South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-08-02
MICHIGAN ROADS
IN BAD CONDITION
H. S. SpauIding Tells of Senti-
ment in Adjoining State
After Making Trip.

eff any automobiles is Contem-
plating a trip 10 Detroit or TO any
Intermediate point this month ana
will call in and see me at the Cham
Der OF Commerce i can save them
some very bad stretches OF road, re-
marked r. G.. Spaulding Monday
morning after getting back 10 ms
desk following a 10 days vacation
trip through southern Michigan To
Detroit where all sorts of roads were
encountered most of them being al
fected adversely by the recent heavy
rains.
Every county / went through is
rife with good roads sentiment" he
continued. "but the experience of all
Of them with gravel roads which
they are continuing TO build has set
them TO thinking and If the amount
Of revenue necessary TO build or per-
manent material can be raised a
change for the better Will result, as
money being spent on gravel roads
where the traffic is heavy IS worse
than thrown away.
"Nichigan's new automobile law
IS one which should interest this state
as il will provide In excess or a mill
lion of additional money for the state
10 use on roads built according 10
Specifications of the highway depart
ment. Under this law autos are rated
power. a charge OF % cents per 100
weight and per horsepower being
made. bringing mp the average cost
To something over SIS for licenses
All of this money Will be expended
upon roads.
The fact that a road is no longer
a local OF community project and IS
at least statewide in its importance
and If II Is a main one Is TO some
OIL hfWbMQx- has sci the
good roads builders to thinking and
the result is going to be that some
radical changes in the methods of
financing the building Of the roads
will take place very soon. in tact
were il not for the disturbance IN
conditions caused by the war it Is
more than likely that the next con
cress would have passed a bill pro-
viding for government aid in the
building OF trunk line highways. The
government will never give any con-
sideration OF such a plan as exists in
many Michigan counties of not build
ing over a mile of new roads in each
township year.
The Importance Of the great ma
tional highways which pass through
South Bend is brought home 20 one
in making a trip over routes not
recognized by tourists as not 10 per
cent Of the number of foreign cars
are encountered as ccme through
South Bend regularly and everyone
of these tourist parties spends money
IN one way or another when passing
through. a fact which should be kept
in mind. The fact that st. Joseph
county is building its stretch of the
Lincoln highway of concrete is being
commented upon favorably every
where and is already interesting
people TO come this way on their
western trips.
1T is no wonder that travellers all
tell about the wonderful concrete
roads in Wayne county where one
can travel with ease and comfort and
which can be built at a cost for a
period of years not exceeding those
of gravel, a fact that can be proven
by the chairman Of the county high
way board, Mr.. Hines, with whom 1
passed a very pleasant hour discuss
Ing road building. When our Lincoln
highway is opened to the public St
Joseph county. too, will get some Of
this deserved commentator from
Travellers as the contrast in roads will
be so great that no enc can fail 10
mark IL. Let us capitalize this con-
dtion and encourage the public in
every way possible to come the South
Bend way