CIVILIZATION'S HIGHWAYS 



293 



incorporated a plan for the proper planting of memorial 

 trees. He called in Samuel C. Lancaster, the builder of 

 the Columbia River Highway, who has made a survey of 

 the State. In the report, after he had studied the Dela- 

 ware trees, he speaks of "Glorified Highways" in point- 

 ing to Delaware's opportunity. On this point Mr. Lan- 

 caster says: 



"A citizen of Delaware motored through the gorge of 

 the Columbia recently, and when he saw how careful we 





Courtesy of the Chicago Tribune. 



A ROAD IN ILLINOIS 

 Showing the condition before road builders made it what it is today. 



had been to keep the trees, both small and great, together 

 with the flowering shrubs, so as to preserve the natural 

 beauty all about us, he commissioned me to outline a plan 

 for beautifying your highways. 



"In order to be able to advise you intelligently, I have 

 gone over the State twice for the purpose of studying 

 your varying soil conditions, being careful to note what 

 trees and shrubs do best and live the longest in each sit- 

 uation, for from these typical specimens it will be wise 

 for you to make your choice. 



"Having seen your finished roads and comprehending 

 your plans for the future, I wish to congratulate you upon 

 your breadth of vision, for when the permanent pave- 

 ments are completed throughout the State of Delaware 

 and suitable trees have been planted by the roadside, you 

 will head the list for permanent highways among the 

 States of the Union on account of the excellence of your 



thoroughfares, and they will be the peer of any in the 

 world. 



"The roads of Continental Europe have been planted 

 in many different ways with many kinds of trees in order 

 to accomplish certain results. Suffice it to say that we 

 are familiar with their system and have endeavored to 

 profit by the lessons they have taught. Nevertheless, wc 

 must not forget that we are living in a new age ; the new 

 types of conveyance the high-powered automobile and 

 auto truck have changed old methods of highway trans- 

 portation and it is affecting our living conditions by 

 eliminating distance, bringing communities closer to- 

 gether and providing the former with better markets 

 and the comforts of city life without the crowding. 



"If you make the most of your opportunity, you should 

 beautify your roads and certain small tracts in and about, 

 your towns and cities and do it in the very best way. We 

 believe the right way to obtain the best results is to stay 

 as close to nature as possible and avoid all formal 

 planting. . . 



"In conclusion, permit me to say that I appreciate 

 greatly the honor of having been asked to come to Dela- 



Courtesy of the Chicago Tribune. 



THE FIRST IMPROVEMENT 



Showing the road in the next column after it had been improved. The 

 second step will now be the planting of trees along the roadside in order 

 to beautify it. 



ware and prepare this report. The same careful thought 

 has been given to the consideration of your problems as 

 was given to the people of Oregon when they employed 

 me as consulting engineer to fix the location and direct 

 the construction of that now famous highway througl 

 the Gorge of Columbia, of which the late Frederic Vil- 

 lers, veteran British war correspondent of the Illustrated 

 London News, said, 'It possesses the best of all the great 

 highways in the world glorified.' 



