Road Devionstrations. 



335 



always practical under the existing conditions), work done with a rush, 

 time consumed in loading and unloading and an unorganized force. It 

 is safe to assume that with a regular organized force .these roads can be 

 made good serviceable roads of the natural material for $300 per mile. 

 Gravel being within a reasonable haul and by graveling the less good 

 portions and utilizing the natural "chert" beds and banks, 9-foot roads 

 can be made for $1,000 to $1,200 per mile. Good roads of standard 

 width (15 feet of metal) will cost $1,400 to $1,600 per mile. This in- 

 cludes only such grading necessary to crowning and side ditching. The 

 cost for any heavy grading and cutting down the hills must be additional. 

 I have perhaps gone more into the details than work of this nature 

 would warrant, but I have long believed that demonstrations, as a means 

 of education and stimidus to road work and public interest, are well 

 worth the cost. Demonstrations concentrate thought and words into 

 action and get something more than talk. All my demonstrations except 

 the Frisco trip were necessarily on a small scale, and while each one 

 showed results, they were only in proportion to the magnitude of the 

 work and were not of enough magnitude to attract attention nor to be 

 convincing of their real value. This trip was put through for the ex- 

 press purpose of illustrating that more good can be accomplished by 

 the State Highway Engineer by demonstration work than in any other 

 way. It is to show this especially that so many of the testimonials are 

 used in reporting the work. It does seem to me that the few small 

 demonstrations, together with this one railroad trip, should convince any- 

 body that, in addition to the expense of running the office, the State High- 

 way Engineer should be supplied with money for road demonstration 

 and experimental work. 



