The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1912-11-14
IN THE REAR RANKS
Minnesota Rich in Agricultural and
Commercial Interests but Back
ward in Good Roads.
That is the Candid Opinion of a New
York Expert Who Has rlade
Personal Investigation.

W. H. Campbell of New York,
special representative of the good
roads board of the American Auto
mobile association, is in Minneapolis
this week to make a study of road
cor ,itions in this state, more partic-
ularly in the vicinity of the twin
cities. The Minneapolis Tribune
quotes him as saying:
II spent few days in this section
six months ago, and found out that,
while Minnesota is rich in agricul-
tural and commercial interests, it
is somewhat backward in the build
ing of good roads. Since then, how
ever, there has been developed a SEN
timent which is more favorable to
passable highways. This has proba-
bly, been brought about by the edu-
cational campaigns which have been
conducted by the various civic asso-
Citations and apostles of good roads.
New York state leads in road
building. Some l,7O0 miles Of BIZ
luminous highways were built this
year at an approximate cost of S27,-
900, 900 and at the recent election the
voters carried the bond issue of
$50, 900, 900 for work in 1913. When
good roads were first agitated in the
east there was some objection from
the farming interests and extra leg
islation was necessary to pass the
highway budgets. But after a few
miles of roads had been built in
different sections of the state and
the farmers saw the economic value
of good roads the sentiment gradu-
ally changed. Today, if a farmer is
located too far away from state
road, he is eXerting every influence
to get branch road built through
his district. AS body the farmers
are today staunch boosters for high
way work, and the vote in the
country districts on the recent bond
issue was strongly in favor of it.
The business men throughout the
east as individuals are also strong
advocates of passable highways be-
cause they realize that the state
highways permit the farmers to get
to the city with their produce at all
seasons of the year and return home
with their city merchandise.
There is probably no one branch
of any state administration which
has advanced so much as that of
engineering and today specialists are
employed to get the best there is out
Of the materials at hand and the
forms of construction used. Eastern
states wasted money for years in
road work on account of the heavy
maintenance charges and it was not
until a standard specifcatio was
adopted for bituminous and concrete
roads that this waste was stopped.
The increased traffic on roads
throughout the country, caused
principally by the motor car and
motor truck, not to speak of the in
creased wagon tonnage, has revolu-
tionized road building and constant
revision of the highway laws has
been necessary to meet this condi-
ton. A dirt road remains always
dirt road no matter how much money
is spent on maintenance. The cost
of upkeep on the bituminous roads
of the east is very small, notWith-
standing that they are the heaviest
travelled roads in the United States.
They are built of various sizes of
stone which is held firm with a
natural asphalt and over this is
placed the binder which is from two
and one-half to three inches thick.
The roads are noted for their ducti-
bility. The surfaces do not exude
oil or pitch under the heat of the
sun, and neither do they become
hard and brittle in cold weather.
1.-The state maintains a close su-
pervision and every contractor is held
to his job as closely as possible in
order to get the proper mixture of
stone and materials.
pretty pictures, pleasing stories,
lantern slide lectures, resolutions
and talk are all right, but what is
needed in Minnesota if good roads
are to be built by the state is dis
played loyalty on the part of the
business men and farmers. The
matter should be put squareIy up to
each assemblyman and senator to
vote for bigger highway appropria-
tions''