New-York tribune., 1912-03-03
I1UPING SEASON OPENING
1,.uscontinentaI Trips Are Be-
coming Popular.
HIGHWAYS BEING BETTERED
..v Parts of Country Smooth
' ;nr Way for the Travelling
Motor Car User.

,s,cstion Of the widespread in
transcontinental touring and con-
pr pl.S ,roof of the dependability OF the
'lh0"e ehro Of to-day are emphasized In
u'o.,,i,lvinr requests for cross country
ths ,atio, made 10 the 4. a. \. touring
ih.0''"e; ,;o, hoard in this city. Within the
INFORM" dovs nearly a hundred inquiries
lSS' ro.e,yed. and the origin Of these was
~ w., equally divided between East ana
West ,t.,, ,,,,,-
- avs finding their way East, ured by
-. move advanced Eastern roads building
ns,h New England still leading as the
-,a touring territory. BY 1915, Judg-
- t.or, stlpendous Western roads unoer-
..ii,es the tide will have turned markedly
,ouard the Golden Gate. The \. A. \.
tureau has in preparation new Seneral
wan. showing the route Of all transcon-
,rental trips that have thus far been
made
7, is because Of this astonishing increase
O. interstate travel that the A. A. A. good
,osds board is pushing so energeucauy ITS
,opntrv wide campaign for federal aid in
,osds construction and maintenance. Ac-
,or5,rc 10 Secretary of State Schmahl OF
Minnesota. the automobile is the forerun-
rer of good roads
The farmer is tho leading good roads
enthusiast" comments Mr.. SchmahL and
re now owns about IL per cent Of the auto
mobiles in the state. When the days work
{, done the farmer now sees To it that his
bo+ses have the needed rest, and instead
~ bitchipg them 10 a vehicle FOR the jour
nov into town he and his family use the
automobile. do their shopping and calling
and return home refreshed. IT is safe
prediction that before 1872 closes there will
10 thirty thousand automobiles doing ser
vice in Minnesota, and greatly increased
percentage will be owned by the farmers"
Down in Texas, the San Antonio Auto
mobile Club has gained more than three
hundred members since the first OF the
year. Secretary Pearson sends this report
lto tho American Automobile Association
headquarters: I'VE arc most enthusiastic
In our attention to good roads. We have
recently logged and marked by very sub
|ttantial metal sign all the roads in BeNar
County. and we are going TO perform SINH
10 Dallas and from san Antonio to Hous-
tor
IN Maine the roads question is receiving
comprehensive treatment, brought about
through the activities Of the Maine Auto
mobile Association. which year ago Sc
cured the passage Of a trunklino highway
hn Commissioner Of Public Roads Brad
bury. Of Portland sums UP the situation
,nd takes into account the growing needs
o. a tfuukline read in these words:
1T behooves Us 10 build the best wearing
foah under existing traffic a. the least pos
She cost. I believe that a concrete road
bed from four 20 six inches thick, according
70 the nature OK the sutscil. surfaced with
bituminous material mixed with sand or
FIRE gravel, comes nearer to solving the
peblem than any other form of conStruc-
non The cost of maintaining such q
ioad Is very low. and Il can he resurfaced
si a moderate cost. though outliving fve
tines the life Of the average bituminous
ms cadam road"
IN Ohio the tendency i'm main roads
tgil6ing IS for vitrifed brick, and miles
LEI this pavement have been laid I'm Cuya-
|i0Sa County. Evidence accumulates that
4 here IS growing belief that trunklines.
bscause Of the more severe traffic condi-
itsrs,- now demand a particularly ragged
EaastTuc.on