The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1912-10-22
say the men who know.

vi TIC (OuSsVb0S0 u0tUSCU0UCS OIL
roads after they have been con.
structed, to preserve them 10
their original good condition al
ways.
Just before the close of the Con-
gress the Committee ON Resolutions
submitted a report in which many OF
the suggestions made by various
speakers on tbs preceding days wers
embodied In resolutions.
These resolutions commended the
action Of the Congress of the United
States In inaugurating Federal aid in
the several States Of the Union for
the purpose Of assisting and encourag-
ing them in the building of good
roads, and asked for the further ex-
tension OF such aid, and requesting
that there be established a Federal
Department of Good Roads; recon.
mended to the several States not al
ready provided Herewith the import.
ance of establishing and maintaining
proper schools for the education and
training Of engineers who would
their talents on the highways of such
States; emphasized the need of the
various States and counties providing
adequate funds for the maintenance
of good roads after their construction;
urged the appointment of a commit
tee of three members to confer with
the American Bar Association in re-
gard to formulating uniform laws re-
lating to the building and mainten.
ance of public roads; declared in fa-
vor of the preservation of the old
roads and trails that led to the devel.
opment of the Western section of the
country; recommended to the United
States Congress and to the legisla-
lures Of the various States the enact
ment of proper laws for the employ
ment of convict labor on the high
ways; requested the Congress of the
United States to make provision for
a beautiful highway leading from the
City of Washington to Arlington
Cemetery; expressed its gratitude to
the people of Atlantic City and of the
State of New Jersey for it's hospitabie
entertainment, and extended thanks
to Governor Woodrow Wilson for his
inspiring address.
The American Highway Association
held a largely attended meeting As
a result of it's members having
been brought to Atlantic City by
the American Road Congress, aad
elected the following officers: Presi-
dent, L. w. Page; Director of the
United States Office of Public Roads;
Vice President, w. w. Finley, presi-
dent of Southern Railway; Secretary,
]. E. Pennybacker, Jr., Washington;
Treasurer, Lee McClung, treasurer
of the United States.
The American Highway Association
is the leading and most influential or.
ganization for the improvement Of
highways in America, and the writer
enrolled the Good Roads Committee
Of lafayette in the membership Of
this association, for the good that will
come to our people through the CEN
nection thus formed with the Amer
lean Highway Association.
The American Road Congress fur
nished the opportunity to the writer
Of becoming personally acquainted
with Director Page. Of the Ofice of
Public Roads. This acquaintanship
was of peculiar interest to the writer
in view of the favorable relations he
had been instrumental in establishing
with the Office of Public Roads in
Washington, in connection with the
stretch of shell road constructed In
front of the Industrial Institute at
Lafayette and the model dirt road
forming a continuation of the shell
road.
The first step in scientific road build
ing in Lafayette was made possible
through the financial support given
the undertaking by the Police Jury OF
the parish and the Council of the city
of Lafayette, and the valuable DOL
Grafton of the Southern Pacific Rail-
way Company, which company fur
nished free transportation for the
road machinery and all material nee
essary for the work. The equipment
of road machinery for the purpose
was supplied by the Office of Public
Roads, and the plans and specifica-
tons for the shell road and model dirt
road were prepared and carried out
under the auspices of the Office of
Public Roads and the personal super
vision of expert road builders assign