The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-09-14

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advantage 81 bad rDSus. compared
| to the saving and other advances
of improved roads the great loss
Of q haphaxard. headless, and fruit
less road plan compared to q sys-
tematized. organized and scientifically
arranged and managed road program.
Field Big ono.
The field of the highway engineer
Is a big one. So big that 1t Is far from
being explored. Tho scientific Ques-
ticrs call for years Of labor and re-
search. The sociological side calls
for the highest culture, ana greatest
diplomatic talent available. The adj
ministrative work demands the best
| financial. commercial and business
ability obtainabIe. To get good roads
with the available materiaI and funds
roads that will rende. MAXIMUM
of efficiency with minimum Of; bur
den to the community; to know the
materials within each community and
Ito show the people the advantages and
of their use: to ascer-
tain the needs Of each community and
help devise system Of roads that will
meet the needs without producing a
burden on the taxpayers; TO construct
the roads so that they will be, an
Investment to each community to In
still into the minds Of the people the
need Of a knowledge of road material
and the need of the service Of a man
that has such knowledge, so that they
will get q dollars worth OF service
for each dollar expended; to impress
upon the engineers and the public the
importance Of traffic census, to
start and assist local officials in study
ing the road problems, are parts OF
! department.
In West Virginia. which was the
first state of the Union by legtsla-
tive enactment to require its road
department to be part Of its uniyer-
Isity, and to attach importance to the
educational side Of the work, We have
demonstrated the importance OF the
work and the worth Of the effort. We
have more problems. considering our
area than any other state. The varied
Typographical. geological, and cl.ma-
teal conditions present every phase
OF the road question, but with all
these difficulties we are making pro-
gress Of which we are proud and
which must be credited to the edu-
cational work we are doing.
First Road Schoor.
The first road school was attended
Sby one hundred and xety engineers.
road supervisors, mem ers Of courts
and persons. interested N road I'M
Iprovement. Our second schoo1 was
attended by one hunured and fifty
three persons of like position. A trip
over West Virginia VIII reveal that
the persons attending THESE schools
have improved tie earth roads Of the
lstate in every community represent
ed, and the road funds Tor 1915-l6
will be more than six times the
amount for 1894. The standard
of our bridges has bee greatly i'm
proved and the people or the whole
state are awake TO then needs so
much SO that we are taxed to our
limits to meet the demands with the
funds at the command of our de-
partment. So successful has been our
movement since placing emphasis on
the educational side OF the work that
more road Of a permanent and i'm
proved type has been constructed or
provided for during the past TWO
years than in the preceding forty
years. Our experience proves con-
iclusively that the success OF the high
way development depends upon our
educational advancement on every
avenue Of the highway problem.
The public is being educated to
recognize the Importance Of the train
ed engineer and his WORK, and this
is placing. upon the shoulders of the
engineers Of the country the burden
Of the highway movement to Whita
they must be equal or they will be
credited with its failure, and II fall
ure comes now it will be costly to
the community, the state and nation.
We must not fail. We cannot fall. We
shall not fail i; we prepare for the
duty that confronts US. We must put
forth our best efforts and acquire the
broadcast possible training.
Must Be Trained.
Engineers for highway work must
be especially trained in the uses of
materials, the effort or climate on
materials, and the Importance Of pro-
per inspection and investigation OF all
work and materials that enter into
the work. This training should be
in department laboratory. office and
field work after regular engineer
ing course is acquired and should be
before the young engineer is placed
out upon work or permitted to pre-
pare specifications. Much depends
upon the emphasis Of this thought in
our future educational work with
highway engineers.
The question OF grades. location,
alignment and many other important
items in the successful highway sys-
TEN are problems for the educational
field of the highway Departments af-
ter the young engineer has pocketed
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