Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1912-05-27

great amount of traffic, both from
automobiles and the heavy trucks
bringing vegetables and produce to
market from the kitchen gardens of
Long Island, soon began to make its
impression upon this splendid road.
The little depressions and spots Of
warning began to appear, and what
measures were taken to arrest the nat
ural decay of this road? None. The
little depression was allowed to deep
en- into a rut and then into a hollow
and then into chasm, perhaps; but
there were no repair gangs at work,
and within short time the work of
| disintegration had set in, and within
twelve months the Boulevard was In
little better condition than before II
had been relaid
In New Jersey the great artery of
travel is the turnpike connecting New
York via Jersey City with Newark.
llSlblN VI lilN lbuu 10 NNl
liar to thai of the Hoffman Boulevard.
II was entirely rebuilt in 1910, and
during 1871 II was a magnificent road
way. Today II Is wreck, and one is
fortunate If he can drive over 1t slow
ly without broken springs. A similar
case may be cited in the roadway CON
Meeting Springfield with Plainiield,
New Jersey. This road is much less
used than the other roads mentioned
above, but in the autumn of 1910 1t
was entirely rebuilt, and for a few
months II was as magnificent a bit of
road as any motorist could desire. 1t
was left to its fate, like most of our
roads, however, with the result that
by the summer of 1911 It was in sad
condition and in some places hope
lessly full of rults and holes.
What policy should we follow in
order to reach IA better condition of
affairs? The keynote of good roads is
UPKEEP. without such upkeep no
lOtu, UO"tNtl wei VIII thuul u
on European roads the traveller will
notice piles of broken stone all along
the roadside. ever ready for the use
Of the road repairer. 1t is difficult TO
ride far on any road in France or Ge-
many, or even in Italy, without find
ing a few, perhaps only one or two,
road repairers at work. The traveller,
here, hardly ever meets the repairer
at work. He comes from time to time
to bar across the road with the
warning, Road closed Under con-
struction."
Which method is the better and
sounder of the two? Shall we con-
time to build roads under contract
and then leave them to their fate, or
shall we limit somewhat Our plans for
road construction, husband our re-
sources, and retain part OF the
money that could be used for con-
struction in the work. of conservation?
Construction without conservation is
futile. What measures should be TAX
en- to protect localities from the I'M
wise use of its funds? In the first
place. II is necessary that the public
should be educated to the needs of
the situation. The Taxpayers must
take an interest in the road question
in each locality. They must see to II
that they have men of probity and dis
erection as road masters. They must
insist that an adequate measure of the
amount of the budget in each locality
be used for work of conservation. Ac-
cOrding to the laws of the locality in
which they live, they should inform
themselves as to what body Is re-
sponsible for the condition of the
roads, and such person or body should
be held strictly accountable for their
stewardship. Unless some such course
is followed, we shall probably see lit
tie or no improvement in our highway
copdition, no matter how much money
we may pour out in road construction.
There is at present a bill providing
for the expenditure of s50,000,000 in