The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-10-26
FARM-MARKET
ROAD RELATION
WILL Be TOPIC
Asphalt Conference to Open
Monday at West
Baden Springs.
BIZ Times Special

WEST BADEN SPRINGS, Ind,
Oct. 26.-Farm organization officials
and others nationally prominent in
advancing farm relief, as well as
officials speaking for the motoring
public, will be in session here five
days beginning Monday, with road
building officials. engineers and con-
tractors, to devise plans for speed
ing up improvement of the nations
highway system as a measure of
farm relief and the alienation OF
traffic congestion on trunk line
highways near great centers of
population. Paving of the farm-to-
market roads with low cost surfaces
will be the keynote Of the confer
ence.
The meeting, known as the
eighth annual asphalt paving con-
ference, will be held under the aus
pices of the Asphalt Association,
New York, and the American As
ISOLATION Of Asphalt Paving Tech
nologists. The latter is composed
Of engineers. chemists and other as
phalt technical men largely in the
employ of states, cities and coun-
ties in the United States and Can
ada.
Governor on Program
Among the speakers at the confer
ence will be Governor Harry G.
Leslie or bis representative; Samuel
H. Thompson, president OF the
American Farm Bureau Federation;
r. w. Crum, Washington, d. c., Ci-
rector Highway Advisory Board, Ma
tional Research Council; John j.
Brown. director, Indiana highway
commission, and A. H. Hinkle, main
tenance engineer for the commits
sion. Numerous government, state
and county highway officials of the
United States and Canada will dis
cuSs the latest methods evolved Tor
construction OF low-coSt, dustlesS,
mudless pavements on the second
airy. tributary and farm-to-market
highways. Leaders in the auto
mobile industry and officials OF ma
tional automobile associations will
discuss plans for paving back-coun-
try roads so as to relieve traffic con-
geStion on the main highways,
especially on holidays and week.
ends.
Farm ORGANIZATION officials declare
bad condition of farm service roads,
which the majority of farmers must
use in getting to and from their
farms to paved highways, has be-
come a serious matter. Without
discounting the value of the high
ways connecting the cities. farm
organizations feel it is high time an
effective movement were started for
paving these roads.
While the farmers of the United
States are paying per cent of
the taxes for state and local high
WAYS. less than per cent OF the
farms are reached by paved roads.
Today. approximately 100000
farmers are still living on poor
roads and there are still, in the
United states. 2.4S4, e22 miles of I'M
improved highways, 1t is declared.
Much Highway UnimprOved
OF the 3.O5N 900 miles of highways
in the country, only $4,000 miles
have hign-type surfaces such as as
phalt. brick and concrete. ECono-
mists declare that if all the 24,000,-
900 automobiles in service today
were placed on the paved roads at
one time. each car would have only
1877 YARDS in which to operate. The
10000 miles of new roads annually
constructed are not much more
than sufficient to provide parking
space for the annual increase in
new cars and trucks.
Paving and landing-f1eld treat
ment with asphalt at airportS viii
be discussed by airport engineers
and aviation officials, led by Chief
Engineer r. H. Simpson. who di-
rected the paving at Port Columbus,
o.. said to possess the highest type
Of the runwayS and landing fields.
An entertainment program will
include a special county fair" eve
ming, banquet, dance, bridge-tea
for women and a golf tournament
on the final day. Automobile tours
and airplane flights are planned.
Governors and state highway engi-
neerS, farm and motor association
officials are expected 70 attend to
the number of two thousand or
more.
Several delegates will fly to the
meeting from Chicago and New
York. and points in Texas, by air
plane. the planes used being the
property of the individuals them
selves or of companies with which
they are connected.