Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-04-15
PENROSE URGES
j. S. TO TAKE
THE HIGHWAYS
Senior Senator Supports Bill
and Emphasizes Prompt
Action

Washington, April 15.-Senator
Penrose is out in support of a bill
introduced by Senator Smith, of
Maryland, authorizing the Secretary
of War to declare certain highways
TO be military roads during the war
and appropriating $4,000, 900 as a
fund for their repair and mainten-
ance. Senator Penrose said:
Il am particularly impressed with
the importance, urgency and justice
OF his bill. As frequently have oc-
casion to take the trip over the Lin
coin Highway from Washington,
through Baltimore and Wilmington,
TO Philadelphia by automobile. 1 am
in degree familiar with every mile
of the road and its past and present
conditions. a year ago this road was
in excellent condition, and the trip
could be made easily in less than five
hours, which is not much more than
the time taken by the train when We
consider that ii includes transit from
the residence in Washington to the
residence in Philadelphia.
The state of Maryland has in the
last few years made splendid de-
Velopments in the way of improved
highways, and had justly come to be
looked upon as one of the leader in
road improvement Now, however,
conditions are changed completely.
Along the Lincoln Highway from
washington to Philadelphia and on
to New York an almost continuous
line OF enormous motor trucks and
vans travel during the day and even
through the night. Particularly from
Philadelphia to New York continu-
Gus line of such trucks and vans is
operated by private individuals en-
gagged in carrying freight, which can
be transported in this manner more
expeditiously than on the railroads.
Moreover, the trucks and vans of the
United States government, particu-
larly of the War Department, like
wise travel over these roads in very
great numbers and constitute the
largest single element of this kind
along the road.
Roads Destroyed in Spots
The consequence is that these
splendid highways-which, by the
expenditure of years of effort and
large sums of money, had come to be
nearly perfect-are badly deterior-
ated and in places completely de-
stroyed. The extraordinary use in the
last six weeks of these heavy vehicles
particularly the army trucks and
vans, has rendered the roads impas-
sable in many places. on several sec
tions all traffic has been held up for
days at time on this account. The
states of Maryland, Delaware. Penn
sylvania and New Jersey, have spent
millions of dollars in constructing
these highways and developing them
to their recent perfection, and it does
not seem fair that the heavy motor
vehicles of the War Department
should be permitted to destroy them
completely without any effort on the
part of the United States government
to cooperate in repairing the dam
age.
Not only, therefore, does every
principle of equity demand that the
government should by liberal appro-
priations aid IN such repair, but it is
clearly to the interests of the govern
ment to have these roads repaired.
In fact, IL is essential. Unless the
roads are repaired the transporta-
ton of military supplies by motor We
hicles must be seriously hampered.
"Other sections of the country
have been affected in like manner. 1t
is essential to the military efficiency
of the country to keep these roads in
complete repair, and / shall do all
can to secure prompt and favorable
action on the bill declaring certain
highways to be military roads and
providing an appropriation for their
repair and hope to see it passed at
an early date"