OFFICE OF PUBLIC ROAD INQUIRIES. 243 



to discuss the various ways and means of securing the necessary funds 

 for this purpose, as well as the best methods for constructing and 

 maintaining good roads. I believe that these objects were fully 

 attained. 



WORK OF THE " GOOD-ROADS TRAIN." 



During the months of April, May, June, July, and August, 1901, this 

 Office cooperated with the National Good Roads Association of Chicago 

 in the operation of a "good-roads train " through the Mississippi Valley 

 from New Orleans.to Chicago. The Illinois Central Railroad furnished 

 the train, including 9 cars for machinery, 1 car for laborers, and 1 

 combination dining and sleeping car for road experts and officials and 

 the press representatives. The railroad company also provisioned 

 the train and furnished part of the skilled and common labor. The 

 machinery was loaned by the manufacturers, who also supplied experts 

 to operate the same. 



The Director accompanied the train on its initial trip from Chicago 

 to New Orleans and through a portion of Mississippi, delivering 

 addresses at several conventions. Leaving the train at Jackson, Miss. , 

 the assistant director of the Office joined it there and represented the 

 Office during the remainder of the trip. Road Expert Charles T. 

 Harrison, of this Office, accompanied the expedition, but, being at 

 this time on furlough without pay, his expenses, together with com- 

 pensation for his services, were paid by the National association. 



The "good-roads train" visited the following places, where samj^le 

 roads, varying in length from a half mile to 1+ miles, were built and 

 where the officers of the National association organized permanent 

 local and State associations: Flossmoor, III.; New Orleans, La.; 

 Natchez, Vicksburg, Greenville, Clarksdale, Oxford, Granada, Mc- 

 Conib City, and Jackson, Miss. ; Jackson, Tenn. ; Louisville, Hopkins- 

 ville, and Owensboro, Ky. ; Cairo and EflBngham, 111. 



About 20 miles of earth, stone, and gravel roads were built and 15 

 large and enthusiastic conventions were held. The numbers attend- 

 ing these conventions and witnessing the work were very large, in 

 nearly every instance more than a thousand persons and in some cases 

 2,000 persons being present. Among the attendants were leading citi- 

 zens and officials, including governors, mayors, Congressmen, members 

 of legislatures, judges of the county court, and road officials. This 

 was undoubtedly the most successful campaign ever waged for good 

 roads, and the expedition has been of great service to the cause, and 

 especially to the i)eople of the Mississippi Valley. 



TESTING OF ROAD MATERIALS. 



The importance of laboratory tests on road materials has long been 

 recognized both in this country and in Europe. For over thirty years 

 the national schools of roads and bridges of France have conducted 

 careful tests of all materials used in the construction of National higli- 

 ways. These laboratory tests have been the means of greatly reduc- 

 ing the cost of road consti'uction, and it is a well-known fact that the 

 French roads are the best in the world. Since 1893 a number of 

 laboratories for testing road materials have been in operation in this 

 country, and their aid to road l)uilders in obtaining good and econom- 

 ical results has been thoroughly demonstrated. 



In Deceml er last we established a road-material laboratory, which 

 occupies comfortable quarters in the building of the Bureau of 



