The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1909-07-15
NATIONAL GOOD ROADS MEETING

winch may De uSeu. III Tie SSlSCClOu
of such material suitable for macadam
or paving, the chief considerations
are: The quality of the rock; its in
herent ability to Withstand traffic;
the accessibility of the stone; deter
mining the cost of bringing it to the
points where needed; demands of the
particular road, taking into considera-
ton the nature of the traffic and the
climate
NJ O. Eldridge, of Washington, d.
c., gave an interesting address on
Earth, Sand, Clay and Gravel Roads"
One of the best papers of the con-
vention was that by F. N. Godfrey,
Master of New York State Grange, on
1.-The Farmer and the Road" He
cited the advent of the bicycle and
the automobile as factors in the pro-
motion of work for securing better
and more permanent highways. The
problem of highways concerns the
farmers most of all, as on them has
rested the burden of their construc-
ton from the era of the blaZed trail
to that of improved highways of mod
ern construction. AS the farmers rec
ognize the advantages of road i'm
proyement their objections cease.
Market roads should be first i'm
proved. Until about twenty years ago
road construction devolved almost en-
tirely on the farmers. Then came the
improved road scrapers, the graders,
etc. He was one of the first to use
heavy square timber scraper. About
twenty years ago the first corporation
tax was levied; in 1898 came the
bonding act, and later the state aid
act.
The Grange was an active factor in
promoting this evolution, and when
the plan of bonding for state aid was
vetoed by the supreme court the
Grange proposed the present plan OF
graduating the tax and it's use, and
the formation of a state highway COM
mission. Of 80 900 miles of New York
highways, but 10000 can come under
the operation of the state aid law;
the balance must be maintained by
local effort Now we have district
county and town superintendent, with
about 1000 miles of road constructed,
under the bonding plan. There are
also about 5000 miles of stone roads
and 5000 miles of graveled highways
in the state.
The farmers feel that too much
money is absorbed in office work ana
superintendence for the results Cd
tanned. and too little on construction
and drainage. Drainage Is OF supreme
Importance. Miles of macadam road
have been ruined for lack OF proper
under drainage. The larger proper
tion of highways must ever be earth
roads. and with these the tile drains
are all important The farmers also
stand for national aid in highway con-
struction. ..
r. M. Brereton read a splendid pa
per that was packed full of facts and
figures. on Government and Other
Aid in Road Building" Mr.. Brereton
is SO years of age and has had a wide
experience in engineering practice in
India. Great Britain and America, both
on land and sea- He helped construct
irrigation plants in India and in Cal
ifornia, and aided in securing the first
passage of an irrigation act by Con-
gress in 1874. He argued that 1t was
unjust to require the farmers to be
the chief party to financing the build
ing the better roads, and believes
satisfactory solution of the question
will soon be reached. He argued that
the railroads, being the main arteries
of commerce, and the many motor
cars that use the roads, should share
the burden with the farmer, while the
extension of national use of the high
ways demands that the government
shall aid in their construction as pro-
vided in article /, section VIII, clause
7, of the Constitution.
A. N. Johnson, highway engineer OF
Illinois. in speaking on Some Fea-
lures of Macadam Construction" said
that it is "good engineering to let go