The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-01-27
GOOD ROADS PLANS
UNDER DISCUSSION
Second Annual Convention
Meets in Armory Hall With
Large Attendance.
GOVERNOR TELLS ABOUT
NARROWING THE HIGHWAYS
John Dern, Chairman, Talks on
General Interest Manifested
in Movement.

ton began its sessions Wednesday fore
noon In the armory hall. IN the CONNER
ciaI Club building. John Dern of thl
city was elected chairman. and Georg
NJ Cannon, also of Salt Lake. secretary
The attendance is large. Up to th
time the convention was called to orde
for, the afternoon session: 259 delegate
had, reported. Afternoon and eveninl
trains brought more delegates, and whei
the session begins at 10 O'clock Thursda,
morning there will be close to 500 dele
gates in the hall
The representation from Idaho anc
Wyoming Is excellent, The number o
county officials of Utah-commissloner
and surveyors-is good. There Is :
sprinkling Of members OF the Utah legls
lature.
There is no question that every one i!
deeply interested in the work of the con
that there will be much done in the way
OF shaping legislation that will be pre-.
scented to the session next winter.
Governor Is Interested
The good roads movement has a pow
erful friend In Governor spry. The gov
ernor Is the president OF the state road
commission, and he is heartily in favor
of any line OF action that VIII result IN
better condition OF highways in this
state
The governor made brief but con-
vincing talk early In the afternoon, and
later in the afternoon he made another.
L ne time OF the afternoon session was
devoted almost entirely TO the discussion
OF resolution presented by William
Glasmann: mayor OF Ogden, which pro-
vdes that law shall be passed where
under the state is TO build twenty miles
of model road each year. The idea is
TO run fine highway from the Idaho
to the Arizona line by doing some OF the
work every year. Wherever there Is al
ready a system OF good roads. the repair
OF these only will be necessary. and thus.
in sorne years there win be built twenty
twenty specifically provided by the pro-
posed law.
John Dem Chairman.
When the delegates were ready to meet
Wednesday forenoon, John Dern Of this
city was proposed for tho chairmanship,
assuming the office, Mr.. Dern made
brief talk. In which he said.
There never was movement IN the
history OF the west which has met with
more popular response than has the
good roads movement. and the slogan
throughout not only Utah, Idaho, Wyo-
ming and other western states. but in
every state In the union. is coming to be.
Get good roads
Il see many familiar faces in sstend-
enee at this convention and manyN1f the
old wheel horses are here. But we miss
the presence OF the man who might be
called the father of the good roads move
mcnt: D; 4, Roberts; who. worked so long
and faithfully to bring about the results
which have already been accomplished
We miss. too most sadly, the personal
ity OF that public-spirited man who was
known far and wide as the champion,
not only OF the good roads movement,
but of every other movement for the
public welfare, Fisher Harris His monu-
ment among the people of the west VIII
be his dear memory. which Will endure
long In the hearts OF those who knew
him,
AS 10 the progress made for good
roads. The meeting year ago outlined
the steps 20 be taken and the legislation
which was afterward enacted into laws
by the state legislature. I am glad to
say the bills received the hearty support
OF our governor. who stands for improve
ment in all public affairs The laws en-
acted year ago are about as perfect.
J believe. as those Of any state interested
hope to achieve the greatest results In
one year, or In FIVE years. IL VIII take
time 70 educate the, people to the neces
sity Of building good roads. And / want
TO say that we should get the idea out
OF our heads that others are 10 build the
roads Tor us; we must do 1t ourselves.
In my Judgment; we should begin by To-
eating and building a great state road
which shall extend from Logan on the
north TO ST. George on the south,
And we should start by building the
first leg of this road between Salt Lake |
and Ogden and extend nortbward and
southwark as fast as circumstances and |
means will permit. The government Is |
willing TO cooperate with the state in |
furnishing expert advice and moral sup
port in, pushing the movement. and be-
fore this convention adjourns j, II
Dodge, an expert from the office of good
roads OF the department of agriculture,
VIII deliver an address from the govern
ment side Of the subject"
Rev. Elmer ], Goshen then offered the |
invocation. after which O, b Matsen |
vice president from Weber county. ef- !
fecttvely moved that the rules governing |
the convention OF n year ago be adopted |
for the guidance OF the present gather
The following committee on resolutions
vas Gas named Mayor William Glasmann,
Ogden Ogden; NJ; NJ, Steele Jr.: Piute county
Grande Woolley. Kane county; o. G. |
Leinhart. Nampa, Ida: Soren Larsen,
Rock Springs. Wyo; d, w. Church. Po-
!, Captain Joseph e. Calne. secretary of
the Commercial club. extended the cour-
tesies OF the club TO the delegates A
vote of thanks was given Mr. Caine and
the club.
Roads Too Wide.
The convention was called to order in
the afternoon BY Chairman John Dern
shortly after O'clock. Owing to de-
unable to deliver his address of welcome
at the morning sermon. and the Utah ex-
ecutige was the first speaker in the aft
Utah is wasting too much ground in
!ts roads. said Governor. Spry. during
the course of his remarks During my
ernors / talked over the good roads prom
osition with many OF the executives or
eastern states. and II Is my opinion that
the roads In this state should not be eight
rods wide, as at present but should not
exceed four rods
in the east a sixteen foot road is con-
sidercd wide enough. Twelve-foot roads
are praised In many quarters and twen-
ty-foot roads are about the limit In
width. 80
"The trouble with our broad roads is
that the weeds and debris that acc,Inu-
lates on either side rdetracts from the an
pearance OF the highway. II is my opin-
lon that the land along our highways not
in actual use should be turned over to
the owners OF the adjoining /property for
] am not PREPARED at this
time TO outline process OF reclamation
But you. gentlemen, In attendance at this
convention should bear in mind that II
Is pretty generally accepted that TWEEN
ty-foot road is, wide enough for all ordi
nary purposes. There Is no need of bur
denins the state, county or city with the
cost OF maintaining uselcssIy wide thor
Urges Legislative Action,
Governor Spry said that he had been
informed by good roads men In eastern
states that gravel made the best kind af
highway and was superior to the differ