Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-02-18

Washington, Feb. 1S.-Road build
ing in tho United States " one OK
the nations largest industries. NIL
lion men being employed last year
throughout the construction season at
building and repairing the countryr
highways. The roads completed Of al
classes totallcd early $4,000 miles. al
most enough to girdle the earth at the
Equator. II WAS the banner year in
road building In the United Statesb
| I'VE are accustomed to thinking Of
manufacturing Of steel. iron. and tho
making OF automobiles as tremendous
productive enterprises" says Thomas
! H. Mcdonald. director Of the Federal
Bureau Of Public Roads. but these
Industries, great M they are. are still
not as large as the business OF high
way building"
This years program Of the Bureau
OF Public Roads calls for construction
OF at least 10000 miles Of Federal aid
highways during tho 1922 road build
ing season. Prograns OF 1G states SC
far submitted to the Bureau call for
as much or more new or improved
highways.
According to the Government fig.
ures, there are 100000 miles OF i'm.
proved highways or roadways in The
United States, and about 2,500,00'
miles Of mere roadways
The construction of national sys
tenn Of highways. which is now in ful
swing. was provided for by an act O
Congress OF 1916. and an amendator,
! act Of 1921. Both acts cali for ma
tional system OF conpected roads, eacl
road a link in the national chain, bear
} ing its due proportion OF interstat
traffic. serving with web placed latera
. roads to distribute and collect the traf
fc OF the rural section.
:. Mnchine-made Roads Now.
The back breaking drudgery WITT
the pick and shovel. and crude man
propelled or horse drawn contrivance
which made this kind Of constructor
work difficult, are things Of the pas'
Power propelled road making rnachin
: cry has been developed. The Burea
,, takes mep. trains them and pays ther
while they are engaged in becornin
skilled in tho handling and manage
ment OF the new road construction ma
chinery and equipment.
Oe OF the principal machines evolv
ed is called the mechanical finishe
2 The finisher does away with all OF th
3 old slow and laborious processes.
i drags. constructs. lamps and dresses
: the roadway. The preparation OF sui
grades is done with machine calle
l a homer or razer. This IL equipped wit
9 projecting blades which pow up an
collect the dirt or gravel. Another me-
: chine Is known as a coring road gra'
err. equipped with scoops. This rnachir
i will tear up the hardest surfaces, ar
y separate the stone from the dirt by
: screening process. Specially designs
+ mixers and rollers are also used.
: Federal aid highways completed ar
n under construction at the close
: last year will require ir all $4,000 o.
tons OF gravel and stone. This meal
II a million carloads, and IL "a equal
d the total annual production OF all cor
'r inercial sand and gravel pants in
u states in the eastern half OF our cou1
J. try. Federal aid roads which We're vi
3, der construction or completed Decor
Der 81 last, called for 1900 900 ba
of reis OF cement, or about one-eixth
rs the largest annual production on re
De ord.
IL Federal Aid for States.
Ell The national highway act was pa<