The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-06-03

Following are extracts from Seer.
tary Wilson's report in the Yearbook
of the Department of Agriculture for
1910, which should be of particular
interest to boards of supervisors in
this Territory. With regard to the
demand for Federal trained road en-
gineers mentioned, it may be said
that Governor Frear when in Wash
ington over two years ago made in
quiry, at the request of Honolulu
supervisor, regarding the chance of
obtaining a road engineer from the
Department of Agriculture in case
the various boards of supervisors here
should be willing to join in employ
ing one for the whole Territory. The
Governor found that the demand for
such men throughout the Union far
exceeded the supply. Secretary Will
son say:
Present Status of Road Improvement.
BY reason of a rather remarkable
combination of conditions, the i'm
mediate present may be considered
the most important period in the his
tory of road improvement in the
United States. The old systems o.
road administration, involving the
principle of extreme localization, are
fast breaking up, and new systems,
involving the principle of centraliza-
ton, are taking their place. Road
administration is, therefore, in
transitional or formative stage, and
it is of the utmost Importance that
the movement be directed along right
lines.
It is a curious coincidence that the
introduction of the motor vehicle at
about the time when these changes in
administration began has brought
about traffic conditions which have
necessitat@d an equally radical de-
parture from old methods of construc-
ton and maintenance. 1t will thus
be seen that the entire subject of
road improvement, involving admin
istration, construction, and mainte-
nance, is passing through an exceed
ingly important period, in which the
educational and scientific work Of this
branch of the government service
should prove of the greatest value.
Object-Lesson and Experimental Roads
During the past year the Office of
Public Roads has continued giving in
struction in the methods of road
building peculiarly adapted to each
locality This instruction has been
given through the medium of object
lesson roads, built at local expense,
under the supervision of an engineer
from the office. That results of con-
siderable magnitude have been accom-
plished under this project is shown
by the fact thai during the past fiscal
year there were completed 1907, $50
: square yards of road, equivalent to
about ia miles of road 10 feet wide
as compared with $1,000 square yards
for the previous fiscal year. Viewed
as q construction record alone, this
would constitute an excellent show
ing, but, when it is considered that
this mileage was made up of 80 object
lesson roads, each constituting mini
atrre school of road building, com
prising 10 distinct types of construc-
ton, it must be evident that this
feature of the departments work is
q powerful factor ir. the promotion
of the movement for tho Deterrent
Of the public roads.
1t is the practice of the office to
inspect from time to time the various
object-lesson and experimental roads,
and to ascertain what has been the
effect of their construction upon the
locality. Last year % object-lesson
roads, aggregating about % miles,
were inspected, and it was found upon
the actual reports of the local Off
Gals in charge that these % short
sections of road had directly resulted
in the building of $50 miles of addi-
tional roads according to the same
method, and had brought about the
expenditure, through bond issues, of
$1,500O00.
instruction in Highway Engineering.
The office has greatly enlarged and
broadened the project relating to the
instruction of engineer students in
practical methods of,road construction
and maintenance. The plan provides for
the appointment each year of gradu-
ate engineers to the position of civil
engineer student. During the first
year of their connection with the OF
flee they are given a most thorough