308 DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS. 



north and anothev as far as the City of Mexico on tiie sontli. He 

 also made two trips to the Office at Washington, D. C, and one to 

 the International Good Roads Congress at Bnffalo. 



The object songht in his travels Avas to get into as close tonch as 

 possible with the highway situation generall}^ and to learn the char- 

 acter, under varying physical conditions, of existing roads embraced 

 in this wide field. As a practical road builder, he aimed to stud}- on 

 the ground the various problems presented by geology, topography, 

 and climate of each section. He also endeavored to learn the exist- 

 ing condition of public sentiment and the degree of enlightenment 

 on road subjects, and then the most practical methods by which 

 these might be stimulated and increased. Wherever he went, he 

 sought out the representative men of the communitj^ cit}^ county, or 

 State, the editors of the newspapers, city and county engineers, road 

 sujjervisors, mayors, executive officers of commercial bodies and indus- 

 trial enterprises, and professors in educational institutions. Before 

 leaving a community he invariably inspected its roads, in company 

 with someone interested in road matters and posted on local condi- 

 tions; and after a study of the historj^ of these roads and of feasible 

 plans for tlieir betterment, he offered to the proper officials such advice 

 as seemed pertinent to the conditions. In connection with all this work 

 he found time to visit and address four important road conventions. 



Besides preparing a great many articles for the press and suijplying 

 material for a still greater number written by others, Mr. Abbott, 

 after an exhaustive study, A\a-ote a monograph on "The use of oil on 

 roads." He also prepared a paper on "Mountain roads as a source 

 of revenue" for publication in the Yearbook of the Department for 

 1901. Much time and effort was expended on this paper, and it is 

 attracting favorable attention throughout the United States. It is 

 hoped that the article may lead to important results in developing, by 

 good roads and other improvements, the unrivaled scenic resources of 

 this country. xVnother duty requiring careful attention was the large 

 and increasing correspondence on matters j)ertaining to road improve- 

 ment. The universal interest in the subject, everywhere aroused, 

 has naturally led very manj^ people to write letters to Mr. Abbott ask- 

 ing for information. Many of these letters have dealt with the need 

 for legislation and the tentative efforts in that direction in his especial 

 field. 



Being an enthusiast in the good roads cause, Mr. Abbott devoted 

 all his time to this work. Consequently, the sum of $1,500, available 

 for payment for his services, was actually used in paying his expenses. 



ROAD-MATERIAL LABORATORY. 



The laboratory for the testing of road building materials, estab- 

 lished in December, 1900, through the cooperation of this Office and 

 the Bureau of Chemistry, is now in full operation, and any citizen of 

 the United States interested in the construction of public highwaj^s 

 can have road materials tested free of charge. 



These materials are subjected to an abrasion test to determine their 

 resistance to wear, a cementation test to determine their cementing 

 or binding power, a toughness and a hardness test. Other informa- 

 tion regarding materials is also furnished to applicants, such as den- 

 sity, absorptiveness, and proper nomenclature. 



fe 



