The Evening Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1917-1920, 1918-12-10
ROAD IMPROVEMENT
WILL PROVIDE WORK
All Demobilized Army Can
Be Used In Constructing
Highways.
NEED GREAT IN U. S.
Heavy Traffic of Present Day
Makes Better Building
Essential.

Ry United Press.
NEW YORK. Dec 10.-EIighway i'm
nrovement in the United States alone
,rouId furnish employment for every
nan Of the demObilized American Ar
nv if even a fair proportion of the
needed highway work were to be I'M
dertaken.
This is the opinion of Z. S. Cornell,
sacretary. National Highways Protec-
rive society. This society promotes
the building of better highways
throughout the country, without advo-
eating use of any patented paving ma
terials.
During the war highway building
practically came to a standstill
throughout the country. Even if the
government had not placed a ban on
the use of labor and materials for
highway work. except upon roads used
in war work, the rising cost of labor
and materials would have stopped the
work.
A good, 16-fOOt, concrete highway
before the war cost from $4,000 to
$4,000 to build. By the time the war
industries board was ready to stop
most highway work the cost had risen
TO nearly or quite double these sums.
The extent to which needed high
way improvements will be carried
ont during the two years following be-
ginning of rehabilitation will depend
largely upon what the state legisla-
tures do this winter. If the legisla-
mres are generous with highway ap-
nropriations. many thousands of men
will be employed in improving the ma
tion's roads. Federal aid will sup
plement state appropriations.
Overland Freighter Returns.
The DAYS of the overland freighter
are returning. 1t was shortly after
the civil war that this overland wagon
freighting became a great industry.
There were practically no good arti-
fetal roads. But most of the freight
ing was done in the boundless West,
where there were no fences to keep
traffic within a narrow road. The
whole valley was a road.
The new covered wagons" of the
new reconstruction period also will
travel in trains, and will carry loads
MANY times heavier than the loads the
horses and mules of the western wag-
oner used to haul. The motor trucks
that are TO do so much of the freight
ing of this period are going to be a
severe test of road building. only
roads that can vie with the Appiah
Way of ancient Rome can stand up
under the wear and tear of the big
trucks, carrying five or more tons,
and travelling at a speed that would
have made the freighter of the '7O's
gasp with wonder.
Are Good Roads Converts.
Mr.. Cornell points out that the
American boys in France and Belgium
and Germany are writing back home
about the excellent high
WAYS encountered by the moving ar
mics over there. Such a large num-
Der of American travelling through a
and that long has depended upon good
highways for much of its interurban
business and pleasure travelling, con-
titutes an American good roads mis-
ion, Mr.. Cornell believes. When the
Joys come home they'll start the ball
olIing to American highways as
.ood as European highways" says the
highway secretary.
High cost of labor and materials
nay cause many communities to de-
ay their road work, Mr.. Cornell
links. He believes few of the re-
urning soldiers will be willing to go |
0 work on the roads for wages sim
lar to those paid for such work be-
ore the war, and many legislatures
+ highway commissioners will hest
ate to start road construction at
rices nearly twice as great as those
aid for the work before 1t was
topped by war.
The secretary of the highway I'M
royement society is sure, however,
lat any possible surplusage OF man
over in the United States could be
sed in road building and road re-
airing for many years. Whether 1t
ill be so used depends pretty large
upon the legislatures this winter.