Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-22
IMPRv Wing AMERICAN HIGHWAYS

During the present fiscal year more
than $1,7Qo.OoO will be spent, under fed
eral approval, for the i'm
Heavy provement of national
FL. roads, while an almost equal
sum will more than likely be
expended by the various states individ-
uhlly OF the money to be expended I'M
der federal approval, S5o0OoO represents a
congressional appropriation which was
made for the Improvement of good roads
in all states provided the states them
selves gave 81 for every 81 given by the
United States government In add ton
to this also is the regular appropriation
of the office of public roads. under which
branch OF Uncle SANS service the money
viii be used. This Appropriation tbs
year amounts to 500, 100.
No one of the government bureaus has
a more far-rea ching power for benefit to
the people of this country at large than
has the office of public roads. Good roads
affect the country generally. from the
busy farmer who uses them for haul NJ
immense loads of marketable produce
down to the smallest schoolboy trudgins
his unwilling way to the rural school
house. Good roads mean the betterment
Of the country as a, whole. In this DAY
and generation bad roads are sign OF
unprogressiveneSs
The office of public roads is engaged
primarily in educational work. 1t directs
it's energies to gathering, developing ana
imparting information on the subject OF
public roads; subject which has al
vanced from one of relative obscurity to
one of Importance. This information is
obtained from two chief sources. First,
that initiated and carried out by the Of
flee staff and, second, work originated
and completed wholly Independent of the
office. which, however. the office under
takes to record and assimilate.
Equipped in every way to meet the de-
mands of the work being carried on. the
Office of public roads rep
Clearing resents clearing house
for road matters. A phys
nouSe. ical laboratory. machine
shop. chemical laboratory and petro-
graphic laboratory, floor devoted 10 the
engineering force, a filerOom ana faclii-
ties for economic and statistical work.
Photographic laboratory, library ana
workroom for building road models make
up this equipment, which. with the adoeo
advantage Of being located in an entire
building given over to this work, makes
possible the highest type of work.
In the laboratory road stones from any
part of the country are tested Tree VI
charge At the present time an exhaust
i've experiment is being carried on to de
termine the behavior of OF. concrete, Wnlcl
was originated .n-the office in 1911. Iht
work of the photographic laboratory con
sists at the present time In determlnns
| the possibilities for using Stag screenings
mixed with Portland cement or lime 1ol
road purposes. The chemical laboratory
| work consists partly of examining
bituminous road materials and 'nVesueal
| ing their properties. The work is carried
| out I'm conjunction with service tests II
| the field Another line of work carried
| out here is the investigation OF material:
| and waste products which may prove VI
| value in road construction.
The engineering force is organized 1ol
! the construction of object lesson roadS
and to offer consultation on diH1cultle:
| and special road problems. Realizing tht
need for trained highway engineers, ths
| office inaugurated a plan in l:oo where
| by a number of graduates in engineering
| re Amounted each year from engineering
! schools and colleges after competitive
| examinations These men constitute par
| of t. engineering force, and beside:
| being given a thorough training In roae
| building they render practical service u
! the government. An efficient corps o.
! highway engineers is thus prepared u
| carry out road building along correc
| lines. A number of engineers from tn'
| office are already connected with state
and county highway departments in va
| r!ous parts of the United States whll'
| several are retained in the government
/ service.