The Washington herald., 1911-09-24

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the exception of the driver of the pilot
car. every participant in this event was
private owner and not one of them
had ever been farther West in a motor
car than Chicago. All OF them had been
touring abroad, some few of them for
five or six seasons. At the conclusion
of the trip, which was made without the
least mishap and on schedule time, all
voted the journey as one of the most
pleasant which they had ever made.
Press reports are received every day
Of some party making a trip into a hith-
ertO unknown part Of the United States
so far as motoring conditions are con-
cerned. One and all they agree on the
point that the roads are either in good
condition or such work is being done on
them that they will soon be in first t-class
shape for automobile touring. Endurance
runs have been held with a twofold OBJ
ject in view-first, the demonstrating of
cars entered to cover certain pre-
scribed route. and. second. to stimulate
interest in the gOod-rOads movement
among the people residing along the
route.
American Highways Poor.
Poor condition Of the American high
ways and the consequent inconvenience
they caused in motoring over them has
been the main reason why American
automobile owners have preferred the
highways abroad for touring during their
vacation days.
1t is conceded by all that the automo-
bile has done more than anything else
to develop outlying property. Many
wayside inn that before the advent OF
the railroad did a prosperous business
would be forced to close its doors were
it not for the automobile which passes
its doors and Oftentmes halts in front
of the hOstelry famous for a decade or
more for its cuisine.
At first the farmer was opposed to the
automobile because he felt that they
were crowdlng him off what he had
thought his inherent riSkt-the pike Prob
ably built seventy years ago and then
left to care for itself, and a few years
ago nothing but stone pile. all the top
surface having worn away, but since i'm
proved
He has found his mistake, however,
and to-day in the Middle West the largest
number of automobile owners. as well
as the biggest boosters for good roads,
are the farmers themselves. They have
come to the -ealiZation of the fact that
automobiles have brought distant places
closer together as we'll as brought pros
perity to the community.
Lax in Their Duties.
From the time the Romans built the
AppiGn way DIP to the present expert
ments have been conducted in road con-
struction. Federal and State aid has
been lent to the project, and private in
dividuals have subscribed to a road
fund. Much of this money was. however,
wasted. as those intrusted with the work
either did not understand their business
ar 1a n q of
duties.
It was not until the United States gov
ernment created the Office of public
roads as a branch of the Department
of Agriculture that the work really be-
came systematized. a series of expert
ments We're conducted, and it was found
that for the hOrse-drawn vehicle the
macadam road answered. all the require
ments. With the advent of the autOmO-
bile. a much faster mode of travel, 1t
was found that these roads rapidly wore
away.
Before they came into popular use
highway engineers figured that more than
half OF the wear on macadam road
Was due L the action of the horses feet
and they consequently, welcomed the ad-
vent of the soft pneumatic tire, thinking
that it would have a beneficial effect on
the road surface. AS the number Of
j
crease. IT was found that the cost of
maintenance also increased, owing to
the excessive amount of dust which they
raised and consequent wearing away of
the road surface.
~ During the past week the Office Of
public roads has been taking a series OF
moving pictures on roads in the vicinity
of Washington, using a model 81 Buick,
driven at different rates of speed, vary
ing from five to sixty miles an hour, to
show just how the road surface Is worn
away by rapidly moving automobiles and
to what extent at different rates OF speed
These pictures Show that the highway
is denuded to a great extent of the fine
binding material resulting in the larger
stones which form the foundation becom-
ing loose and allowing the water to find
its way freely to the foundation and
thus undermine the roadhed.
For a number of years the office of
public roads has been experimenting
with different materials which Will suit
both automobile and horse-drawn traffic,
but as vet have arrived at no definite
conclusion Highways have been devised
to suit one kind Of traffic. but nothing
which Is adaptable to both has been hit
upon as vet. Concrete roads are subject
to but little wear by automobile traffic,
but prove very Injurious to horses feet
Tie moving pictures recently taken in
the District and Virginia are new move
in the work of road building. 1t Is hoped
by their aid to be able to arrive at some
conclusion as to how roads can be built
to withstand both automobile and horse
traffic. In addition to this they VIII be
shown to the public In the theaters Of
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