OFFICE OF PUBLIC ROADS. 783 



now constantly increasing in price, so that the cost of maintenance is 

 excessive, in addition to the fact that tiie structures are unsatisfactory. 

 Many inquiries luive been received concerning the construction of 

 more permanent and economical structures, but up to tlie present 

 time such information has not been available from any source in 

 satisfactory form or amount. This Ofhce is now collecting data along 

 these lines and it is hoped to have much soon that will be extremely 

 valuable on this subject. 



MODEL COUNTY ROAD SYSTEM. 



Lamar County, Tex. — The work in Lamar County, Tex., precinct 

 No. 1, consisted of examining the topography and soils, available road 

 materials, nature of the products produced and hauled to market, and 

 the population and wealth in their relation to a proposed bond issue. 

 Precinct No. 1 has a population of 18,000 and an assessed valuation 

 of S15,000,000. A system of roads was laid out which would meet the 

 requirements of a great portion of the population and an estimate 

 made of its cost, which was $300,000. A bond issue of this amount 

 was then advised. General recommendations for canying on the 

 construction work were made and general specifications were drawn 

 up for the work to be done. 



Medford, Oreg. — The work of planning a system of roads and 

 trails for the Crater Lake National Park, of making plans and speci- 

 fications for a road from Medford, Oreg., to the park, and of planning 

 and supervising the construction of a road through a portion of the 

 Crater Lake National Forest was begun on April 4, 1910. This work 

 was not completed at the end of the past fiscal year, and a detailed 

 report will be given in the next amiual report. 



Kalamazoo County, Mich. — Upon the request of the board of 

 county commissioners of Kalamazoo County, Mich., two engineers 

 were assigned by this Office to make a thorough inspection of the 

 roads of that count}^ and the S3^stem of management and methods of 

 construction and maintenance in force. The engineer in charge 

 reached Kalamazoo on March 28, 1910, and was later joined by an 

 assistant engineer. This work had not been completed at the close 

 of Jime 30, 1910, but good results had been accomplished through 

 the introduction of better methods of construction and the substitu- 

 tion of gravel of a better grade than that previously used. Convict 

 camps were established, equipped, and put in good order. The 

 Olhce aided the local authorities in surveys and estimates. The 

 progress in the work is indicated by the fact that a report made 

 September 4, 1910, shows that 16 miles of road have been completed 

 since this work was begun, and that 9 miles or more were under 

 construction by contract, 2 miles by prison labor, and miles by 

 hired labor. The local road builders are being thoroughly instructed, 

 so that the work will continue after the departure of our engineers. 



routine testing of road materials. 



There were received during the fiscal year 1910 1,168 samples of 

 material to be tested, an increase of 433, or 59 per cent, over the 

 number of samples received in the fiscal year 1909. Of this number^ 



