The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-04-28

passenger cars must be enacted, that will give the greatest impetus to traffic, with que regard to the rights of individuals and the preservation of the highways and bridges Hardly two states in the union have today the same rules as to loads tires speeds and registration. In the re- cent trial run from Detroit to Baltimore, it was found that but one state had a law requiring roads to be cleared of snow, and that the majority of the county superin- tendents had never heard of it.
 GOVERNMENT MACHINERY
 "At last the machinery of the govern ment is in motion, not to be easily stopped, even upon the cessation of hostil- ities. Several routes from the Great Lakes to the seaboard have been mapped out and truck caravans have passed over them on trial trips. It has not been the policy of the government to publish ex- act information of the various routes chosen or just how many and how often the truck trains will pass over them. The first route was laid out from Detroit to Baltimore by way of Pittsburg and Hagerstown, the second from Buffalo to New York and Baltimore via Albany and Philadelphia. While herculean efforts are being made to keep these roads in repair and free of snow, other lines are being mapped out, and within the year CO., ordinated system of trunk lines for the carrying of freight best adapted to mo- tor trucking will be completely planned Meantime, the department of public roads is making a belated survey of all the improved roads in the country, with particular data on the strength of bridges and culverts width of roadway and con- dition thereof This information, with completed geological survey, will be in- valuable in determining the most feasi- l~1 4l~ pense of construction, cost of operation and direction.
 "The physical difficulties in the way of building the road system which will stand up under the heavy traffic of a practical ly continuous train of heavily loaded trucks. need not be dilated upon here. It Will suffice to say that highways will receive in the future a much more thor ough engineering oversight, from the laying out of the route to the putting on of the top dressing. Before any of this can be done under our present sys- tenn of graft-ridden and inefficient public works, it will first be necessary to educate the public on elemental engineering mat ters.
 Tt is not too much to hope that the near future will see engineering strongly featured in every high school in the land, going hand in hand with that need of military training so beneficial to the man of peaceful pursuits, and so vital in time of war.
 We are told that during the year just closed over ], ,0Oo, eco GOO tons of freight was hauled by motor truck at an average cost of IS cents per ton mile. This does not include over 1000 0O0, 900 passengers car ried by automobile an average distance of 50 miles. Quite a tidy beginning for such an infant branch Of commerce, but as vet only a scratching of the surface. This traffic can be multiplied many times and be made to include practically all short hauls. The doing away with haul ing to railway terminals at each end makes the short haul by motor truck cheaper and quicker than by rail"