The Garland globe. [volume] (Garland, Utah) 1906-191?, 1909-01-23
GOOD ROADS IN UTAH
Delegates from All over Utah Boost.
ing for Improvement in High.
ways-Good Roads Associa.
ton Formed.

Salt Lake City.-Delegates to the
number of $50, from all portions of
the state, gathered in Salt Lake City
on Thursday, January IA, for the pur
pose of discussing the important
question of the Improvement of the
public highways of the state Among
the important things accomplished at
the opening session was the appoint.
ment of a legislative committee, con.
sisting of one member from each
county and ten at large from Salt
Lake, which was instructed to report
at Fridays session of the convention.
a resolution committee of five mem
bers, and one on permanent organi.
cation of ten members was also APP
pointed. John Dern was named TEN.
porary chairman and ]. Il. Jennings.
secretary.
Professor II. r. Lyman and L. W.
Page, of the department OF agricul.
ture at Washington, gave some ex-
cellent advice as to the different
methods of road making. Professor
Lyman advocated a well built road
of dirt as the best foundation for the
macadam or asphaltum road that
could be had, and quoted literally
from figures as to cost of mainte.
nance and construction. According
to these figures road OF asphaltum
would cost $4,000 a mile, with a
given width of 80 feet. A good dirt
read could be constructed by means
of a scraper and split log drag for
$50 to $40 a mile and maintained for
less than $40 mile a year ever af.
forwards.
Professor r. r. Lyman made the
statement during the course of an
address to the delegates that q road
through Utah of sufficient strength
and durability to withstand the wear
and tear of automobiles could be
built at cost of no less than $4,000
mile. Judge o. w. Powers stated
that the growing popularity Of the
automobile was directly responsible
for the present movement for better
roads.
After two long and enthusiastic
sessions on Thursday, the good roads
convention finished its business.
thoroughly organized a State Good
Roads association, decided in detail
upon the good roads measures that
the present Legislature will be asked
to adopt and adjourned sine die. The
convention was a success in every
way.
The plan now arranged for pur
poses of carrying out a system of
good roads throughout the state is
The appointment of a commission by
the governor of the state, the COM
mission to consist Of the governor,
the state engineer, the state treas
urer, an engineer from the Univer.
slty of Utah and an engineer from
the State Agricultural college, This
commission will select a competent
highway engineer who will have
charge of all the roads in the state,
without being under the jurisdiction
Of the state engineer except as that
individual represents the commission
of five members.
This highway engineer will be {
salaried officer, and will hold his 70.
sition as long as he continues to give
competent service. The details of
this scheme are embodied in a bill
which will be presented tn the legis.
lature during the present session.
The permanent organization of the
convention was effected, as follows
President, Governor William Spry
secretary and treasurer, j. Il. Jen.
nings; an executive committee of five
members two from Salt Lake county
and one each from Weber, Cache and
Utah counties. Senator Herschel Bul.
len, jr.. was elected TO serve from
Cache county, George NJ. Cannon and
o. II. Hewlett from Salt Lake county.
Joseph Dunn of Provo from Utah
county. and o. b. Madsen of Ogden
from Weber county.
Vice.presidents were elected, one
from each county.
The subject of good roads was
made the basis OF a discussion be.
tween Governor Spry and l.. w. Page,
director of public roads OF the de-
partment of agriculture, at a meet
ing held in the governors office Fri
day morning.
A number OF senators and repre-
sentatives were present at the con.
ference. and many details OF good
roads construction were pretty thor
oughly threshed out. The matter of
administration Of the scheme in or
der to avoid any interference from
politics, was especially dwelt upon.
and Mr.. Page outlined a plan for this.
and also gave a good deal OF informa-
tion regarding the methods of con.
structing hard surface roads.