Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-05-14
ROAD PROTECTION
Is PROVIDED FOR
Tractors Must Comply With
Law or States Highways
Will Be Harmed

Amendment of the Eyre tractor
bill so as to provide for examination
by the State Highway Department
of all machines and refusal of Ii
cense to those which do not conform
to the provisions of the proposed
bill, forbidding operating of ma
chimes with cleats on State high
ways, was agreed upon by 1egisla-
tors, Highway Commissioner Sadler,
and his assistants, Secretary of Agri-
culture Rasmussen and manufac-
turers. The highway authorities
contended that the State is about
to spend many millions on construc-
ton of highways and that some
means of protection against ma
chimes which would damage surface
must be provided. Experiments will
be made to determine just what in
jury results from use of machines
heavy machinery. Provision for fines
of operators who run in defiance of
the law will also be inserted in the
bill. Commissioner Sadler pointed
out that there are 1,400 miles of
bituminous surfaced road in Penn
sylvania and that when warm
weather comes, machines not prop
erly equipped do much damage. He
inisted that all but eight per cent
of the farmers of the State can be
reached over roads of type that
will not be damaged by traction en-
gines and that while there are over
100000 motor vehicles, there are
only $500 tractors.
There was an interesting discus
sion of the problems. "All that we
Relr \ L 49,, Rse-Gs - nc
lis that when your machines reach
improved thoroughfares, you take
steps to see that they do not crush
through the top surface, or carpet
ing because when water once gets
through this carpet to the base of
the road, and frost comes, the road
is damaged
A. B. FarQuhar, of York, head of
the A. B. Farquhar Company, and
we'll known throughout the State,
was spokesman for the manufactur-
ers. MY idea of at is" said Mr..
Farquhar, that we manufacturers
must not build tractors or traction
engines that will damage the new
roads you propose building. Per-
sonally, l would rather stop manu-
featuring tractors than be respons-
ible for the tearing up of the thor
oughfares this State needs badly
II believe" said Senator r. Larry
Eyre, chairman of the Senate roads
committee, that we must protect
our road investment"
You are absolutely right" said
Mr.. Farquhar. Your State High
way Department should have au-
thority to protect the roads; and
there is no denying the fact that
narrow tires and narrow cleats cut
the road surface. I would suggest
that the Department before licens-
ing tractors and traction engines,
see to 1T that the machines come
within the requirements of the law"
The Highway Commissioner called
attention to the fact that in the
Dithrich bill, now approaching final
action, the Department is given au-
thority to stop the use of automo-
bile trucks of gross weight of more
than $4,000 pounds.
knowing what weight we are to
carry on our roads we are going
to build the roads to carry that
weight" said Commissioner Sadler.
What we must watch in the case
of trucks is vibration-not abrasion,
as in the case of traction engines.
We ask you that you request your
NlAShlS " ellu US III SOtNiIS liiiS
problem. We will see to it that
motor vehicles live up to the law"
II was informed to-day" inter-
posed Senator Eyre, that there are
5000 trucks operating in Pennsyl-
vania having a gross weight of more
than $4,000 pounds when loaded"
Senator" said the Highway Com
missioner. there are trucks running
out of Philadelphia which weigh
10000 pounds when loaded"
1T is not the intention of this
Highway Department to abuse the
power invested in us by the people,"
continued Commissioner Sadler.
Were we to abuse that power we
would be removed-and we should
he removed. Our aim is to protect
the roads of Pennsylvania from
damage from every source. We ask
the cooperation not only of traction
engine manufacturers and users,
but users and manufacturers of all
other vehicles"