OFFTCK OF PTTBLIC ROAD INQUIRIES. 289 



seeking to solve the question of ways and means b}^ which the great 

 direct and indirect annual loss now going on maybe either cheeked or 

 turned into more profitable channels. 



OPERATIONS AND PLANS OF WORK FOR FISCAL YEAR 1901. 



At the beginning of the fiscal j'ear, July 1, 1900, E. G. Harrison, 

 road expert of this Office, was engaged in building an object-les.son 

 road at Port Huron, Midi., under an authorization issued during the 

 last fiscal year. This was built to serve as an object lesson during 

 the meeting of the First International Good Roads Convention and 

 League of American Wheelmen Festival, held at Port Huron July 2, 

 ■i, 4, and 5, 1900. The crushing plant and the road machine, kindly 

 placed at the disposal of the Office by a road-machine company, were 

 operated by Mr. J. M. Starkweather, who also had general supervision 

 of the road. An enterprising engine and thrasher company supplied 

 a traction engine, provided Avith extra wide wheels for rolling, a 

 spreading wagon, and a sjirinkling cart, as well as otherwise materi- 

 ally aiding the enterprise, and it was largely due to the efforts of this 

 company that the work was so successfully completed. 



A special feature of the work was that the traction engine was used 

 instead of horses to draw the road machine and dumping wagons, 

 which plan proved very satisfactor3^ Thus, the traction engine served 

 the treble purpose of furnishing power for the crusher, drawing the 

 road grader, etc., and rolling the road. The plan of construction was 

 that which is usually followed in the macadam sample-road work. 

 Part of the sample had been completed and part was under construc- 

 tion when the convention met. Thus the delegates were afforded an 

 opportunity to observe the metliods and details of construction and to 

 see the principles, taught by the road builders present, actually put 

 into practice. The objects of the gathering was to create an enthusi- 

 asm for improved roads which would result in better legislation and in 

 increasing the mileage of improved roads in Michigan and neighboring 

 States and provinces, as well as to disseminate as widely as possible 

 a correct knowledge of road construction and maintenance. The 

 meeting was largely attended, and from a practical standpoint was a 

 decided success. 



On July 2 the Director of this Office joined Mr. Harrison at Port 

 Huron, and took general supervision of the work July 2, 3, and 4, 

 making explanations of the work done there and in other parts of the 

 country by this Office, and also presiding over the convention July o 

 and 4. 



The results of this meeting, and especially the object-lesson road, 

 of which tliere was about a mile built under the auspices of the Gov- 

 ernment, were so satisfactory that many applications were made to 

 have similar work done at other places. Of the numerous requests 

 made the Director immediately accepted two, one for an object-lesson 

 road and convention at Saginaw, Mich., August 21, and another for 

 an object-lesson road and convention at Topeka, Kans. , September 

 24 to 2S. 



During a portion of the time intervening between tlie adjournment 

 of tlie convention at Port Huron and the beginning ot the object- 

 lesson road at Saginaw, Mr. Harrison proceeded to Swanton, in Ful- 

 ton County, Ohio, where he gave instructions to the road olTicers in 

 reference to the construction of a road being built by them there. 

 About August 10 tli(; work of actual construction was begun on the 

 AGR 1900 19 



