The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-02-01
TIFF FARMER AND MECHANIC

of Raleigh 1or
u extended to us of the u9.o,
their rooms anu
furnished us. Moot no.
FTote. uas presided over by
Iosanh Hyde Pratt, State Geolog,n.
"a "a cacretary Of the Norm Caioa
800 roads Associations, WHO me-
tbe principal address. others w T.
ne H. neeting were Messrs w.
Snoon Burlington; F. Stlheleaaa,
AsheyiIle; NJ. L. Shipman' Hfenu 80
ville. the Commissioned OF l~aool am.
Printing; A. Marlboro, Wli9'oA ~ p
G.. H. Thompson, rhomn-
Hudson. 7. r. Young, All. a. noip
snn d r. Elias Carr Aioei'
7 GOV w. + RANSOM, r. II. Jonto'
W q Allen, 7. w. Fenner. r.aie5'
q McArtan. Ellington; A. Is,
son Yanceyville; John A. 1oun5'
w Snruiu Orritsnee, D. Mct1achein,
Wilmington: J. 2. Campbell Braolo,d
Knapp, Washington, l.. - Geo,at
Morton, Wilmington; X ~ w
Rruce: r. c. Clayton, AsneVllie,
II T~urlington, Duke; c. q. WITH
Greensboro: George l.. Jones' oIllllh-
field. Samuel E.. Cobb, Climax; iona
nan Evans. Fayettevillei William H.
Williamson, Raleigh; S. {. Vah,ls
Franklinton: William A. Wynne' tSai-
eiah. Frankli S. Clark, NeWtoh'
lake Smith. Fayetteville; j. A. Ear
h-m. Fayetteville; fl. {. warner, Lex
ington; J. G.. Majette, Como; Jonn T.
Vann, Winton; Fl T. Cohoon' Eiiza-
beth City: Maj. w. A. CON-
missioner of Agriculture.
The principal address of the meet
ing was made by DR.. Joseph HYDE
Pratt and this was followed by a dis.
cDssion in which q large number OF
delegates took part. mere were
morning and afternoon sessions, ana
at the close of the meeting the deie-
gates were taken on an
ride about the city. The proceedings
of the meeting were as follows:
The Address of DIR. Pratt.
In his remarks DR.. Joseph Hyde
Pratt said that it seemed now that II
is necessary for the States IN some
form or other. to assist the
in public road work, though the
largest expense should be borne oy
counties and by townships. as they
derived the individual benefit, while
the States are aided. He declared
that three ways are presented: CD BY
appropriations to counties for actual
constructions; CD by giving engineer
ing assistance to counties in location
and construction of public roads and
CD by using State conVlcts in good
road construction. He told of work
in other States along these ines and
how they had succeeded and stated
that his idea of State aid was to
give for a term of ears aid in con-
%structing public roads SO that the
work begun in a particular county in
the right way Will go on and result
in the continuance Of good road con-
struction.
AS the best plan for State and he
advocated engineering assistance to
the counties, that it is a thing needed
in the South. His plan is to have the
State create a highway engineering
office and give it sufficient ap-
preparation so as to employ an ade-
quate Number OF road and bridge en-
gineers, so as to conserve the funds
appropriated, hat cad engineering
will help in this, the engineers
pointing out the lines on which work
is to be done, in fact he held that a
road engineer would be the best in
vestment in each county, the road
engineer to be held responsible for
the location of the road. it's proper
grades, the right drainage, the correct
surfacing, and with bridges rightly
constructed in the right places.
In the third place DR.. Pratt en-
phasized the value of State %convicts in
road work in the counties as is done
in Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia.,
and Florida, which he held to be Of
the best advantage. In conclusion
he told of the value Of through lines
of good DAD and cited examples to
show the value of these to the coun-
ties and the State.
Discussion OF Roa Questions.
Mr.. r. c. Clayton, of the Board of
County Commissioners of Buncombe.
endorsed the ideas presented by DR..
Pratt, and declared that Buncombe
county was ready, and that it's COM
missioners had passed a resolution, to
take a hand IN building UP any system
of roads for q through line, such as
had been suggested in relation to the
road from Charlotte, over Gastonia.
shelby, Rutherfordton, Asheville and
on to Knoxville, Tenn. He gave hearty
approval to a State aid system. DR..
Pratt stated that it was most gratifv-
ing to know of the action of the Pm