South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-09-30
URGES PATROL To
MAINTAIN ROADS
PreS't A. G. Lupton of HOOSier
Automobile Association Be-
gins Legislation Move.

A. G. Lupton OF Hartford City.
president OF the Hoosier State Auto
mobile association. today announced
the battle cry for good roads legis-
lation in 1919. He said the estab-
lishment in Indiana Of a competent
patrol system of maintenance on all
country roads. as well as state roads,
is needed worse than anything else
in connection with roads at this
time
Il appeal TO all motorists and
good roads advocates" he said. Ito
study this question, and lend their
influence in behalf of obtaining the
passage of a law that Will make it
necessary for each county to use the
patrol system OF maintenance.
Everybody knows that we have
been paying too little attention to
the maintenance part of our road
work. We have spent millions of
dollars for the construction of
roads and trusted in providence TO
take care of them. The system Of
county road superintendent has
been a great improvement in. most
counties over the old system. and the
county commissioners in most in
stances have selected good men for
the position Of road superintendent,
but the road superintendent has had
too little power. too little money,
and too little help to take care of
the work properly.
Maintenance Necessary.
mo matter whether a road be of
hard surface material, of crushed
stone, of gravel or dirt, timely main
tenance is needed in order to extend
the life OF a road TO its proper
period. other counties and other
states in the union have, by exper-
fence, found that the patrol system
OF maintenance is necessary. as a
matter Of economy, as well as TO
keep the roads in good condition
365 days of the year.
by patrol system Of maintenance
is meant that men are employed 10
devote their entire time TO the up
keep of a certain mileage of road.
They receive the material. the equip
ment and such supervisors as may
be necessary to make road repairs
properly and make them before the
damaged condition of the road de-
velops to the point where it is nee
! essary TO reconstruct the road in or
der 70 maintain il.
Maintenance OF roads is a bust
ness and should be treated as such.
We can not afford to look after our
other interests and give the roads
attention only now and then. as we
happen TO have nothing else urgent
to do. Such methods in the past
have been the direct cause OF roads
going 70 ruin long before the bonds
issued to build them have been paid.
Furthermore, such lax methods of
maintenance increases the cost of
hauling, increases the wear and tear
on tires and cars, requires more gas
oline, and wastes thousands of hours
OF valuable time, both for the farm
er and the business man.
Tourist Traffic Increase.
ION one Of our most popular ma
tional highways 1 was surprised to
learn that tourist traffic had in
creased 1000 per cent during the
last two years, but was still more
surprised TO find that this tourist
traffic was only three per cent OF
the total volume traffic over the
road; in other words. 81 per cent of
the traffic over this national highway
is by the farmer and the small town
man. This shows how vitality i'm
portant II is TO the farmer and TO the
rank and file of business men TO
study this question Of maintenance
and lend their influence to obtain the
most desirable patrol system Of
maintenance.
1T takes organization 70 get re-
suits. and one OF the biggest advan-
tages Of organization is education. It
costs money to carry on such work
and every motorist and every good
roads man, in my opinion. should
take out membership either in his
local motor club or in the absence OF
such club take out mem bership d.
rect through the office Of NJ. E.
! Noblet, secretary OF the Hoosier
state Automobile association at In
dianapolis This should he done not
so much for the value of the mem
bership fee, but in order that the in
dividual may get correct information
and help 10 get roads that we can
travel the year round and get a dol
lars worth of road for a dollar
spent. The work Of the association
in behalf Of the state highway com
mission law. the road posting law,
/
law. is ample evidence OF what can
be accomplished through organiza-
ton"