The Washington times., 1911-02-12
WILSON TELLS Of
GOOD ROADS WORK
Secretary of Agriculture
Cites Efforts to Improve
the Highways.

No class Of people in this country are
more interested in the subject Of good
roads than the motorists, and to them
that portion of the annual report OF the
Secretary of Agriculture dealing with
this important question Is OF particular
interest.
Secretary Wilson says that the De-
partment, while endeavoring by practi-
cal demonstration and scientific expert
ment to improve methods of construc'
ton and maintenance, has lost no oppor-
tunity of awakening the public to
proper appreciation of the great eco
nomic importance Of road Improvement
and the necessity for reform in the
management of the public roads. by
reason Of a rather remarkable combi-
nation OF conditions the immediate pres
ent may be considered the most import
ant in the history of road improvement
in the United States" says Secretary
Wilson.
Old Systems Breaking.
The old systems of road administra-
tion, involving the principle of extreme
localization. are fast breaking up, and
new systems, involving the principle Of
Capitalization. are taking their place.
Road administration, therefore, Is in a
transitional or formative stage, and II
Is Of the utmost Importance that the
movement be directed along right lines.
TT Is 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 necessi-
tated an equally radical departure from
OLD methods of construction and main
tenance. II will thus be seen that the
entire subject Of road Improvement. in
vOlving administration, construction and
maintenance. Is passing through an eX-
ceedingly important period, in which the
educational and scientific work Of this
branch of the Government service
should prove of the greatest value.
During the past year the office Of
public roads has continued giving in
struction in the methods of road build
ing 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. The
advisory work of the office during the
year covered a wide field, relating to
construction Of various types Of roads,
surveys, use Of convicts in road work,
bridge construction, maintenance. use Of
the split-log drag. road materials, ef-
fest of motor vehicles on roads, the is
suance Of bonds for road improvement.
the drainage of roads. and other work
along similar lines.
The office is assembling reliable data
as TO the progress Of road improvement
in the United States and the relation OF
roads to agriculture. Through an or
In all parts Of the United States the
office soon will be in a position to re-
ceive prompt reports of progress along
all lires. This Information will be dis
seminated in such way that the work
In the various States can be correlated
a nd Hn-nrdinafPd IN minimize the
duplication which is now SO much in
evidence. In the routine testing and
examination of road materials great
progress has been. made along estab-
lished lines.
Culverts and Bridges.
The need for better culverts and
bridges for our public highways is be-
coming evident both from the point OF
economy and safety for the public.
Information on the subject in suitable
form has been in the past. and still
remains, fragmentary and scattered.
Detailed information on this subject is
now being collected
During the past year the work of
the office relative to the investigation
OF the problems of dust prevention and
road preservation has advanced rapidly.
Routine tests or analyses of bituminous
road materials made in the laboratories
during the past year were more than
double the number made during the
preceding year. A number Of these ex-
aminations were made in conjunction
with the experimental field work of the
office Through its laboratory work
the office has been able to offer valua-
BILE advice in regard to specifications for
bituminous road binders, and IN many
instances to frame such specifications
upon request Of various public service
bodies. A number OF the State high
way commissions have profited by this
opportunity"