The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1912-10-25


, Mrs. Mclean especially urged the
construction Of a national high
way over the old National Pike
the Santa Fe and Oregon trails and
other historic highways. saying that
sentiment must play some part in the
movement il it is to be a success
She pleaded in the name Of the WON,
en- Of the United States that this be
made the route Of the proposed
Ocean-to-O Ocean boulevard. She said
it would be interesting to watch
whether the Bull Moose, or one Of
the other two animals would first
tread its TRAIL
Mr.. w. w. Finley, president of the
Southern Railway and vice-president
of the American Highway Association
struck a popular chord by his dis
cussion of Good Roads and the High
Cost of Living, stating in this con
nection that the cost Of living could
be reduced only by increased produc'
ton on the farms Of the country and
that this increased production could
be brought about only by the i'm
provement Of the highways of the ma
ton. He spoke of the direct and posi-.
tive influence Of good roads in the de-
velopment Of the u of the
| country and said that improved high.
ways and the railroads we're supple.
mental and very helpful to each other.
+ Col. Spencer Cosby, representing
the Corps Of Engineers Of the United
States Army gave IN interesting &C.
count Of the part the United States
Army Engineers have played in the
good roads movement. Referring to
the we'll known saying that an army
marches on it's stomach he added but
the keeping up Of the efficiency of
the army is largely q matter Of good
roads" He explained that while the
army has always kept in touch with
the most improved methods of road
construction and has done its share
towards the development Of these
methods. the most notable road work
Of the army has been that Of the pi-
once. in the vanguard Of civilization.
A most interesting and instructive
paper on Surveys and Location Of
Roads," was presented by Mr.. Gervais
Lombard, Acting Highway Engineer
of Louisiana, and was well received
by the Congress.
The writer took his frst dip" in
the Atlantic Ocean in the company
and under the protection Of Mr.. Ger.
vais Lombard. who IL IN expert and
graceful swimmer AZ we'll a. . pro-
ficient road builder.
Col. VIM. D. Sohier, Massachu-
sets Highway Commissioner. who
presided at the legislative session held
under the auspices Of the American
Bar Association. pleaded for the elm
ination Of politics in this nationwide
movement for improved highways.
He declared that politics must be
weeded out" and that tenure of Of.
flee was the most important step in
this direction.
Col. Sohier said that ten per cent.
OF all amounts appropriated for road
construction should be set aside for
engineering purposes. and no addi-
tional money should be spent until
the engineering department had COM
pletely worked out its course. Az an
instance Of the wisdom Of this course
he cited a conversation he had with
James J. Hill, the railroad magnate.
in which Mr.. Hill had told him that
he had spent five years in working
out a route through the Rockies in
an cea to ocean railway route,
while the route was actually built in
two years. when the route was
completed" Mr.. Hill was quoted as
saying. "our engines could haul twice
as many cars over its grade as the
could over other systems.
so that when 1t came to making rates
the heads of the other systems had
to come to me-"
President Taft. who was on the
program for an address. had to cancel
the engagement by order Of his physi-
clan. and this was a great disappoint-
ment to the Congress.
An illustration Of the keen interest
taken by the United States govern
in the work Of the American
Road Congress was furnished in the
presence Of Mr.. Lee McClung. Treas
of the United States, who pre-
sided over the meeting of the Finance
Section of the Congress. and in The
address delivered to the Congress by
Mr.. p v DeGrav fourth asSictan-