The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1912-03-18

congress approved March 3, 1898, max
ing appropriation Of $4,000 for the de-
partment of agriculture. The clause
relating to this work provided that the
secretary of agriculture should make
inquiries in regard to systems Of road
management throughout the United
States, make Investigations in regard
to the best methods of road making,
prepare publications on this subject
and assist agricultural colleges and ex-
pertinent stations in. disseminating in
formation. - : = =: =.
Since 1903 the total amount appro-
priated for, the Office of public roads is
SS64, $50, and since it's establishment
the office has issued 40 bulletins, 95
circulars, 8 farmers bulletins, q year
book reprints and 1S annual reports. a
total Of 1873 publications
The Office has directed the construc.
ton Of about 346 object lessons and
experimental roads, illustrating macad-
am, bituminous macadam, brick, gray
I'll, sand-clay, shell and earth construc-
ton. The approximate expenditure on
these object lessons and experimental
roads by local authorities has been
5000, ,762, and the subsequent road work
due directly to the object lesson roads
represents expenditures running we'll
up into millions. Lectures and person
al advice by engineers and experts have
constituted a prominent feature of the
work Of the Office since its establish.
ment. The road material laboratory
was installed in December, 1900, and
from that time to July /, 1911, about
$3.50 samples of road material have
been received from practically every
state in the Union and tested to deter
mine their character and value for road
building.
A Photographic laboratory was in
stalled in January, 1909, and has now.
a complete outfit This was the direct
result Of great need for illustrated
lectures. The Office has now a collec;:
ton of about 5000 negatives and about
5000 slides. many Of which have been
colored. These illustrate all phases of
road work -- .--' ......-.--..-
Experiments have been conducted
with oils. tars. rock asphalt and vari.
Gus preparations for the purpose Of
preventing dust and preserving mac
adam roads from destruction under
modern traffic conditions. The Office
has conducted investigations to deter.
mine the feasibility Of the sand-clay.
method of road building in the south:
ern states as we'll .>as in the prairie
states, and this method Of construction
has been found to be quite practicable.
especially in the south.
A study of the construction of roads,
Of natural soils by treatment with as
phaltic oils. has been made and was
published In circular No. 30. The Office
is conducting Investigations on the use
Of Stag as d road material and the
Improvement of sand roads in parts Of
the country where clay is not accessi-
ble:z Practical efforts have been made
toward bringing about the more gener.
al use Of the split log drag in the main.
tenance Of earth roads 4 ::.s
One Of THE unique and striking
exhibits at the Alaska Yukon. Pacific
exposition consistedof a series of min
iature models illustrating every known
type Of improved road and the various
road building devices. such as rollers
and crushers. in actual operation.
This exhibit was designed and prepar-
ed by the office, and since the exposi-