REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC ROAD 



INQUIRIES. 



U. S. Department of Agriculture, 

 Office of Public Road Inquiries, 



Washington, D. C, August 31, 1901. 

 Sir: I have the honor to submit herewith the report of the Office of 

 Public Road Inquiries for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1901, together 

 with an outline of the work for the current year and recommendations 

 and estimates for the ensuing year. 



Respectfully, Martin Dodge, 



Director. 

 Hon. James Wilson, Secretary. 



WORK OF THE YEAR. 



The work of this Office during the fiscal year 1901 was continued 

 and extended along the lines laid down in my previous reports and in 

 pursuance of the general plans and purposes of the inquiry. The 

 correspondence of the Office has steadily increased during the year 

 and the office force has been busily engaged distributing large quan- 

 tities of literature to farmers, road builders, and other interested per- 

 sons. Representatives of the Office visited nearly all the States and 

 made scientific investigations regarding local conditions, road materi- 

 als, etc. The information secured is being prepared for publication, 

 and will be of much practical benefit to the interested localities. Sev- 

 eral State legislatures have asked for and received assistance in framing 

 new road laws. Farmers' organizations, farmers' institutes, business 

 organizations, schools, colleges, etc., have also petitioned for our 

 cooperation and advice and all of them have been accommodated as 

 far as our resources permitted. 



The progress of road construction has been closely watched, and it 

 is very gratifying to note that never before in the history of this 

 country has there been so much interest taken in the subject, and so 

 much actual road work done as in the past year. More requests have 

 been made for the expert advice and supervision of this Office than 

 ever before. Every effort has been made to meet these demands, but 

 this has been possible only to a limited extent, owing to the present 

 small force and limited resources of the Office. This practical side of 

 our work has been pushed forward as rapidly as the time and means 

 at hand would permit. The object-lesson methods of teaching prac- 

 tical road building, adopted and carried forward by the Office for 

 several years, have become so valuable and are so highly appreciated 

 that there is an urgent and widespread demand for their continuation, 

 and many calls are being made for their extension. 



235 



