White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1913-09-21

work. and a very careful census is
now kept.
curiously enough we are forced to
admit there is a possibility that the
natural soil road will play an i'm
portant part in the future. The natur-
al soil road we'll drained and crown
ed is a most comfortable road during
a large part of the year.. Will Ii not
be economical to give the earth and
gravel road a thorough trial? In the
past gravel and earth roads have not
been scientifically cared for. 1t is
now known that, with persistent
dragging, natural soil roads may be
kept in splendid condition except in
the very worst weather. 1t has not
yet been demonstrated that an earth
road built with the same are for
grading, alignment and drainage
bituminous macadam road, or a brick
road, may not, after all, be a very
economical type of road if properly
maintained. If traffic on such a road
develops in the future, there will ne
IN excellent foundation for a super
ior surface. One reason that natural
by modern highway engineers is be-
cause such roads have never been
maintained with sufficient continuity
and care to demonstrate what they
can do. There is no doubt that a
well-built sand-clay road, where the
materials are carefully selected, is a
most excellent highway. 1t will stand
up under considerable traffic, and
is very comfortable for automobiling.
OF course, such a road must be main
tanned by skilled labor continuously.
When 1t comes to the economic
benefit of the automobile, we face a
problem comparable to the problem
ton. The movement of passenger
coaches is not always of direct econo-
mic value, and yet such t%ransporta-
ton is an absolutely necessary feature
of our modern life. 1t Is quite COM
mon to hear it stated that the auto
mobile is a pleasure vehicle. In the
beginning of the automobile move
ment. the pleasure travel was doubt
less very large. but it Is certainly not
true today that motor vehicles other
than trucks are all pleasure vehicles.
A large number of them are used for
business purposes, in the same sense
that the railroad car is so used.
There has been an extensive readjust-
ment of land values in many parts of
the country since the advent of The
automobile. Suburban property has
been in greater demand, speed in
travel all over the country has favor
ed business development. OF course.
no one denies that a large part of au-
tomoble travel is still purely for re-
creation and enjoyment. The need
of organized recreation and enjoy
ment for the more densely populated
areas of this country cannot be de-
MED. The automobile has become a
social force. The increased cost Of
highways is merely an incident which
indicates the directions in which our
people are willing TO increase their
expenditures.
Perhaps of more direct economic
significance than any item which has
yet appeared is the increasing use of
the automobile truck in farming OPP
erations. Apples are hauled by
motor truck in Virginia and Oregon,
cotton in Mississippi. potatoes in
Maine, and so on. The possibilities
of increasing the service of motor
trucks in collecting cream. transport
ing perishable fruits. and kindred OPP
erations are immense. When the use
of such truck becomes common, the
construction of roads will have
reached a more scientific stage than
ever before because the demand for
such service will be exacting. While
thinking on these matters it must be
remembered that progress in the
economic development of t%ransporta-
ton and distribution methods is an
essential and inevitable feature of
our modern life.
The Third American Road o n
gress which occurs in Detroit, Sep
TENDER % to October 4, inclusive,
will have one section devoted entire
ly to the discussion of the technical
features of highway engineering. As
there will be present at this gathering
most of the highway commissioners
of the states actively engaged in road
building, there should result from the
meeting many valuable conclusions as
10 the present stage of construction