The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1911-10-13
The American Association
of Highway Improvements

E. J. James, president of the Uni
versity of Illinois; James McCrea,
president OF the Pennsylvania rail-
road; Bryan Lathrop. Lincoln Park
commission, Chicago; John Goodell,
editor of the Engineering Record;
Walter Page, editor of Worlds Work
Leonard Tufts, president of the Cap
ital Highway Association; Lafayette
Young, former United States SEN
ator from Iowa; w. w. Finley, presi-
dent of the Southern railway; James
5. Harlan, Interstate commerce COM
missioner; Alfred Noble, past presi-
dent American Society Of Civil En-
gineers, and a number of other prom
inent men.
Since the American Improvement
associations throughout the country
have Joined as associate members
the lumber of such affiliating orga-
nizations, including the Ohio Good
Roads Federation; Capital High
way Association, embracing the At
lantic seaboard; the International
Leagues for highway Improvements,
with headquarters in New York: the
Arkansas Good Roads and Drainage
Association, New Santa Fe Trail AS
ISOLATION, Good Roads Club of Geor-
gia, Gulf Coast Good Roads Associa-
ton, Mountain Society Of Engineers,
Southern Appalachian Good Roads
Association, North Carolina Good
Roads Association, Oregon Associa-
ton for highway Improvements, In
diana Good Roads Association.
Aroostook County Good Roads As
ISOLATION of Maine, Southeastern
Kentucky Good Roads Association,
Knox County Good Roads Associa-
ton and the Memphis-to-Bristol
Highway Association.
President Taft has shown his
strong approval of the purpose and
character OF the association by ac-
cepting an invitation to become
regular member. He announces his
acceptance Of the invitation to Join
the association in the following LETT
ter to President Page:
81 am much interested In the work
of the American Association for
Highway Improvement. and am in
full accord with its aims and pur-
poses. consider the lines on which
the association is working to be
thoroughly sound. and with such
men as you have associated with
you much should be done TO better
the conditions of our public roads.
1T gives me much pleasure to
accept the kind invitation extended
by the board of directors to become
member OF the association.
I wish the organization every sue
cess in its splendid work.
wM. II. TAFT"
The President has been invited TO
\ address the Richmond convention
and II the condition of his legista-
tive program In congress permits him
4 to leave Washington at that time he
twill accept the invitation. Other
men OF national prominence will be
among the speakers and the plat
form will be crowded with men of
national and even international fame
That the convention will be a pro-
nounced success by the hearty CO.
operation OF the United States Office
of public roads, which will have one
OF the largest exhibits, and the Smith
sonian Institute. which has consent
ed 10 exhibit its models showing the
progress OF. the means OF transport
tation from period TO period in the
history OF the world
The American Association for
Highway Improvement. which is
holding the convention. and its allied
Organization was formed 10 act as
clearing house 70 all existing or
CARNATIONS working for road inn
provement and maintenance and to
correlate their work. II Is believed
that the convention and congress at
Richmond will offer an opportunity
for a full and free exchange Of IDEAS
which should give strength and Inn
petus TO the work now going on IN
all Of the states.
Largely as 4 result OF the syste-
matte campaign that is being waged
Il by the American association there
has been a great revival in road Inn
proYement all over the country and
as much as $1,000. 0No day Is be-
ing spent for road improvement at
/ the prestn time The association IS
aiding all is allied organizations IN
preaching the economic Importance
OF improved roads and Is helping 70
form hundreds OF new organizations
in localities where the road improve
ment campaign has not yet permat-
ed.
II will be shown at the conven-
ton that BY improving 20 per cent.
Of the roads OF the United States al
most the highest point OF efficiency
would be reached and an annual
saying OF between one-half billion
and a billion dollars would be effect
ed each year. President Page es-
Inmates that certainly not lsss than
onc-half billion and very probably a
billion dollars would be saved In the
reduced cost OF transportation Of
crops and other products throughout
the country and the saving In the
wear and tear on wagons and car
riages and automobiles and the In
creased usefulness OF horses and
mules. SIR. Page figures that the
increase in land value alone will pay
for all road improvements
ern Good Roads.