The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-05-14
GOODROADS USEFUL
MTHE TIMES OFWAR

| lively small bodies OF the enemy, and
that all roads farther inland and par.
allel to the border roads should be be
I built so that all the resources OF the
! country would be really within reach
\ OF the armies OF defense. These roads
should be SO constructed that they
would afford at least temporary pas,
sage for the great number OF automo'
biles that would be required in the
military service Major Fries esti-
mates that it would be possible to
assemble 100000 ordinary automo.
miles within weeks time for such
service, that with 100000 machines
we could transport 100000 to $780,
600 men $50 to 800 miles per day II
we had sufficient god roads in the
/ war zone:" and that "if we built
enough good roads. and II we train
enough men, we can readily organize
our resources SO that we may have
no fear OF the entire world"
CommunlSy welfare is so much aid
ed by road improvements in Illinois.
where the result of highway better
ments have been watched critically
I for n number of years, that Hon.
/ Francis G. Blair, state superintendent
I of public instruction, has published a
| 32-page bulletin on good roads for use
| in the public schools. II Is based on
the fact Chat the best way to bring
about reform is to educate the pub
I lie to evlnce desire for 1t. So this
1 bulletin tells the teacher how to in
struct his pupils to see what are de.
fects and what are good features OF
the local roads. Then what are the
remedies. In addition the teacher is
given suggestions concerning local en-
hibits and demonstrations to arouse
an interest In road improvements.
and there Is advice on ways to en-
courage cleaning up the roadsides.
OF course 1t is not the Illinois school
children who will take part in the
road building of today. But they
will build the roads a few years hence
and until then they will have a GER
tain influence on the old folks who
still cling to the idea that lines OF
dust and mud are an unavoidable
feature of the country. The Illinois
plan Is not to teach bodybuilding
along with the three RS but to show
what can be accomplished without eX-
cessive cost or labor. II the improve
ments are well planned and intelli-
gently directed.
The State OF Arkansas passed a
law few years ago creating high
way commission to aid county officials
in improving their roads. Its first
biennial report was distributed re-
Gently, and contains strong evidence
that the Apple Blossom state is
wasting a very large sum by perform
ing work in an uneconomical man
ner. The sum of 81, 100000 is being
spent annually about the real funda-
mental essentials OF the work they
supervise. By the time an intelli-
! gent oyerseer has served long enough
to acquire by experience some under
standing Of what should be done. his
term OF office has expired. AS his
ray is small and the criticisms Of his
work are about as numerous as the
number Of persons Of mature years
in his district. he shows his intelli-
gence by declining reelection. AS
a result the annual expenditure OF
$1,000, 900 on Arkansas roads results
in mo great improvement over the
conditions of the past" The state
highway commission points out, as
have similar commissions in other
states, that the most economical and
effective method of carrying out the
work is to place the road work of n
large section in the hands of an en-
gineer, whose salary can be met with
out any inconvenience. This eng!-
neer, in turn, would work in cooper
alton with the state highway depart
ment, which could render him valua-
Bile assistance from time to time. In
this way the annual $1,2OO,OO9
would accomplish something more
than maintain the present system of
poor roads.
Every mile of good road requires
lot OF brain and muscle to be used
| in its construction, and a big item
in the total cost of road building Is
that OF unskilled labor. The work Is
healthful and interesting, and so in
many states where the profitable use
of convicts in some uplifting occupa-
ton is a difficult problem, they are
employed in road building. In the
northeastern states there has been a
marked opposition to this, however
due to several causes which collec-
lively may be regarded as manifesto
lions OF the conservatism of long es-
tablished, wealthy communities. 1t
is interesting to note. therefore. that
| the initial experiment with convict
labor in Massachusetts, last year was
so satisfactory that undoubtedly such
work will be continued. while in New
Jersey, where the system mas been
under trial for several years. this ia
vorable opinion has been expressed
by the state highway engineer: 1.-THE
quality and quantity of work done in
1915 exceed, in proportion to the
money spent, the previous results,
and the experience gained during the
past year will enable US to produce
rouch more satisfactory results in the
future" This merely confirms for
the northeastern states what has al
ready been demonstrated in the
South and West.