White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1918-03-03
000IE URGES BUILDING
Of GOOD HIGHWAYS

II the amman hieeeihe vi 'ho :"
Al division OF the Pixies Peak
N~anto-Ocean Highway association.
N.ontlv held at Reno, former gov
arnor Tasker l.. oddie was one oil
~ sneakers. His views as to the
st,al importance of constructing good
.a.oys across the western coun-
:. as a military measure. were
sa..,hly set forth in the following
address
The subject OF transcontinental
Military highways is one OF snen
,,sat and vital importance at this
- that il behooyes every good
.,,1en of our country to study 1t and
"a !, all the enthusiasm and aid he
possesses
We have roads across our contln-
-, hut in some OF the sparsely set
.,.a western states they are SO poor
.na practically impossible that they
are absolutely unfit for military pur-
,osae II Is easy to see the great
.onomio advantages our state and
o,bers IN the west would gain from
rood roads across them, but my OBJ
.ac, now is to discuss this question
from a purely patriotic standpoint
aud one based on national necessity.
Railroads Congested
onr railroads are supposed by the
,eople at large TO be capable OF carry
,ng on all the transportation business
Il the country in times of peace and
var Int II is a we'll known fact that
,hay are ~congested to a serious ex-
I'm, and that thousands of motor
,ohieles are being used in the eastern
md middle states, where the roads
are good. TO supplement them, and
,be government Is. contemplating the
nse OF many more in carrying on the
aar II Is a we'll known fact that
many dastardly plots of enemy spies
md agents have been unearthed,
which mean the destruction OF some
NJ our important industries and In
situtions. and that in line with this
aiabolical work the putting out of
business for considerable times oil
cur railroads is a possibility.
This would happen when they were
most vitality needed, and without
good. workable highways across the
country to supplement them, the
damage caused by the delay might
be most serious. What would be the
consequences II by some unfortunate
turn Of affairs the enemy should
gain a temporary advantage of the
allied fleets at sea and land a force
on the Mexican or our western coast
The first move would be 10 incapaei-
tate our transeontinental railroads.
and without good military highways
across the western states where
would We be- Our government could
not possibly send even a small part
Of a military division across our Wet
ern states today over the roads as
they are.
Monli Tear Up Roads
A very few motor truck loaded IS
they would have to be with heavy
gun and other war necessities would
tear up what roads We have so they
would be absolutely impossible for
those that would have to follow. De
sides. speed in transportation is the
all important thing In war. and with
our deplorably bad roads the trans
portation over them would be disas-
trously slow. furthermore, the trae-
tive effort necessary to haul a ton of
Height over II present roads would
be at least eight times what II would
be over properly graded and surfaced
highways.
Loss Is Enormous
The loss in motive power and wear
and tear on motor vehicles In haul
ing over our present roads would
pay for the building OF adequate ones
In a short times. II our government
uses them for military purposes. and
II Is certain that II will have to use
them to a large extent before this
war Is Won.
You are all familiar with the con-
dition the French we're In at the
BEGINNING OF the war. and that all
that saved Paris was the fine high
ways which enabled the rapid mobili-
lation and movements of troops and
artillery to points of vantage. Had
'nese fine roads not existed. a very
Inherent condition would face us to-
oay' France had at the beginning OF
,he war 81, 900 miles of finished
highways, and she has been building
unem rapidly since. In the battle of
Verdnn the two necessary railroads