310 DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS. 



Winston-Salem and Asheville, N. C. ; Greenville and Chattanooga, 

 Tenn. ; Biruiingiiani, Mobile, and Montgomery, Ala. ; Atlanta and 

 Augusta, Ga. ; Greenville, Columbia, and Charleston, S. C. ; Lynch- 

 burg, Danville, Richmond, and Charlottesville, Ya. 



The governors of several of the States visited issued proclamations 

 announcing the arrival of the train and urging the people to witness 

 the object-lesson work and to participate in the deliberations of the 

 conventions held. These conventions were addressed by the gov- 

 ernors. United States Senators, Representatives in Congress, generals 

 of the United States Army, and presidents of colleges and universities, 

 professional and business men, farmers, and others. The addresses 

 were of an unusually high class and were very instructive, as they 

 covered almost every phase of the road question. Indeed, they were 

 considered of so much importance that many of them are to be pub- 

 lished, as heretofore mentioned. 



This Southern Railway good roads train was equipped with twelve 

 carloads of the most modern and improved road- building machinery, 

 as well as two officers' cars for the road experts and officials of this 

 Department and the National Good Roads Association, and one camp 

 car for the laborers. The train, its equipment, and oijerating force 

 were all supplied by the railroad company, while the road-building 

 machinery and the exjjert operators of the same were furnished by 

 the road-machine companies. In all cases the materials and common 

 labor for the road work were supplied bj' the local authorities. The 

 Government furnished instruction and scientific information, expert 

 road builders, and didactic literature pertaining to the work. At all 

 the places visited samples of stone, gravel, chert, earth, or shell roads 

 were built, so adapted to the local conditions as to show the best and 

 most economical use of the available materials. 



Besides the conventions participated in during the trips of the good 

 roads trains, the Director and assistant director of this Office attended 

 and addressed several other important road conventions during the 

 year, among which may be mentioned the following: The annual con- 

 vention of the Eastern Ontario Good Roads Association, Ottawa, Can- 

 ada; the annual good roads convention of the State board of count}'- 

 commissioners, Ocala, Fla. ; a convention to inaugurate the construc- 

 tion of stone roads, Saginaw, Mich. ; the annual meet of the Highway 

 Alliance and League of American Wheelmen, Atlantic City, N. J., 

 and the annual meeting of the Automobile Club of America, New 

 York City. 



In answer to inquiries as to the present condition of the sample 

 roads built in connection with the good roads trains under the direc- 

 tion of this Office, very gratifying reports were received, some of 

 which are as follows: 



RESULTS OF ILLINOIS CENTRAL EXPEDITION. 



In regard to the sample earth road built in this city in the spring of 1901 , I beg to 

 state that nothing has been done to it since completion. Yet it was so built that 

 it is in very good order. Our president. Mr. John Dymond, advised me some 

 time since that the convention held here and the piece of road built had greatly 

 benefited several road committees in our parishes, resulting in their making a 

 number of improvements. — Harry H. Hodgson, Secretary Louisiana State Good 

 Roads Association, Netv Orleans, La. 



The road built last season by the good roads train has done a vast amount of 

 good. People have taken a great interest in it. In connection with same, the 

 board of supervisors have used their efforts to improve all the roads, and as a 

 result we think in time that every road in this county will be put in magnificent 

 condition. — J. W. Ross. Secretary Good Roads Association, Natchez, 3Iiss. 



