The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-08-27
CONFERENCE TO !.
SAVE GOOD ROAD
BUILDING CALLED
Lack Of Transportation for
Moving Materials Said by
T. B. King To Be Gripping
South'S Read Industry.

@NN ~ ANhtAHHbANAAiOA SITUATION hhN pN~
come so unfavorabe as affecting the
Sonstruction OF hard-surfaced roads
throughout Arkansas, Mississippi Ten
nessee, Alabama, Texas and Oklahoma,
that this great movement Is now Sc
rlously imperiled, according to Thomas
b, King, chairman Of the good roads
committee OF the Chamber OF Com
merce,
As proof Of this fact, he has al
ready called a conference OF the state
highway commissions, state highway
engineers, federal aid representatives
and engineering experts for these six
states, This viii be held at the Cham
Der OF Commerce building at 10 o'clock
q. M, saturday Sept. g. and will be
Tor the specific purpose of discussing
ways and means Of increasing trans
portation facilities available for han
ding gravel, crushed stone and other
materials essential TO highway con-
struction.
Invitations have also been sent by
the good roads committee to operators
OF gravel pits and rock quarrieS and to
others who arc vitally interested In
the question Of adequate hard surfac-
cd roads, Responses to these invita-
tions are now being received at the
Chamber OF Commerce and widespread
interest is being manifested In the
conference.
There is nothing more vital to the
welfare OF the tri-states than the
building OF hard surfaced roads" said
Mr. King Wednesday, and yet, II
concerted action is not taken look
ing to increased transports tion facili-
ties for construction materials, hard
road building Ia going to be brought
to an almost complete standstill In the
near future throughout these states.
Government Fails.
Proceeding on the theory that fed
eral aid In a financial way meant fed
eral aid In supplying labor, hi supply
ing trucks and road machinery and In
supplying adequate transportation ia
construction in the states that win par
ticipate In this conference launched
ambitious road construction plans for
1919,
"The government has assisted In the
provision Of labor as o means of CIV
ing employment to returned soldiers and
large nuinhefa 81 trucks and c0naldet.
able quantities Of road machinery, But
although the government has direc
charge of the railroads II has pignalls
failed to provide adequate transporta-
tion facilities for the prompt and full
handling OF gravel, crushed stone and
VIIleT IuhuWhy lllhItTltlh. ~ littN iNue
fallen down on the most vital phase Of
highway construction so far as these
states are concerned and here are a
few results OF this lapse on its part
Shippers OF gravel and crushed stone
are receiving less than 80 per cent Of
their requirements as based on theii
actual loading capacity on a l0-hour
their capacity II provided with cars
enough to Justify working overtime
They are having to turn down orders
daily because they cannot fill those
they have already booked.
Contractors throughout these states
are receiving only small percentage OF
the materials they have ordered deliv-
cred each day and therefore have vast
numbers of men and teams idle al
time when they should be going at
maximum capacity II present contracts
are to be completed on schedule time
Money Being Lost.
"A considerable number OF district
highway commissions are protecting
contractors against losses arising from
| failure to receive gravel promised and
| In all such cases funds which should
be going into the building Of good roads
| are being diverted to the protection OF
contractors and are thus being perma'
HenIy lOSt 10 nlkHWay oibtiuSNuH'
Highway commissions, In many in
stances. are being forced to use tht
output of local and otner nearby pits
because they are unable to secure
| transportation facilities for the char
acter of material they require, Thu'
materials which have been constantly
taboo for the building OF hard surfaced
roads are now being used and the funds
thus employed are virtually as gooc
as lost.
"And last, but most important Of all
Mississippi. Alabama, Tennessee an'
Arkansas will lose the benefits OF fed
eral aid during 1919, 1920 and 1921 I
something is not done Immediately Il
| Increase facilities for the transportation
OF gravel. crushed stone and other ma
terials for the building Of the road
| on which this money Is to be spent
We will thus lose the through highway
which are now projected as a mean
Of Interstate communication and trans
portation, and we Will likewise thu
! lose the less ambitious projects which
are to provide us with facilities TO
conveying our farm and other produc'
| to market,