrubbery-anywhere but in the crevices
of rocks, where Macadam planned years
ago that it should fall.
II pneumatic tires create such havoc
with road surfacing materials, 1; behooves
the nation TO put On its thinking cap and
find something moro durable. Improve
ments in agriculture demand improved
methods OF transportation, improved road
ways. Only per cent OF the roads of
the United States has been improved.
only that small number of miles would
now support the durable motor that will
some day supersede the farm wagon in
carrying the heaviest produce and sup
plies 10 the farm. An improved country
road means an advance in property values
along that road, and, according to DR..
Allerton S. Cushman, Of the office of
public roads, United States Department
Of Agriculture, the country road bears
distinct relation to the health and the
social condition of the people who live
on its borders He has observed that dis
ease follows the waves OF dust that rise
from a road, and he has also made the
general observation that where a road IS
badly made and badly worked. the
children Of that community will look neg
lected, unkempt. unwashed.
This Buffalo meeting comes close on the
heels OF others that have marked the in
terest OF the American people in the sub
ject-meetings that have ranged from a
neighborhoOd handful to a State conven-
To mr.. 20. hn
that they lose S27, 10000 a year by having
TO haul their produce to market over had
roads. Government aid is not available
in the matter, so far as appropriations
are concerned. money from that source
having stopped in 1898. after about $1,000
600 had been expended on the famous old
Cumberland and other post roads. But
the government does stand ready 20
send men and machinery for expert
mental work and object lessons into any
part Of the country where a genuine in
terest in good roads has been declared
Only two months ago the farmers Of Col
bert County, Alabama, met IN Tuscumbia
and raised $1,000 among themselves with
which 70 build an object-lesson road
turning the whole matter over 10 gov
ernment expert.
State legislation in the matter OF good
roads proves the wide interest Of the
people. or the eleven legislatures in ses-
sion last winter six made better road
laws. New York issued 100000 in bonds
for road improvement. and has suggested
a tax per weight OF machines. New
Jersey. the first State to adopt the princi-
pie Of State aid in this matter. has I'M
proved LBS miles at a cost Of S7.0O0,OOC
since the law was passed. California does
not give State aid, but has a law permit
ting localities 10 help themselves in this
matter, so a movement is on foot between
several counties to create a bonded IN
ldebtedness Of 5000 900 for road improve
ment. while the California State Automo-
bile Association is primarily a good roads
association. Missouri last year created
the Office Of State highway engineer look
ing toward internal Improvement.
The State Of Washington has formu-
lated, under the president OF It's Good
Roads Association. a system OF trunk
highways that will reach the majority
Of its farms. Three OF these, each $50
miles long, will cross the State from
east TO west, one passing over SnoquaI-
mie Pass at an altitude OF 1885 feet, with
a maximum grade OF only per cent. a
/ fourth trunk line will run 240 miles, from
! Vancouver on the north 10 Blaine IN the
south Paulding County, In Northwest
| Ohio. has established a series Of high
way trunk lines. improving 425 miles in
| the past ten years. with a result that the
/ 3,7S4 farms OF that section have increased
/ In value from SS5 and $50 an acres to S6i
/ and $50 an acre. And this for a popula-
/ ton Of about $500 all told.
! Maryland, under her State-aid road law
has improved seventy-five miles Of road
way and has $50 miles more under way
| One OF the most stupendous undertaking;
| in the matter Of road building is a pri,
vate scheme Of some progressive West.
/ erners. They have organized the Rocky
| Mountain Highway Association Of Den
/ yer. and with a view TO making the
! scenery OF the mountains more accessible
| 10 tourists. will make and improve road
ways In Colorado. Wyoming, Utah, Mon
tana. Idaho New Mexico. and Arizona
Mecklinburg County, North Carolina