Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1916-01-13
GOOD ROADS
ARE URGED ON
TRADE BOARD
Radical Changes Recommended
in New Jersey Highway
System.
SENATOR GAUNT, ONCE
HOSTILE, WITH AUTOISTS
President Hamburg Draws
Bright Outline of City Future
in Annual Report.

Good roads as an urgent necessity
for New Jersey was told of by prom:-
nent speakers at the annual meeting
OF the Board of Trade last night. and
the consensus of the 200 memhc"g
present was that some radical maas-
ures must be adopted towards that
end. This and the annual report of
President Augustus Y. Hamburg,
which among other things spoke of
the big improvement in the indus
Trial condition of Newark, pointed out
that Port Newark terminal was the
realization of the dream of the city
builders, and urged the adoption of
the proposed new city charter as we'll,
asking for a permanent tariff COM
mission as a national act.
There was also a report of the
board of directors, and the entire
meeting was concluded with COLA
ton.
The good roads question received
considerable boosting, and if the dis
cussion and enthusiasm displayed is
a criterion. New Jersey will soon be-
gin to construct as fine a public high
way system as can be found in the
United States. One of the enthusi-
asts was Senator George w. f. Gaunt,
of Gloucester county, chairman of the
highway committee in the State Sem
ate, and at one time considered as an
opponent to automobile matters in
general. AS a representative of the
farmers of the State and United
States, Senator Gaunt has studied
the road question extensively. Re-
Gently he has become an automobile
owner and his manner towards the
motorists, especially regarding good
roads, is one of much friendlineSS.
In fact, it affects the changing senti-
ment of the farmers generally on the
road question.
Made Study of Subject.
For fifteen years | have been an
officer of national farmers associa-
ton and have travelled throughout
thirty States, from Maine to Cali
lfornia," Senator Gaunt said I'VE
think there is nothing so important
as the improvement of the public
highways. In my opinion it is as
important to construct highways as
il is to build transcontinental rail-
read lines. Il pays as well to con-.
struct public roads as it does to con-.
struct railroads, and il ii has been "A
good proposition to construct the
Panama canal it is my belief that it
would be just as good a proposition
to build the highways of the country.
"In New Jersey" continued the
senator, I'VE have approximately
1000 900 acres of unimproved land,
and through the scientific cultivation
of this land it could be made to net
the farmer as much as the most
fertile land in the West, and it would
be very much more valuable because
of the close proximity TO the greatest
market in the world. From my home
in Gloucester county | have esti-
mated that within a hundred miles
radius there is at least $1,000 900 popu-
lation. which furnishes a large de-
mand for all the products of the
farm. Where is there another point
so important from an agricultural
standpoint?
New Jersey, Once Leader, Now Lags.
"As lecturer OF the National Grange
fifteen years ago | truthfully said that
New Jersey had the best highways in
the United States. l was telling the
truth then, but since that time I fear
we have fallen asleep. Farmers of
this State began advocating State
aid for the construction of public
highways long before we ever heard
of an automobile, and as a result were
instrumental in placing a compre-
hensive law on the statute books, but
we have since outgrown that law,
which had no provisions for the auto
mobile.
1T is estimated that s25,010000 has
been invested in the roads of the
State. and in view of this large
amount of capital. we must work out
some system whereby a revenue will
be returned and whereby the roads
will be maintained in the proper man
ner."
The senator advocated a readjust-
ment of the present system of road
building, thereby placing the control
for the construction of the highways
CONTINUED on Page IL. Column 81