Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-12-15

warc and Maryland, some In Maryland
which had boon constructed a. far back As
1912, havc In every case justified their
selection and construction, for today they
are still rendering 100 per cent efficient
service at lower maintenance cost than
for any other type.
IN PENNSYLVANIA.
In Pcnnsylvania travelling as far west
as Harrisburg, we found numerous sec
tions Of concrete highway under construc-
ton and completed In this State again,
one will find large, modern concrete plants
of mechanical equipment IN use, and
making excellent progress. Their high
way system is progressing more rapidly
than that of any State in the east and an
average of about 20 miles week is being
laid. with q maximum for one week OF "a
miles. PENNSYLVANIA highway system
this wear is 81 per cent concrete and TO
date there is about S,o00,0 900 worth OF
highways completed and under contract.
By the end Of the 1920 construction SRA
son 325 miles will have been completed,
and in October the department will begin
letting contracts TO the extent of 500 miles,
which is to make up it's 1927 program.
One Of the most notable examples oi
the servioeability and permanence OF
concrete highways In Pennsylvania IL
that OF the William Penn Highway, con-
structed in 1915 and 1915. It's condition
TODAY is as good as in 1915, when 1t Was
officially opened to traffic, regardless OF
the extreme truck traffic To which It was
subjected during the war when it so ei-
ficiently met the requirements of the high
way transportation in serving the great
industrial section through which 1T runs
between Allentown and Easton.
In Harrisburg we were shown the DC
partment's headquarters, including the
most extensive and best equipped highway
laboratory III the country. Here, as IN
Delaware, we were shown how all ma
terial entering into the construction oil the
highways was being tested. and how rec
ords were kept which made it possible to
carefully study the behavior of all roads.
Here again was Immediately evident the
reason for the success of their highways.
Ia conclusion, wish to SAY again, after
travelling over about 900 miles OF high
WAYS in the States Of Delaware, Mary
land and Pennsylvania, most OF which are
OF concrete and some constructed as far
back as 1912, that ! am more firmly con
WINGED than ever that my preference Tor
the concrete type of construction IL fully
justified in every respect, especially from
a standpoint Of service ability tostraihc and
economy to the taxr ayers.
Pennsylvania and delaware, "a we'll aS
MARYLAND, have taken their highway sys-
TEN out OF politics, and the progress shown
by actual mileage constructed and the very
excellent results to be, observed are the
best indication OF it These conditions,
unfortunately for New Jersey, are IN great
contrast with the present state OF depior-
able conditions existing IN New Jersey
where the completion and success OF lts
highway system is now jeopardized by tho
apparent influence of patented paving
interests in direct opposition to the VIII
OF the people
PENNSYLVANIA with its $50, 900 600 avail
able for highways has not one dollar to
invest II, patcuted pavements unless pur-
chased al u price as low or lower than the
cost Of the unpatented types of a similar
nature The [ : government handling
federal aid for highways has also so ruled.
Some time the residents OF Atlantic
county Will wake mp, arlse and unitediy
exert themselves against the existing CON
ditions Of too much politics in road build
ing and thereby creating unnecessary ex-
travagance. which cost must be borne by
all taxpayers OF the community. he
hotter war. the sooner peace, Is the way
10 handle the local question.