Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-04-26

The public's conception OF good
reads" has\ undergone q radical
change in the last two years
Prior to the entry of the United
States into the world war; the non
motoring American public. more Of
ten than not, thought good roads were
advocated chiefly for the benent OF
their more fortunate neighbors who
owned and drove their own motor
cars. They were inclined to regard
good roads laws as class legislation
and were unwilling for the most
part to lend either financial or moral
support to the construction ana up
Keep Of something from which they
derived no direct benefits so far as
they could see.
That conception no longer exists.
Universal recognition OF the Motor
Trucks value as means of trans
portation, demonstrated under the
stress of war. has brought about
leaders of the industry had foreseen
change.
The war merely FASTENED what
for several years; it furnished the
setting and the condition when en-
abled the truck TO establish itseli
as a factor in the economic life OF the
country. Under normal conditions its
IeCOE ulllOn anu t-NANA''A NNN'~
would have been more gradual, put
none the less convincing.
The non-motoring public no longer
looks upon good roads as "speedways
for the motoring "aristocracy. II
has come to realize that motor trucks
are essential as transportation rae
tors and that good roads are neces-
sary to the efficient operation OF
trucks. Its vision has been broaden
ed; it sees the advantages and oene-
fits which acrue from combination
of these factors-benefits which have
a direct bearing upon the economic
conditions of the community.
1t sees the farm brought. one might
say, to the very table of the consum-
er: it sees an ultimate decrease in
food prices; and. those who pause
to consider the matter further, see
the ever expanding range of possi-
bilities of the truck and its ally. good
roads, throughout the industrial and
commercial world.
With the universal recognition and
adoption of the motor truck, the pub
lies conception of how roads should
be built also has undergone change.
Heretofore there has been a vast
difference between the average mans
idea of good roads and that of the
man was content to build for the
present; the engineer, as the result
of past and not altogether satisfac-
tory experience, knows and has
known the importance of building
for the future rs well as the present.
The first thing a railroad does after
obtaining n right-of-way, as every
one knows. is TO build a roadbed and
lay tracks. That roadbed is put in
TO stay. The tracks, which corre-
spends to the surface Of the high
way. is built of the most substantial
and practical material to be had.
The railroad officials. however, do
not expect this roadbed and track
to last forever without attention.
Long ago they learned that the only
way to assure safety and durability
is TO anticipate depreciation and make
constant repairs. e..
For this purpose they maintain
crews who are continually repairing
and reconstruct T. the roadbeds and
replacing tracks. From time to time
flaws are certain to develop-condi-
tions and elements over which man
has no control are responsible. These
are quickly remedied-reinferced
the crews which are on the lookout
for such breaks.
to in roadbuilding. For years it has
been customary for county engineers
to direct such operations hut for the
most part their work has been hamp-
cred by lack OF funds, and inadequate
force or by limited legislation and
more or less red tape. There are
some states in which farmers are
still working out their road-ta by
the day, hauling gravel or stone in
a more or less haphazzard fashion for
the construction of roads; upon their
efforts and those of a limited force
of hired workers depends the main
tenance of the community's high
ways.
In the past we have built for the
present only; in the future we will
build for the present and future. We