Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1916-02-19


mobile to give the impetus to road
building which has so changed the
spirit OF the public that the hundred
million citizens of the United States
now demand traversable highways as
their incontrovertibie right.
The first real effort at National
road in this country was the beginning
OF the construction OF the Cumberland
road along about the spring Of 1906
This road was thirty years building
from Cumberland. Md, toward the
Ohio river to its terminus at Yandalia,
ILL.,, distance of 500 miles. Through
the influence largely of Henry Clay
the government advanced nearly sew
en- millions Of dollars for the compile
ton Of this great national pike" as
it was termed. This road was an i'm
portant factor in the settlement of the
west and the southwest.
The Lincoln Highway. the second
great national roadway of the western
IS.
had its first inception in the fall of
1913, with the avowed object of estab-
fishing "a continuous improved high
way from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
open to lawful traffic of all descrip.
lions, without toll charges, and to be
OF concrete wherever practicable-this
highway to be known in memory of
Abraham Lincoln, as the Lincoln High
way"
The eastern section of the road is
almost entirely hard-surfaced, while
the middle western states have de.
voted great effort to the grading and
maintenance and are hard-surfacing as
fast as possible. In the far west pro-
gress of building has been slower, par.
ucularly in Utah and Nevada. The
long mileages and sparse population
offer financial difficulties as in those
states raising sufficient funds from
the regular sources of road improve
ment is impossible. Ohio has been
the banner state in laying out moneys
for the highway. having spent already
nearly a million and a half of dollars
on her section.
The constructive policy OF the Lin
coin Highway association includes the
establishment OF Seeding" miles n
unique method of rousing popular and
cumulative interest in the project. The
association provides sufficient cement
for the building of standard section
OF concrete Lincoln roadway In every
county, the result being the conversion
OF the people of those counties.
through observation and use, to the
hard surface mile. The lpan has
proved to he the right one as those
sections Of the highway already COM
pleted testify.
The Importance to the United States
OF nationwide good roads cannot be
overestimated.
Although the automobile was pri.
marily responsible for the remarkable
impetus impaired to good road deyel.
opment, 1t is to the farmer, the manu-.
facturer, the average citizen, the In.
dividual consumer, that the greatest
benefits from the movement will &C.
crue.
We have 100000 farms, averaging
perhaps 1876 acres each, in this coun.
try, reaching valuation OF $35, OOO..
o0O,O0O. The produce of these farms
amounts to 100000. 100000 annually
almost unbelievable. but true. This
produce is hauled over 100000 miles
OF roadway, only 10 percent Of which
Is improved These highways have n
mileage ten times tn elength of our
railroads. They transport 200 times
the passenger traffic. Over them pass
more than 100000 motorcycles, 1000.
600 bicycles, 100000 horse.drawn We.
hicles, 27000,000 horses and other
draft animals, and something over
100000 automobiles.
Looking away from the commercial
d. economics OF the Importance of good
roads to the country, let us draw the
deduction of the civic, educational and
""N"' "opeSto dHu measure them
broadly In this connection.
Some millions OF the children of the
United States do not attend school
Why? Because of the iiopasgablo
condition Of many of our roads during
much OF the school year. The urban
white population Of native parentaee
In the United States Is only n percent
illiterate. while rural illiteracy Is coo
percent greater In the same class OF
people.
Good schools go with good roads
good food goes with good roads. good
citizenship goes with good roads. good
living is born OF good roads.
Why then, is not the movement.
nation.wide--for road development OF
paramount Importance to every state
every city, every town, every indiyId
ual In the land7
But the movement needs tonserva
ton TO gain rapid and harmonious re