The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-02-04
SOUTH SHOULD HAVE
ROAD BUILDERS
Next American Road Builders Con.
ycntion Should BE Held
In South.

The South should make an agrees
sive night TO secure the convention
of the American Road Builders As
ISOLATION in 1918. All conditions sug-
gest that the time is ripe for this
important meeting 20 he held in the
South, and ii is believed efforts in
this direction viii be met with success
Next week the association will hold
its annual convention road congress
and exhibition of road building ma
tortals and equipment in Boston
Last year II met in Pittsburg. and
the year before that in Chicago. so
that In successive years the East. the
Central West and the West have en-
Joycd the benefits that follow the
meetings of these road building ex-
perts, and it would seem in logical
order for the South to be chosen for
the 1918 meeting,
1t will be necessary for the South
to put up Il real fight, however, be-
cause there is keen rivalry among
cities throughout the country to Sc
cure the meetings of this important
organization. 1t is understood that
already two Southern cities are ar
ranging to extend an invitation n
the road builders for next year. and
are planning an aggressive compaign
in their behalf
The Manufacturers Record is in
hearty sympathy with the efforts to
secure this convention in the South
in 1918. We realize that the bring
ing of these noted road building eX-
perts to the South Will he fraught
with great benefit 70 public officials,
engineers. contractors and all others
having To do with he carrying for
ward OF road construction along the
most approved plans OF the day
During recent years the Southern
States have become more highly APP
preciatiVe of the many benefits ac-
cruing from good roads than ever
before. This has found expression in
the providing OF steadily increasing
funds 10 carry on the work. During
the past year the South has enjoyed
unprecedented prosperity along ag.
riculturai Industrial and commercial
lines. This prosperity is going to he
reflected in the voting OF still greater
funds for public improvements, prom
inent among which will be those for
the construction OF modern highways
TO meet the traffic conditions OF the
day.
A big road congress held in the
South will enable those of the Souti,
in charge OF such work to discuss with
noted engineers and road building ex-
perts who attend these meetings the
problems that confront Southern COM
munities. and will undoubtedly help
them in their work. At the same
time. Southern road bidders Will have
much valuable information to impart
concerning The methods they have
employed TO meet the problems be-
fore them
The aims ana purposes OF the
American Road builders Association.
as We take It, are to allow it's menu
bers to aCquaint themselves with
road building conditions in every part
of the country Nothing serves to
accomplish this desirable end SO much
as holding meetings in different sec
tons of the country in regular order.
because in this way its members can
obtain first hand Information of meth
DDS employed in all sections Of the
country 10 meet every phase of trait
fic ana road-b building problems II
would seem, therefore, that the Sc
lection Of the South for next years
meeting would not only be Of mutual
advantage. but right in line with the
purpose OF keeping direct touch with
road work in every part of the couu--
observation-disclosures Record.