Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-06-26

blast last Sunday. Being the
first Sunday suitable for touring
in many weeks motorists were
out in droves, and many of them 1eii
into the trap and were forced to pay
before they could get out.
The motorists from Washington were
not the only victims. Motorists from
Baltimore took spins over the boulevard
to the National capital They made 1t
all right I'm the morning coming over,
but when they returned in the evening
few Il any Of the machines were able
to pass over the bad stretch OF road
without getting "mired.'
II was then that some of the natives
got busy and were well paid. Four men
composed the party. and as the hours
of midnight arrived, motorists declare,
the horse and outfit was brought down
to the roadside, where they remained
until the last machine had passed over
the road.
The prices for digging out machines
caught i'm the mud hole varied from 81
to $40. One motorist was charged 81
for nine minutes, under guarantee that
If the machine was not out in ten min
utes II would not be necessary to pay
the bill
In another case SO was demanded to
pull. out seven-passenger car, with the
aid of a horse, the passengers in the
car to withdraw while the work was be-
ing done. The roads in the surrounding
country were hard and dry. yet the mud
holes near Contee were fresh, and the
machines invariably sank deep into the
mud. One motOriSt says that the dirt
<I4
morning. notwithstanding the fact that
the sun shone the entire day on a
stretch of the road that is entirely ex-
posed to the suns rays.
The paraphernalia for rescuing motor
lists was hidden beneath the underbrush
along the sides of the road AS soon
a. the services of the men are engaged
they dive into the bushes and haul out
their working outfits and Immediately
start to work.
New Jersey motorist who happened
to be touring from that state to Wash
ington almost fell into the trap, but was
assured by two cars en- route to this
city. also. that rope was at his dis
posal for hauling him out, il necessary,
rather than accept the offers of the road
side members and add to their Golfers.
1t has been suggested that a 'shovel
run be called, and volunteers requested
to Assist In filling in the holes from the
large quantity of Stag and rock which
abounds the road just south Of the point
in question and in close proximity to the
trap" Another plan is to solicit con-
tributions and employ contractor to
send out a wagon or two and haul the
material referred to and thus remedy
existing conditions. at least for the pres
ent.
II is the intention of the Maryland
geological survey to complete the boule-
ward between Baltimore and, Washington
by changing the present line of the road
20 the west side of the tracks of the
Baltimore and Ohio railroad, which will
thus eliminate two grade crossings and
will connect the fine macadam roadway
which terminates at Laurel and resumes
again at Beltsville. distance of about
four miles.
In connection with the boulevard. the
dnal report OF the work of the highway
division of the Maryland geological sur
vey was issued last week, it being pre-
pared by William Bullock Clark. super.
fntendent of the survey for Maryland /
is accompanied by the final report OF
state highway construction, prepared by
Walter Wilson Crosby, chief engineer
The state commission is composed o
Gov. Austin l. Crothers, president: Joshu:
W. Herring, controller of Maryland; Ira
Hemsen. president of Johns Hopkins Uni
Sersity as executive officer: r. w. Sill
vester President of the Maryland Agri
cultural College, secretary: William Bull
lock Clark, state geologist. and Waite
Wilson Crosby, chief engineer. In refer
ring to the Baltimore Washington roa,
the report reads as follows:
The results of state road construction