Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-03
MUCH MONEY WASTED
IN HIGHWAY BUILDING
Don't Neglect Local Roads for
Great Trunk Highways,
Is Warning.

That much Of the road money spent In
counties and townships is wasted through
ineffective methods is recognized as
VIGOROUSLY true by the national
grange monthly, which strongly advises
the local oranges not to neglect the
roads near at home while taking an
active interest in accomplishing great
trunk highways for state and nation"
1t is set forth that these local roads form
a part of the general scheme OF high
ways and should receive their fair share
Of attention, though this is not a matter
of national concern, but 1t does believe
that more careful attention to local roads
and road expenditures is imperative. 1t
also believes that every grange every
where should be interested in and re-
sponsive to the large grange policy as q
whole, for good roads everywhere, state
and national"
1.-The roads of a country naturally re-
solve themselves into four classes; local
or township, county. state and national,
and in their construction and main
tenance the township, county. state and
nation each carries its special responsible
ity and should be endowed with its special
function" asserts Chairman George G.
Diehl Of the A. A. A. national good roads
board.
THE local roads are of sole interest to
the communities, and their cost should
not be passed on to the national govern
ment Some local roads in every COM
munity become county roads in their
uses, and some county roads become
state roads by virtue OF the trafhc they
carry. When these changes IN travel
occur then should also come the change
in responsibility and administrator. Like
wise, some state roads become national
in scope and Importance.
''They reach from great center to great
dominant commercial Importance. While
accommodating the travel from the
farms to the market places along their
routes, they also provide for the
through travel: 1t must be remem.
bered that road traffic of today Is not
limited to that from farm to market
place, but extends from village to VII
lage, from county to county, from city
to city, from state to state.
Trucks Are transportation Factors.
Motor trucks must be reckoned with
as factors in transportation Their
economic advantage In short hauls Is
causing their adoption by hundreds
where the roads have been improved,
and the vast extension Of their use
only waits for the roads to be built.
Their fullest utilization will come when
all the main roads Of the country are
constructed TO thOhA. IA
and near the large centers of popula-
ton they are rapidly displacing horses
in the transport of commodities.
Civilization has never witnessed such
q change as has taken place In the
transportation Of persons and goods In
the past ten years. With the railroad
for the carriage of through freight
good roads and automobiles will round
out and complete perfect system OF
transportation, and thread together
the energies of the nation a happy
expression used by President woodrow
Wilson in his address to the American
road congress.
This years gathering. in the hold
ing Of which the American Automobile
Association co-operates with the Amer
can Highway Association. will take
place in Detroit, Mich. during the
week of September 20, with indications
of being the most comprehensive roads
convention ever held in this country.
The National Association of Road Ma
terial and Machinery Manufacturers
will exhibit at this Asngress."