250 DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS. 



object-lesson roads. These places are Buffalo, N. Y. ; Cumberland, 

 Md. ; Charlottesville, Va. ; Jonesboro, Tenn., and Tama, Iowa. In 

 the work at Buffalo we will cooperate with the National Good Roads 

 Association in building sections of the various kinds of roads, includ- 

 ing earth, gravel, macadam, tar macadam, brick, etc. We will also 

 assist in the International Good Roads Congress, which is to be held 

 in Buffalo September 16-21, 1901. 



The money has already been raised and the preliminary arrange- 

 ments made for the building of about a mile of macadam road near 

 Cumberland, Md., and we expect to go forward with that work as soon 

 as the Buffalo meeting has adjourned. 



Preliminary surveys and estimates have been made for the construc- 

 tion of an object-lesson road from Charlottesville, Va. , to the old home 

 and tomb of Thomas Jefferson, and prominent citizens of Virginia have 

 asked the assistance of this Office in the construction of this road, 

 which is to be called the "Jefferson Memorial Road." As soon as the 

 grading is completed an expert will be sent there to direct the con- 

 struction of a model macadam road, and when a sufficient section has 

 been finished, the Director of the Office will go there to attend a State 

 good-roads convention, which will be composed of representatives 

 from all parts of the State. 



It was decided by Congress at its last session to build a National 

 soldiers' home near Jonesboro, in East Tennessee, and several promi- 

 nent citizens of Jonesboro, including Congressman W. P. Brownlow, 

 have requested us to send an expert there to direct the construction 

 of a first-class macadam road from Jonesboro to the new soldiers' 

 home. If our funds hold out this request will be complied with. 



Last March, by your direction, Expert Charles T. Harrison was sent 

 to Tama, Iowa, to consult with prominent citizens and road officials 

 as to the best methods of improving the roads in the Iowa River bot- 

 toms near Tama. Mr. Harrison reports that the roads, although in 

 their worst condition, were just right for inspection. He also says 

 that material for the proper surfacing of these roads can not be easily 

 secured, but by applying modern methods of drainage, the dirt high- 

 ways can be vastly improved. The citizens of Tama have requested 

 us to direct the construction of a short section of road as an object- 

 lesson and to cooperate with them in holding a good-roads conven- 

 tion. If sufficient funds can be raised at Tama for the building of a 

 half mile or so of road, the request will be complied with. 



Prominent citizens of Marshalltown, Iowa, are also desirous of 

 having a short section of a road improved under our directions, and 

 it may be possible to do some work there also while the Tama work is 

 in progress. 



The National Good Roads Association contemplates the making up 

 of another "good-roads train" to be operated in the Southern States 

 during the coming winter, and, if arrangements are completed for 

 this project, this Office should cooperate to the extent of furnishing a 

 road engineer to direct the construction of object-lesson roads and to 

 deliver practical addresses at the road conventions. 



The Office will also endeavor to comply with as many as possible of 

 the requests which are now on hand, and which are constantly being 

 received, to assist in farmers' institutes and other meetings during 

 the coming winter and spring. Many of these requests are referred 

 to our division agents, but a majority of them have to be met by the 

 office force. 



