The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-01-11
BAD ROADS WASTE MILLIONS.

BAD ROADS WASTE MILLIONS.
In nine-tenths of the states of the
richest nation the world mas ever seen,
during, and for some days after, the
frequent heavy rains, hardly wheel
turns outside the paved streets of their
cities, says Leslie's. Farms are iso-
lated from the towns and from each
other Social intercourse practically
ceases. School attendance is virtually
impossible. Transportation is at a
standstill Millions of dollars worth
time being, worthless.
When it rains, hundreds of thou
sands of square miles of the United
States not only lack efficient roads
they lack roads. All they have is the
right of-way. But a public right-of-
way over which travel is impossible is
not a road 1t is not an efficient road
unless traffic is not only possible but
thoroly practicable 365 days a year.
The countries of western Europe
have long considered their efficient
road systems as public utilities, neces-
sary, not only to the civilized life of
their communities, but essential from
the standpoint of national defense.
What the average prosperous Ameri-
can farmer or business man calls a
road would be looked upon as a crime
by a European peasant. The eco
nomic waste in our primary transport
tation-farm to railroad-can be esti-
mated yearly in the hundred millions,
all chargeable to inefficient roads.
The question which has interested the
American farmer is not the cost per
ton mile of hauling his crops and how
it could be lowered to his profit, but
whether the road from his. farm to the
railroad station was passable or not.
Some conception of the problem
which faces American road builders in
the achievement of an efficient ma
tional road system may be gained by a
consideration of the fact that, as COM
pared with France. with a system of
355,O00 miles of improved roads
the development of nearly 400 years
of constructive endeavor and constant
m9intenance-we have about 2, 100000
miles of unimproved roads yet to be
tenn.
In the total of over 100000 miles
of public right-of-way, or so-called
roads, in the United States, there are
at present but little over 10000 miles
of what may be technically referred TIC
as improved" roads. The task is in
deed a tremendous one and one which
will require, and is now securing, the
best constructive ability of the nation.
| The first and most important route
| in the interests of the entire people
must be selected and the force of the
nations road building activities con-
centrated upon that roads compile
ton. 1t will be said that this is a
function of the federal government,
as indeed it is, but when no machinery
is provided by the federal government
for taking care of such national prob
lens as this, it devolves upon private
organizations.
| The first and most important OF
these is the Lincoln Highway associa.
ton, organized in 1913 under the lead
ership of Henry B. Joy of Detroit, and
a number of other business men. who
lorged to bring order out of chaos and
in some way to inaugurate a national
movement which would be productive
| of real results.
| The main examples of efficient
highways forming part of a national
system, promoted by definite organiza.
tons but receiving their support from
the states and counties thru which
they pass are: The Dixie highway
running from Miami, Fla, to Chicago
the Jefferson highway, running from
Winnipeg, Manitoba, to New Orleans
the Park-to-Park highway, connectins
the Glacier, Yellowstone and Yosemite
National parks; the Yellowstone high
way laid out from plymouth Rock t.
Puget Sound" and the William Penn
highway. running across Pennsyl
varia.