Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-26
Capital Sideligilts

The lure of the open road this Sum-
mer. carrying tourists far afield from
their customary workaday routine to
gather refrigeration of spirit and
breadth of vision in the great open
spaces, at mountain resort. along sea-
shore drives or wherever fancy leads,
is used by Representative Charles
Brand of Ohio to illustrate the impor-
lance of the Federal aid in building the
respects to the Bureau of Public Roads,
saying:
"On the subject of drainage, con-
struction of the roadbed, as we'll as con-
struction of the paving of whatever
class or kind, the Bureau of Roads has
contributed to the durability and effi-
cheney of the highways. Any one who
will compare the roads of 10 years ago
with the roads of today will realize that
great Improvements have come from
some source.
The Bureau of Roads is likewise to
be congratulated upon the work they
have done in showing the best way to
construct and maintain types of lesser
cost than hard-surface roads The
sand clay, gravel and stone roads have
all I'D proper attention from this de-
partment and they have made good
roads available where hard-surface
roads could not be built on account of
the expense. In addition. they have
led the way in showing that mats OF
various descriptions can be constructed
on top of gravel and stone roads in a
manner which provides for extensive
traffic at very low cost, and such
roads are proving durable and more
comfortable than any other types.
THE fact of the matter is the Blu
reau of Roads at Washington has not
only been helpful through its own in
vestigation in the construction and
maintenance of roads but also acts as a
clearing house for all Improvements
and new ideas coming from the high
and knowledge originating in one State
soon becomes general throughout the
Union through this clearing house III
Washington.
The main road system of the United
States to which the Nation contributes
amounts to 1876, 300 miles and covers
per cent of the main roads In each OF
the States. The Government does not
contribute to SO per cent OF the roads.
y n y
As an echo of the Houston conven-
ton there was recently printed in this
column a brief statement of how the
empire State of Texas had been under
six flags.
Now comes a claim from Florida
first of all the States in settlement and
last in development, to an identical
record. Florida has been successfully
under the flags of Spain, France. Eng
land, for a brief period under the flag
of the Republic of Florida. then under
the Stars and Stripes, next under the
Stars and Bars and now happily back
again under the flag of the United
States.
Representative Herbert J. Drane, who
for As years has made his home in that
State, in whose development he has
taken a conspicuous part, furnishes the
following summary:
THE Spanish flag planted on Florida
soil by Juan Ponce de Leon in the
year 1913, bearing the quartered arms
of CASTLE and Leon on red and white
field, is generally accepted as having
been the first European standard
flown on American soil. 1t was used by
Columbus in 1892. Panfilo de Narvaez
in 1928 and fernando de Soto in 1888
The French flag, unfurled over Fort
Caroline on the st. Johns River by
Rene Goulaine de Laudonniere in the
year 1864, bearing three golden fieurs-
de-lis on blue field, had its origin In
the legendary blue cloak of st. Martin
which he shared with a beggar at
Amiens and was Familiarity known as
the Shape de Martin. This standard
was used as the national French flag
until the birth of the tricolor during
the revolution.
THE British flag. unfurled over
Florida during the British dominion
1853 to 1888. bearing on a blue field
the combined crosses Of st. George and
st. Andrew---the patron saints Of Eng
land and Scotland--became the first
union jack of Great Britain by proc
lamation of James / of England, upon
the union or Scotland and England in
the year 1903, and was the only flag
used over her forts and public build
ings in the English colonies.
"The battle flag of the Confederacy
adopted in 1851. was unfurled over
Florida after her secession from the
Union on the 10th day of January, 1861
1.-THE Stars and Stripes of the United
States, bearing the % stars for the q
States of the Union, was unfurled ovel
st. Augustine on the 18th day OF July
over Pensacola on the 2lst day of July
1921, upon the ceding of Florida to thu
United States by Spain.