Grants Pass daily courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1919-1931, 1919-09-05
TIP MUDDY ROADS
FOR MOTORISTS
Weather Bureau Will Take on a
New Activity.
GOOD NEWS FOR TOURISTS
viii Predict Highway Conditions Just
as II Predicts the Weather-serv-
Ice 10 for Encouragement Of Crosse
Country Transportation Of Freight
In MotortruekS-Tried Out With
Success In Few States.

BY approval Of the secretary of
agriculture Of a suggestion made by
Its chief, Charles F. Marvin, new
activity has been added to the work
Of the weather bureau. 1t is to be
known as the highway weather serv-
ice.
Every automobile tourist will re-
jolce at this. The service Is for him
and for the encouragement of cross
country transportation Of freight 10
motortrucks. II will have to do with
making reports on the condition of
roads from day to day, as well as
probabilities Of sunshine or storm
along them.
Tried out with success In a few
states, the service Is to be operated
throughout the country on lines sim
liar TO forecasting weather. Road In
formation and the weather prediction
will be given on the same card.
This means that an automoblllst
can consult the weather bureau card
or call up a local branch and ascer-
tain what kind of "going" is ahead Of
him on his intended route, or can get
that Information In the post offices of
the villages en- route where the cards
for the day are always on view. Bene-
fl of such information and the ease
with which 1t may be had will be ap-
preciated by every man who has tried
to find out road conditions from local
information.
Cover important Highways.
! This information VIII have to do at
first with the most important high
ways and in most inclement seasons
for the particular region. In New
York state, Pennsylvania. New Jer-
sey, Ohio and western states where
there has been request for 1t the
service will be given for main roads
from early fall. through the winter
and spring until all fear of snow has
passed. In the South where the
through roads are of dirt the season
Of the worst rains will be covered
and In sections where such roads
abound and storms are more frequent
1t will be practically continuous.
So far II states and the District OF
Columbia, through local highways au'
thorities or automobile associations
have asked for the main roads and
bad season service.
Conspicuous by its absence from
the list is New England. from whose
states no request has come, owing. il
is surmised, to the limited use of au
tomobiles in that section in the time
of heavy SHOWS.
1t was not until demand for daily
road condition report had come TO the
weather bureau from many parts ui
the coun.ry that Mr.. Marvin made hi,
proposal to the head of the agricul
tural department. He had the indorSe
ment of the American Association Oi
State Highway Officials.
One of the first requests came from
the New York State Automobile assO
citation. 1t was followed by those o
the American Automobile association
and the New York State Motor fedora
ton. These organizations stressed th'
need of government road reports lik'
the weather forecast announcements
TO cover the highway between Alban!
and Buffalo, with as much extension
of service as could be given, particu
larly In bad weather.
Depend on Volunteers.
At the meeting of the State High