The Washington times., 1918-12-09
WOULD PUT ARMY
ON HIGHWAY WORK

pFONGLnGnN IN lne united states ATONE
would furnish employment for every
man Of the demobilized American
army, il even a fair proportion OF the
needed highway work were to be I'M
dertaken.
This is the opinion of L. S. Cornell,
secretary. National Highways Protec-
tive Society. This society promotes
the building OF better highways
throughout the country. without ad-
vocating use OF any patented paving
materials.
During the war highway. building
practically came TO n standstill
throughout the country. Even IL 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 sixteen-foot. concrete high
way before the war cost from SIS. 900
to $4,000 a mile 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 out
during the two years following the
Ol VIII NC
pend largely upon what the State
legislatures do this winter, II the
legislatures are generous with high
way appropriations, many thousands
Of men will be employed in improv-
ing the nations roads. Federal aid
will supplement State appropriations.
Back to Old Days.
The days OF the overland freighter
are returning. 1t was shortly after
the civil war that this overland wag-
on freighting became a great indus
try. There were practically no good
artificial roads. But most of the
freighting was done in the boundless
West, where there were no fences
to keep traffic within a narrow
road. The whole valley was a road.
Railroads were scarce or entirely
lacking in the West. Demobilized
soldiers, lured by the Governments
liberality in giving away farms,
started for the great plains country
in covered wagons" often, taking
along in one or more wagons the
bride, the dog, and all the household
possessions.
The prairie was hard and unbroken
in the land where the soldier sought
his new home. There was little
danger OF even the narrow-tired
wagons. heavily laden as they were,
being mired or blocked in the road.
When one wagon track became too
deeply rutted the traffic simply
moved over few yards and followed
the same direction. Thus the old
Santa Fe trail and other highways
of the prairie pioneers, became wide
strips of deeply rutted tracks, often
covering a quarter OF a mile in width.
Through Kansas and the Southwest
sunflowers grew in the abandoned
ruts and nodded the way to the long,
weary trains of mowers" that FOL
lowed the course OF the day."
Wagon freighting from town to
town in the newly settled plains
country became a great and pictur-
esque business. Always the trains
of covered wagons" crawled across
the prairies. loaded down with buf-
falo meat, hides, and supplies.
Must Bear Motor Trucks.
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
wagner used to haul. The motor
trucks that are to do SO much OF the
freighting of this period are going
to be a severe test OF road building.
Only roads that can vie with the
Appian 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 'T0's gasp with wonder.
Early day wagon freighting was
necessary because of the absence OF
railroads, and IL disappeared as an
industry when the railroads were ex-
tended. The revival on wagon freight
ing is due to inability of the rail-
roads to keep up with the expansion
of industry and TO the rapid improve
ment of gasolene-propelled vehicles.
The motorized wagon has developed
such speed and carrying capacity
that it is overhauling the steam train
TO a considerable extent.
The community that does not I'M
prove its highways TO meet the de-
mands of the revival OF overland
freiRhting will find itself out OF she
way OF traffic, even as did the towns
and villages that failed to get rail-
road connections in the days of rail-
road building after the civil war.
Fine Roads Ahead.
Mr.. Cornell points out that the
American boys in France and Bel
GUM ana NTeTH1dny dTC NIltihb boSN
home continually about the excel
lent highways encountered by the
moving armies over there. Such a
large number of Americans travelling
through q land that long has depend
ed upon good highways for much OF
its interurban business and pleasure
travelling constitutes an American
good roads mission, Mr.. Cornell be
IIeyes. WHOM the boys come home
they'll sta the ball rolling for
American hi.nWays as good as Eu-
ropean highways" says the highways
secretary.
High cost o. labor and materials
may cause many communities to de-
Law their road work, Mr.. Cornell
thinks. He believes few of the re
turning soldiers will be willing to
go TO work on the roads for wages
| similar to those paid for such work
before the war, and many legisla-
lures or highway commissioners VIII
| hesitate to start road construction at
prices nearly twice those paid for
the work before it was stopped by
war.