The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1912-10-25
AMtkILAN ROAD CONGRESS.
An Account Of the 1912 Session, With Side
Comments and Personal illusions.
BY Dr.. ~. r. MOSS.
g. ria,.

was held in Richmond. Va. in the
year 1911. 1t had it's birth in the con
viction that the time had come when
all of the agencies striving for the
common cause of road improvement
should work together to the end that
the experience of each and every
organization should be utilized ~ q
guide to the work Of each and every
ether organization: and that In the
consideration Of plans and policies
which were too broad to be determin'
ed by any single organization, there
should be a way by which the inter
ested parties could come together and
consider Them: and. finally. that the
entire movement for better roads
should be systematized and placed on
the plane of earnest and efncient eft.
fort that the importance of the sub
ject demanded
The second American Road Con.
gress wal held in Atlantic City. New
Jersey, Sept. 80, to Oct. s, 1912. and was
unique in the annals Of the good roads
movement, according to MIR. Logan
Waller Page. Director of the United
States ONCE Of Public Roads and
president of the American Road Con-
gress. Unique In the fact that 1t en-
listed the interest and support Of the
American Highway Association. the
American Automobile Association. the
National Association Of Road Aateri-
a and Machinery Manufacturers. the
American Bar Association, the Socie-
~ for the Promotion Of Engineering
Education and the Bankers' Associa-
tons in many States.
In his address Of welcome delivered
1t the opening session Of the Ameri-
can Road Congress in Atlantic City,
Gov. Woodrow Wilson aroused the
snthusiasm Of the I'VE hundred ON.
eial delegates assembled there from
every section Of the United States. By
not only placing himself on record a.
being heartily In favor Of the con
struction Of good roads throughout
the nation. but Of the extension OF
Federal aid in accomplishing this
work. This attitude was q source Of
utilization to the men wrestling with
TIE problem. Of reaching some; plan
whereby the work Of road building
may be facilitated; and not only afths
State on1cials gathered there. but al
- eminent engineers and representa-
tiyes Of automobile associations
warmly congratulated Governor Will
non on his attitude at the close Of his
sodress. 10 sd
. Every State in the Union was reps
resented ct the Congress-. - we'll -
1erty different road associations
Canada had delegates in attendance.
and France also.
It was the largest and most influ-|
entail gathering ever assembled In
the interest Of good roads in this
country. Sixty manufacturers of
road machinery, or OF materials that
enter into the construction Of roads, |
we're represented at the Congress,
and their exhibits of machinery and
materials we're Of a most interesting
and instructive character. Presi-
dent Page stated that never. before
have there met in America so many
people OF 30 many interests having
for their object the betterment Of the
public roads. /
The writer was impressed with the
high eAucative value of this exhibit
ton of machinery and material en-
in the construction of roads:
and, having in mind the mutual ad-
vantage it would be to all parties
he presented the claims
Of the Southwestern Louisiana Indus
u A01 1ucLAtulc at l<dIdycttc " tIlt
manager of one Of the larg.
ut manufacturing concerns represen-
ed at the congress, which claims
will likely receive recognition in the
Eorm of a gift or continued loan Of
IN outfit OF machinery suitable for
practical demonstration in road build
ng on and around the Institute cam
)us.
Twelve States, among which Vir-.
yinia, the Carolinas and Tennessee
II the South, had exhibits consisting
or the most part of photographs and
maps, although some of the States y
models Of the roads which p
hey are now building. y +
The exhibit Of the United States 2
attracted by far the
greatest attention, showing at a
Elance, as it were, 2.400 years of
load building, beginning with the
lppian way, built by Rome in the