Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-11-12
M0RRELL REPORTS
ON ROAD MEETING
OTTUMWAN WHO ATTENDED THE
NORTHWESTERN CONGRESS
TELLS OF TRIP.

TELLS OF TRIP.
The feature of the weekly luncheon
and meeting of the directors of the
Commercial association Tuesday, was
the report of John H. Morrell, who rep
resented the association at the North
western road congress held recently in
Milwaukee The report as given fol-
lows:
Report of committee from the North
western road congress held in Mil
waukee, Wis, Oct. 1881, 1914.
| The first session of the Northwes-
tern Road congress held last week in
Milwaukee was remarkable in many
respects. An attendance of upwards of
500 delegates from the Dakotas, Min
nescta, Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa
! indicated the widespread interest in
good roads at this time. A four day
session with the attendance maintain
ed almost to the end speaks for itself.
The papers were fine. leaders from
various state highway commissions;
state and county engineers dealt in an
interesting and instructive manner with
practical topics, all kinds of roads were
described and recommended according
to varying conditions, such as:
Supply or accessibility of raw ma
terial;
Amount and character of traffic;
Funds available, etc.
A free discussion followed the read
ing of each paper, questions and an
swers were fired back and forth with
machine like rapdity, as result
those engaged in road work were in a
few minutes able to learn from others
their experiences along practical lines.
doubtless saving both time and money.
Iowans were responsible for four pap
ers, three of them from Ames author
tiles and one from county engineer.
Earth or dirt roads in which our To-
cality is much interested was ably dis
cussed by a Mr.. Sargent, engineer OF
the Wisconsin Highway commission,
the essence of which was;
PUT more brains into the work done
on these roads"
Get rid of the water
"Drag in the fall to be ready for the
spring rains
And as result dirt roads will for
many years to come meet the require
ments of many localities where the
natural road conditions are favorable
and traffic moderate in volume. Here
was an opportunity to enquire as to
the real value of oiling dirt roads 1t
brought out from Wisconsin and Min
nesota men that nothing had been done
along that line. Iowa men had the lar
gest experience. All seemed to be 60
ing through the experimental stage.
J Our Ames people were we'll Informed
as to what is going on in our state and
| I am sure we can get from them IN
formation that will be of real value to
us.
OF the 800 delegates about 800 COT
which your commissioner was one) en-
rolled as members of the congress at
a cost of 50, the dues for the ensuing
year and entities us to copies or the
congress record and creates fund for
incidental expenses. Milwaukee enter
tanned royalty, and is we'll equipped
with a large and modern auditorium,
including an amphitheater and conven-
ton hall, the latter with seating ca
pacity of perhaps one thousand, the
former taking care of the exhibits Of
roadmaking machinery, bricks, cement
and other commercial features in addl-
ton to the U. S. government and
state exhibits. Milwaukee is under
stood to have spent about $4,000 on the
congress, encouraged by having been
named as permanent headquarters in
the constitution when organization
took place some months ago, that city
is proclaiming itself the Good Roads
| Capital of America" The idea origin
ated with the present secretary VINO is
secretary of the Milwaukee business
LEAGUE, and in appreciation of his ell
forts the congress reelected the pre-
sent secretary for another year after
contest in which Mr. Agg of Ames
was the other candidate, but the prln-
chile was established that the honors
should be passed around both as TO Of
ficers and place of meeting.
Iowa has the honor of furnishing the
first president, Mr.. Agg, whose term
has lust expired and who has done
large amount of work and is thorough
ly familiar with the needs of the enter
prise. He was succeeded by Min
nesota man.
Our state was well represented.
Bankers, professional and business men
/ were there Dubuque sent an energetic
Representative of their active auto club
of three hundred members to try and
capture the congress OF next year,
Cedar Rapids had four delegates there
with printed pamphlet setting forth
the claims and advantages OF their city
and inviting the congress for,1915. Des
Moines and other cities were after It..
Lamont, Leon and other smaller
Towns were represented, likewise Iowa
City by Mr.. Carson, who is doing so
much for the proposed Chicago, Kan
sas City and Gulf road which it is hop
ed to bring through Ottumwa and make
it the recognized route between Chica-
20 and Kansas City, and there connect
with the road selected by the Southern
California people who are now spend
ing s1,40O in marking the route.
Thus the interest in good roads is
widespread and growing. Economically
the project is sound. we all benefit,
| ~. ;p1i,-ont1v rrnprc and