Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-06-26
Of| AWARE'S HIGHWAYS
ARE SECOND TO NONE
Eyes Of Experts IN All Parts of
Country Turned on Work
Here.

Special Correspondence OF Every Evening
GEORGETOWN, June 26.-That Della
wares improved highways are second 70
none in the country is the opinion OF the
leading road building authorities IN the
United States. For the past two years, all
ewes have been turned on Delaware and
the class of work that is being done.
The State several months ago, with the
organization of its Highway Department,
made move in the right direction by the
selection as the chief engineer OF Charies
NJ. Upham, recognized as one OF the best
authorities on concrete roads IN the coun-
try and an expert on sand ana OILS useu IN
construction work.
Mr.. Upham was chief engineer Of the
+. Coleman du Pont boulevard, which
.till !. regarded as one Of the finest types
~ concrete roadway In the country, and
during his incumbency as chief engineer OF
the Delaware Highway Department, he
has maintained the same high Ideals IN the
building of the State system as were USED
IN the building Of the du Pont boulevard
With man as the directing head with
the knowledge possessed by Chief Engineer
I'pham, and surrounded with a corps 81
assistants which are recognized as among
the hest in the United States, the result
obtained cannot help but be the last
word in construction.
Possibly greater interest has been mann
tested hy the Bureau of Public Roads, IN
Washington, regarding the system oi con-
crete roadways under construction IN
Delaware, than any other state IN the
Union, and from time 20 time some OF tnelr
leading representatives have made trips
of inspection throughout the State.
Recently J. l.. Harrison, of the bureau,
l.. ~, rLNr n
Bureau of Agriculture, made an inspection
of the roads that have been constructed
and are now under construction. They
started on the trip from Wilmington,
taking motion pictures of the different
stretches of road visited from one END oi
the state TO the other.
An inspcction was made of a grading
machine now IN operation IN one section
Of the State, the only one of Its KIND IN the
East. Motion pictures were made OF the
construction work in Sussex county,
showing the loading and unloading plants,
industrial systems. the setting of forms Tor
the concrete roadway and the dragging of
templet over the subgrade 10 insure the
proper thickness of the concrete, the
placing of the concrete on the subgrade,
screening with Delaware improved screen
rolling and betting with the bow-belt. A
trip was then made down DeiaWare
famous concrete highway-the du Pont
boulevard-a gift of General /. Coleman
du Pont. Pictures were taken from Mil
ford TO Georgetown and from Georgetown
20 Sclbyville Different operations on
many of the Jobs in the State were filmed,
also some of the more recent construction
work that has been completed.
IL has been acknowledged by engineers
from different parts of the country, visit
ing Delaware's highway jobs, that the
construction methods were among the
best, and that the finished product ex-
cclied all Others.
Delaware has launched out on good
roads movement which is gaining mo-
mcntum each day. and If present plans
are carried out, it will be but few years
when the entire State will be network of
roads of the most improved type. At
present most of the State aid work is
being carried ON in Sussex county, II
contracts being under way while others
are 90 be let this year BY next spring this
county is expecting TO have more than so
miles OF concrete and penetration road
way completed.
As soon as the funds from the bond
issue are exhausted, another issue will be
made, provided the officials do not have
to sell them too far below par value.