Evening star., 1932-01-03

The coming twenty ninth annual con-
yention and road show in Detroit, jan
uary II to Is, 1882 has more attractive
| features from the standpoint of the eX-
hibitor than any previous exhibition.
To the road builder who has not at
| tended a convention and road show of
| the American Road Builders AsSocia-
tion there are many delights and much
information in store for him. Immense
halls filled with the latest products OF
road equipment and material manufac-
turers present a spectacle that long will
be remembered. The mass of people
moving in and out of the various dis
! play booths in the quest for information,
the clamor of operating machines dem
onstrated for their benefit. the old
friends found with joyful greetings, the
new acquaintanceS and friends made
all these are features of every road show
and convention. The entire industry OF
manufacturing and distributing road
machinery. equipment and materials is
represented at this event. All road
builders attend. .. ..n
Visit Necessary.
To keep in touch with the latest de-
velopmentS in road machinery, equip
ment and materials, it is necessary to
visit the annual road show. The op-
portunities offered for the inspection
and comparison of equipment are eager
ly graSped by $4,000 road builders each
year.
One of the attractive features of the
Detroit road show is that the problem
Of floor leads is solved by the fact that
100000 square feet capacity of the De-
troit exhibit building, 900 feet long
is all on the ground floor. The Munic-
ipal Airport Building. which will be
used, has enormous doors permitting
the easy entry without diSmantling of
the largest equipment such as crane or
steam shovel The lighting and heating
facilities are ample and modern. Res
taurants will be in the building.
Another attractive feature of the De-
troit event will be the new plan Of
housing road builders attending in such
way that they can be easily located
in the various hotels. Headquarters will
be established and delegates quartered
in mutual-interest groups in different
hotels For example, county officials
will be in one hotel, city officials in an
other hotel and similarly for the vari-
GUS groups
Before people can visit an exposition
and attend convention meetings it is
economically to Detroit and provide
satisfactory hotel accommodations.
Transportation is in charge OF an ex-
perienced passenger traffic official who
is assigned to the association by one of
the larger railroad companies. Special
trains and special cars are arranged for
special rates for the event established,
excursion plans made from nearby ter
ritory, agents of all railroads notified,
motor car transportation stimulated and
a multitude of plans prepared. A Spe-
Cial railroad ticket office Is set up in
the exhibit hall for the convenience of
delegates.
Reservations Handled.
The Housing Committee, established
for convenience in the convention and
road show city, handles hotel reSerVa-
tions. Special forms are sent in ad-
vance by the association amounting to
10000 mailing pieces These forms give
special hotel rates established by agree
ment with association officials and per-
NIT the visitor to make his own motel
selection. If he has no preference
rooms are assigned by the Housing
Committee
To let road builders know about the
type of exhibits and convention discus
o4OIIo ONCI d IIllLuOll lllhbAAtAS P@OSNS 90
sent out from the washington head
quarters in the few months just preced-
ing the event
There are many problems to be solved
in setting up this largest exposition OF
machinery, equipment and materials
held in the United States. At the last
road show, in st. Louis, 1t was neceS-
sary to handle IL, ,O0O, 600 pounds of car
= load freight. 5000 pounds OF express
and 500 900 pounds of local and drive
in exhibits, a total of l3,94O, 600 pounds.
There were 800 freight cars TO be un-
loaded, and equipment ana machinery
placed in the exhibit halls using both
contract and its own power. Pollce and
Watchman service had to be arranged.
Electrical connections, gas, ralis, signs
and furniture had to be supplied for 323
booths ranging In size from 100 to $500
square feet sin area All this work had
to be done in~siX days. Moving out was
done in about the same time.
Only by efficient organization and CO.
operation can this task be accomplished
successfully. Experienced moving con-
tractors are employed. The association
requires that the moving contractor
each year shall have visited and studied
the setting up and dlSmantilng OF
previous exhibition. Magnncent CO.
operation has always been eXtended by
different convention hall managers and
This has aided materially in the success
of each road show.
The organization of the association
for handling the convention ana road
show is expanded three months before
the event. An Office Is opened IN tne
convention city and details OF the
exhibit handled from there rather tnan
at the national headquarters IN WASH
ington, D. G. month prior 10 Ins