Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-02-22
MAKE recommendations
Sixteen States, Including Yer.
mont, at Engineers Conference.
Government Likely to Follow Their Adj
vice in Distributing Thousands for
Good ROads-U. v. NJ. Man
Attends.

Prof. Thurman w. Dix was one of
about % delegates at a conference. held
all last week at Washington. d. c., of
highway chemists and testing engineers
of 16 different States. Prof Dix represent
ed the State university. which was in
vited by the office of public roads and
rural engineering 10 send delegate. He
was a member of one of many commit
tees. in which those attending the con-
ference divided themselves-.the commit
tee on stone. Stag. gravel and sand-and
some of the more important recommen
dations of the committee. of which En-
gineer Rea of Columbus, O., in charge of
the work of testing road materials for
Ohio. was chairman, were adopted by the
conference.
The conference was not a permanent
body. though a similar one may be held
again at the call of the government: but
its suggestions are likely to be accepted
by the government. although the latter of
course is free to reject any or all it
pleases. Because of this likelihood the
conference was of timely and special inn
portance. for the government will allow
no State to share in the federal appro-
priation under the Shackleford bill whose
road plans 1t does not approve. and its
approval is almost sure TO be guided or
modified by the recommendations of the
conference.
Each State is given. according to the
bill, $4,000 the first year. 1917. $4,000 in
1915 $4,000 in 1919. etc. the distribution
occupying five years. Nermont's first
share will be available up to June / next.
The stated object of the conference was
to make recommendations relative to
specifications. samplng. testing and re-
porting tests of certain road materials ="
The committee. to which Professor Dix
belonged, recognized gravel. a material
much used in the State. as n fairly good
material for road construction: and the
committees recommendations to
tested standard forms of specifications
for gravel road construction were adopted
by the conference.
| There were 16 States represented, as fol-
lows: Maine. New Hampshire Connecti-
cut Vermont. California. Oregon. Mary
| land, Pennsylvania. New Jersey, Illinois,
New York. Virginia. Kentucky, Georgia.
North Carolina and Ohio. The opening
meeting Monday was held at the New
Willard Hotel. After that up to and in
GLIDING sessions all day Saturday. the
gatherings were at the rooms of the gov
eminent office. Monday afternoon the
delegates inspected the laboratory equip
ment and methods of the government.
The conference. although not perma-
nent, drew up the following program of
work to be done in the future: Il. To
outline and conduct plan OF co-opera-
tive research on the part of the states
and this office in connection with the
value of physical and chemical tests OF
various types Of road materials as re-
lated to their use. .. To recommend
methods whereby the maximum efficiency
OF the laboratory may be developed as
well as it's maximum usefulness to high
way engineers. 3. To encourage the
establishment of we'll equipped State
highway laboratories