The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-12-15
USE THE CONvICTS
President JacksOn's Plan for
Good Roads.
One Half Those in United States
Could Be Utilized.
ATTENDANCE is LARGE
One Thousand Delegates at
Representative Hall.
Sessions Close With the After
noon Meeting.

1t has been estimated that upwards
of a thousand delegates have in at
tendance at the sessions of the Natlona
Good Roads convention. although the
registration has not reached that marx
a large delegation came UP this morn
ing from Lawrence and other nearby
points for the day Governor Sanders
of Louisiana and Governor Snellenber-
ger of Nebraska did not arrive this
morning as was expected. but the pro-
gram which was carried out was an ex-
cellent one.
Possibly the most important question
which came up for discussion during
the morning was that of employing con-
victs in connection with road construc-
tion. II venture to say that in this
country fully one-half of the conV1cts
in the country could be used upon the
highways. was the statement of Pres
ident Arthur c. Jackson. Everywhere
where convict labor has been intel
ligently used, it has been a decided
success and 1 hope that our resolu-
ton committee will see fit to bring
this matter before the meeting"
Curtis Hill, state highway engineer
of Missouri, who gave an address on
good roads and their building, told
something of the success of using con-
vict labor on the roads in Missouri. He
was heartily in favor of the. plan.
Mr.. Cooley's Address.
George w. Cooley. Minnesota state
highway engineer, gave an address
which was appreciated by the road eX-
perts.
THE principal road system now before
the people is the stone of macadam,
said Mr.. Cooley This system
has been in vogue for centuries. We
IN
try with the roads we need
THE system OF tar or asphalt macadam
roads is gaining in popularity.
1.-The two principle in road construc-
tion are construction and drainage.
IF you can't get the water away
from the road. get the road away from
the water.
~ 1--WE have to depend for % to so years
largely on good earth roads and the
question that we have to consider is
how to build them with the least ex-
pense.
The secret of the magnificent roads
in France and Germany lies not in the
construction but in the maintenance
A stitch in time saves nine; and the
people in those countries realize it.
Prof. w. c. Hoad of the engineering
department of the State university
spoke in part as follows:
''This country is big country and
this movement for good roads is a
ROOQ HlOVIu6nl movement 10
diversified. In Massachusetts, and
Connecticut they have needed and
have secured for their country thor
oughfares hard rock roads.
"The need is just coming to US. and
it is one of 1he next steps in our prog
ress.
'In the construction of hard roads
1t isn't worth our while to do all our
experimenting before We learn what
are the best methods, as we can profit
- r,rr10
can be said Of oil roads. We can study
the ground that has been gone over
in California.
Now there are certain general
principles III connection with building
hard roads, for example good solid
roadbed is 4 necessity. Another gem
eral principle is that we must have
some durable material for the road
surface. Beyond that there are hard
ly any principles that can be generally
applied-it becomes local matter.
1.-THE requirement for rigidity or
solidity necessitates good subdrainage.
It is the result we want. Keeping the
water out of the road will help pre-
serve it's soiidity.
1--WE do not have the material for
road building that they have in New
Jersey. New York and other states,
but we do have good lime stones, and
lime stones make good roads
''They cost less to construct but do
not wear quite as long We have been
running a series of road tests in con-
nection with our laboratory at the
State university, and find in many parts
of the state are excellent road building
materials 1t often comes to the point
of which of two or three different ma
terials should be used.
"The matter of thickness of the
road is largely a local matter. In the
east they have six inch roads. Here
eight inches is considered about the
proper depth for our lime stone.
1.-THE construction of good roads
should be along the lines of business.
That is, the thoroughfares that are
used most are the ones which will
justify an immediate expenditure.
''If it can be shown that road con-
struction will more than pay for it's
cost through saving to the users,
then the building of them is justified.
ut seems to me that our roads de-
velopnlert should be done by local
money and service. This is my own
opinion about it, although I know that
It will not meet the approval of all road
enthusiasts.
1.-The hard thing is to make start in
good road building, but when we once
start it wiz not be so difficult"
Passenger Man Talks.
H. G. Kali, assistant general freight
and passenger agent for the Union Pa
cific was next on the program 1--WE
know that the question of good roads is
of interest to almost every one." said
Mr. Kaill. THE question of good roads
is of course universal. We have found
in handling the freight traffic if we can
get the produce brought to us through
out the year and not have things con-
tested it is of considerable benefit to u.s.
IF it were not for our elevator SER
vice along our roads don't know what
we would do. We appreciate from the
standpoint of the railroad good roads,
and If. the farmers would quit talking
f5olitics and would help to get good
roads it would be good thing"
The last address on the morning pro-
gram was by Curtis Hill, state highway