Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-10-24
STATE ROAD WORK
k..AKING PROGRESS
Labor Situation Here Improved,
But Down State it Still
Continues Bad.

labor in Kent and Sussex counties. BE-
cause of 'hu'' 60 per cent of the iaborers
on some down-State road contracts have
been absent from work at one time.
With labor conditions improving In
the northern part of Delaware work on
the Philadelphia pike has been resumed
and is progressing satisfactorily. Worth
Brothers and the State Highway De
nartmeut having reached an agreement
concerning road lines and grades ad-
iacent TO the Worth Steel plant, at Clay
mont. work on that section of the pike,
which was suspended during contro-
versy, will proceed. While the shoulders
are not finished, the roadway between
the PENNSYLVANIA Railroad bridge and
the State line is completed, except 2oo
feet near Naamans tea house, and is
open to all classes OF trathc.
powN-srATE PROGRESS.
Work ON the road leading from Ches-
void to Dover is progressing rapidly,
and rs per cent of the highway will be
finished this year.
Engineer Upham recently wrote to
l.. ". Page, director of the agriculture
department of the United States High
wavs Council asking the reason for
shutting off materials for the greater
part of road work in Delaware for
certain period and later allowing ship
mont of materials Mr.. Page has sent
the following reply:
The curtaiment of highway work
during the late summer was considered
necessary In order to conserve materials,
transportation, fuel and labor. 1t was
found. however. as the season neared
It's close that a great many construction
Jobs had progressed so far as TO render
Il probable that great loss would result
if sufficient materials were not allowed
10 enable the contractors TO put those
nortions of the road already torn up IN
suitable condition to go through the
winter
1t was also found that unless such
assistance was granted quite number
of important roads would be practically
impassabe during the winter. Accord
inctv the amendment nf september
p6 10 war industries circular II was issued
10 allow materials to be obtained TO en-
able highway projects TO be closed down.
The intent Of the amendment was not
10 allow highway work to go on IN an
unrestricted sense but only to meet the
sDcciaI class of cases above referred to.
The amendment was not cue 10 any
misunderstanding as to the supply OF
materials available, nor any overestimate
Of the importance of conserving material
but to a realization that sufficient time
was not available for these various high
way Jobs nearing completion 10 Obtain
formal approval in the regular manner.
THE question has been asked as to
whv this amendment could not have been
nut into effect earlier in the summer.
IF this had been done it would have meant
that practically no road work would
have been ciIrtailed and no conservation
~ materials. transportation and labor,
effected.
& q. sheffield, director OF the oil
division of the United States Fuel Ad-
rninistration, has notified Engineer
I-pham that asphalt or tar cannot be
purchased without the consent OF the
United States Highways Council.
UPHAMs MACHINE.
Engineer Upham has patented
machine for regulating the consistency
of concrete in construction. 1t Is attached
to concrete mixers and overcomes one
of the serious difficulties IN obtaining
uniform concrete. In the past IT has been
in,possible to obtain mixers capable
of turning out concrete OF UNIFORM con-
sistency, but with the new apparatus IT rs
said concrete of uniform consistency IS
assumed. An asphalt road surfacing
material, recently patented by Eng1neer
Upham, is being used successfully on exper-
mental road sections constructed SIX
wears ago in Delaware and Maryland,
the largest of which is near Georgetown
No ROYALTY viii be char,ed for the use OF
the patents In Delaware.
There will be an exceedingly heavy
movement Of transports over the highways
during the winter, as the Federal govern
1nent has purchased large number OF
motor trucks and shipments abroad VIII
be regular. Weather forecasts will be
made from different observation points
in the territory expected 10 be covered
by these motor trucks at least three
days in advance OF the starting OF the
trans In this way IL rs hoped TO be able
to anticipate coming snowfall IN such
time as to make IT possible TO guard
against them.
The War Department authorizes the
following from the Office of the Provost
Marshal General:
Concerns engaged IN the transportation,
within cities, and along the public high
ways elsewhere, Of necessary commodities
NAV claim deferred classification for
their necessary employees under the pro-
vision of the recent act of Congress
referred TO persons engaged IN Industries,
occupations and eInployTnents, including
agriculture, found to be necessary TO the
maintenance of the Military Establish
Inent, or the effective operation of the
military forces, oT tjlF HdInIEudIce
of national interest during the emergency.
'In such eases, as in all others where
claim for deferred classification is made
on this ground, evidence must be sub
nitted to the District Board to show
ID that the particular concern making
the claim is necessary 10 the nalnte-
nance of the Military Establishment.
or the effective operation OF the military
forces. OF the maintenance OF national
interest during the emergency and ~
hat the individual for whom the claim
is made is a necessary employe of that
concern.
G. D. Musselman, chairman Of region
3 of the highways transport committee
Of the Council Of National Defence,
says this refers TO both drivers Of horse
drawn and motor-driven vehicles.
Engineer Upham has received an
invitation TO a "get-together' dinner of
the American Road Builders Association
which will be held in New York Novem-
Der 2. The annual meeting of the associat-
lou will be held in New York during
February, and because Of the nearncss
OF that city it is thought many Del
awarcans will attend.
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