The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1910-09-15
GOOD ROADS CONVENTION
At MOUNTAIN LAKE PARK
Three Days Session Interesting and
New Officers Elected.

lIdSI L uGSUdN GA CIllIlS LIlt lllLtI . I'd lG
Good Roads Conference held its first
at Mt. Lake Park. DR.. John f. Couch
er, of Baltimore, presided. About
twenty-five delegates representing that
many counties of Western Maryland
and West Virginia were present. Among
the most distinguished visitors were
Hon. Logan w. Page, Director OF
government; Hon. Chas. P Light, Com
missioner of Public Roads, representing
the state of West Virginia; Col. Elihu
Hutton, representing Randolph county,
w. Va; Chas, Swecker, County Road
Engineer, Barber county, w. Va, and
DR.. Goucher.
The evening address by Mr.. Page
was on "Systematic Road Construction
and Maintenance. 1t was an able and
comprehensive discussion of the subject
pared with England, France, Germany
and other European countries. The
latter nations are far in advance of US
in scientific road building. The system
most prevalent with US was introduced
into England in the reign of Henry VIII
and abolished by Oliver Cromwell.
w me rance Ids JIG Ct-lltL dllatl AOl Ill
Of road building and repairs the results
are superior to England's with the
localized form. Maintenance is the
cause of such excellent European roads
rather than superior construction, and
in this France eXceis, as her repairs are
only "a per cent as much as England $.
The Americans are building some eX-
cellent roads but we are not preparing
ourselves to properly maintain them.
The address was Illustrated with
many stereopticon views Of improved
and unimproyed roads in all parts of the
United States and Europe.
On Wednesday the Conference re-
assembled at 10 a. m. DR.. GOucher in
troduced Charles ?. Light, commissioner
of roads for West Virginia, who said:
The chief thing accomplished so far
this year in West Virginia has been the
awakening of the public relative to the
necessity for correct information per-
tanning to the cost of correctly main
tanning our roads. Education, infOrma-
ton and agitation are equally important
in sensibly solving this most absorbing
problem. Much work of practical ma
ture has been done in a number of our
counties in demonstrating the value of
the split log drag as an earth road
maintainer."
George C. Baker, road engineer, of
MOrgantOwn, was the second speaker
and led general discussion. Joseph
Whitney Shirley, of Baltimore city, eX-
planned what is being done with the
city's share of the 50, 900, 900 good roads
fund, contending for low grade, wide
well located, thoroughly drained and
permanently constructed thOroughfares.
Colonel Hutton. who lives about mid
way between Stanton and Parkers-
burg. on the old Virginia turnpike, con-
structed by the state Is years ago, and
on which there is no grade exceeding
five degrees, spoke enthusiastically of
the great usefulness and permanence of
that highway, although it was eXpen-
sive to build. Elmer Hough, of Wells
burg, w. Va, cOntended that in actual
permanent road building there are three
great points to be considered, VIZ. ::
Proper drainage, proper material and
the foundation below frost line. County
Commissioner Wilson, OF Hartford cCun-
ty, said that because of improper con-
struction with reference to drainage it
would cost as high of 500 or $500 per
mile this year to maintain some sections
| of the Shoemaker roads in his county.
/ The discussion became SO interesting
that an adjournment was not taken I'M
til 1870.
The conference convened again at
As and continued the discussion OF the
general subject Of road-building for the
next hour, and it was with difficulty
that an adjournment was effected at
p. m. This discussion became gener-
al, individuals asking and answering
questions freely Engineer Wilson, of
Preston county, which has l,2OO miles
of highways, advocated the building Of
one great trunk road by the co-opera-
ton OF the adjoining counties and states
and then in time numerous lateral lines
by the counties. r. b. Naylor, Of
| Wheeling, described the excellent re-
suits being accomplished IN Ohio county
/ by the cooperation and support of the
/ general public and the many miles Of
the highest type Of road already con-
structed. EX-Engineer Il Dug h, Of
/ Brook county, gave the plans, about
perfected, for building a 60-foOt bOule-
ward, l6 miles long, to connect Wells
/ boro and Wheeling.
Commissioner Light, of West Nir-
( ginia, by specific and personal ques-
/ tons, drew out the fact that one of the
cheapest and most effective means of
maintaining dirt roads through clay and
/ similar soils is by the use of the split
/ log drag.
Other speakers were NJ. J. Grove, of
/ Limekiln; Mr.. Mckenzie, of Garrett,
and Otto Hoing of Frostburg
For the ensuing year the following
officers were elected: President, r. B.
Naylor, Wheeling; first vice president,
j. w. Shirley, Baltimore; second vice
president, Col Elihu Hutton, Huttons-
vile, W. Va; third vice president, Jos,
D. Baker, Frederick; fourth vice presi-
dent, George C. Baker, Morgantown;
fifth vice president, S, T. Jones. Oak
land; corresponding secretary, w. W..
Davis, Mountain Lake Park; recording
secretary, Lieut.. Z. S. West, Oakland;
treasurer, d. M. Dixon, Oakland; eX-
ecutive committee, Howard Sutherland,
Elkins; A. N. Wilson, Perryman, Md.
Elmer Hough, Wellsburg, W. Va; G.
S. Hamill, Oakland; Charles p Light,
/ Charleston