The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1931-02-16
$4,000 MILES OF
ROAD WERE ADDED
During LAST YEAR.
Canada and United States, With
s,os3 and 1852 Miles Add.
ed, Lead In 1890
EUROPE At LISTS BOTTOM
Uncle Sam in 1929 Expended
$1,e15,51o,ooo on Road
Building Program
EUROPE At LISTS BOTTOM
By ]. HAsKIN

~
By FREDERIC J. HASKIN
washington. D. c., Feb. 16-The
reStles feet OF man have beaten path
ways over the surface Of the earth
and, under pressure Of the modern
need for rapid communication and
transportation, have so improved
them that today surfaced thorough
fares have reached a mileage suffi-
cient to girdle the world 315 times.
The grand total Of improved high
way mileage in all countries now has
attained the amazing total Of Z, $780,
1872.
From very early times men have
improved their roads. The Appian
Way probably was the first long high
way to be surfaced with stone. It
ran northward from Rome for many
miles and vas gradually extended in
To a system of roads which penetrated
all Gaul. The remains of Caesars
roads are to be noticed in France and
in England. The Roman pro-consuls
in Spain built a network there, too.
The total mileage was not very
great, however, compared to what it
is now. The introduction Of the auto
mobile gave road improvement its
great impetus and highway, construc-
ticn Is going on at a more rapid
rate than ever before in the history
cf the world. In the last year, the
road builders of all countries sur
faced highways whose combined
1a,,~t1a would nAA civ vnnpn Nif>Oa1ifc
CT the globe-154,0 900 miles.
America, where an overwhelming
preponderance Of the worlds auto
mobiles IS to be found, leads all other
continents in the matter of road
building. In the last year, 67,763
miles have been added to its system.
Asia ranks second in the last years
construction with 1894 miles. Much
Of this was done by western initiative.
Australia, New Zealand and the ISL
ands of the Pacific follow with 3d.
S37 miles.
Europe, the mother Of improved
roads, appears at the bottom OF the
continental list, with only 2,721 miles
added to her road systems in the last
year. Single states in the United
States have constructed as much mile
age in a veal as the whole of Europe.
The reason is obvious. Having been
building roads for somc 1000 years.
European countries have about all
they need.
Progress Is World Wide
All American countries ri CLASH
fled under America" In this cata-
logue of new highway construction.
The Dominion of Canada leads all
the American nations with 8,083
miles. the United States coming Sec
ond with 1852 miles added IN the
last year. i
These figures include only improved
highways. If the mileage of all the
animproved roads, lanes and trails
was added up, the grand total would
reach a figure of astronomical pro-
portions. Some idea may be gained
from the statement that Japan's to-
tai of improved highways is 35.466
miles. but the total including used
but not improved roads reaches 659,-
els miles. The people of these islands
small in contrast with the continents,
have. beaten thoroughfares equal IN
distance to 26 circuits of the globe.
Highway improvement proceeds rap
;dly in Japan. The older roads are
narrow, suited only for the wheel
barrow. The same is true of China.
Road Improvement in the cast is a
more comprehensive task than in
western lands for it involves widening
of rights Of way in addition to sur
facing.
The largest single highway project
row in process in the entire world is
to be found in Cuba. The Central
highway is designed to thread through
The island from end TO end. In the
last wear Cuba'S improved mileage has
climbed from 1.695 to 1890. The con-
struction is of the highest type, SUPER
yised largely by American engineers.
American road building machinery is
doing the job.
No country ever has spent SO much
money on road improvement as the
United States. OF anywhere near as
much. In 1929 the federal, state and
county governments expended ST.
els, 5l9, 900 on roads. Complete fig
ures for 1880 have not yet been COM
plea, Out IL Is UClICVCu CAAdV a ovAdA
larger sum will be totaled because
special efforts were made by political
jurisdictions TO push such work as q
means Of relieving unemployment.
The country spending the second
largest amount on road Improvement
III 1929 was Germany. The SUM OF
.$l68, $50, 900 was appropriated and ex-
pended for this purpose. The United
Kingdom followed with SOC. 278.O0Qr
Market Machinery Broad
A sort of fever for road building
seems to nave seized the world in the
last few years. San Marino, the
smallest country in the world, only
half the size of the District Of Co.
lumbia, and nowhere near as big as
the larger American cities. spent $l0.-
SIG on road improvements last year.
Cuba's great project absorbs moro
funds each year: $22, 1000. 900 was spent
in 1928; $34,O00,0 900 in 1929, and near
ly $50, 100000 last year. This has
been concentrated on the Central
highway. This great thoroughfare
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