Mountain advocate., 1921-02-04
DEATH RATE INCREASING


and other vehicles on the highways
Of the country and especially the
dangers to their occupants at rail-
road grade crossings and on the
bridges and culverts, is one of the
subjects that will receive great deal
Of attention at the American Good
Roads Congress and National Good
Roads Show to be held at the Coils
cum, in Chicago, February Q to IL
next.
The congress and show will be
held under the auspices of the Amer
lean Road Builders Association,
which includes in its membership,
the highway officials of the national
government and those of the states,
counties, cities and townships in the
United States and Canada, together
with highway engineers, users of
roads, contractors and manufactur-
ers of road building machinery. road
materials and highway transporta-
ton equipment.
1t is estimated that there are
about 100000 bridges of more than
fivc-fCot span in the United States.
According to Willis Whited, bridge
engineer of the Pennsylvania State
Highway Department. it is probable
that more than 80 per cent of these
are unable to carry Il thoroughly
modern truck with an ample margin
of safety. A majority of the bridges
consist of a single span of wooden
stringers with plank floors. Better
construction and inspection of these
bridges is one of the advances which
members of the American Road
Builders Association are advocating
and It Is likely that vigorous cam
have to he strengthened. Truck traf-
fic they say, Is growing constantly
these ends In view. Engineers, like
Mr.. Whited, believe that the smaller
bridges of the country will, for the
most part. have To he rebuilt and
the floors of the larger ones will
to be strengthened. Truck traffic,
they, say, is growing constantly
heavier, and the limit is not in
sight,
The constantly increasing number
of grade crossing accidents, too. is Il
subject that is expected to cause con-
siderable discussion at Chicago in
connection with the growing demand
for the elimination of grade cross
ings. Automobile accidents of one
kind or another on the public high
ways killed 1900 persons in 1919
according to the census figures for
1920 covering the Census Bureaus
registration area, which embraces
80 per cent of the cOuntry's popnl-
alton. A total OF 3.SOS deaths oc-
Cured on the streets of the sixty-six
largest cities of the country.
The deaths in 1919 from auto
mobile accidents in the registration
area showed an increase of 444
over those of 1918.
The enormous amount of auto
mobile traffic ON American roads and
| the consequent increase in liability
to accident will be realized when ii
is considered that there are now
100000 automobiles registered
in the United States. In 1906 the
number was only $4,000, an aver
age of 1000 to state. In 1914
the number grew to 100000
Twenty-Five million Americans are
now using motor cars. The actual
| vehicle-mile use of the roads. it is
estimated has increased more than
500 per cent in the rural districts
and 1000 per cent in those near the
large centers of population. There
are 100000 miles of rural high
ways in the United States and 40
0OO,O00 automobile tires are now
an annual necessity.
The Chicago meeting promises to
be one of the greatest in point OF
attendance and in results ever held
in the history of the good roads
movement, The governors of the
several states and territories of this
country and Canada as well as the
mayors of two thousand American
and Canadian cities have been ask
ed to appoint official delegates to
the meeting. In some instances
governors and mayors will head
their delegations in person. Seven
thousand road and street contract
Ors and thousands of army. auto
motive and chemical engineers
agriculturists, editors, bankers, mo-
florists and large users of trucks, az
well as officials of boards of trade
chambers of commerce and Other
lorganizatione intaraStad in road and