252 DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS. 



Government with a small expenditure to accomplish much practical 

 benefit. 



Scientific road building necessitates not only the consideration of 

 local conditions, such as climate and soil, rainfall and drainage, 

 but also a study of available materials adjacent to the road. To 

 transport materials a great distance adds so much to the cost as to 

 render roads scientifically constructed of foreign materials impracti- 

 cable. Competent road builders should discover and test the avail- 

 able materials and show by practical object-lessons how the most 

 good can be made of them with the least possible expenditure of 

 money and labor. The best materials are not always discovered, and 

 thousands of dollars are wasted in this country annually by the use 

 of poor materials where a little expert study and advice would have 

 developed good materials close at hand. The best methods of using 

 these materials are oftentimes unknown, and money is wasted in 

 their improper application. All these things require scientific study 

 and investigation. The people of the country are now interested in 

 this matter as never before, and they are demanding and are sorely 

 in need of authentic information along these lines. Furthermore, 

 this is a work which the Government can do for them much better 

 and more economically than they can do for themselves. 



After having considered all letters, requests, and resolutions which 

 have come to the Department, and after consulting and corresponding 

 with many of the most prominent farmers and road advocates through- 

 out the country, I have the honor to recommend that Congress be 

 asked to increase the appropriation for this Office for the next fiscal 

 year to 175,000. If this increase is granted, I would recommend that 

 there be devoted, provisionally, to investigations and educational 

 work $1,000 in each of the States and Territories, and that the balance 

 be used in defraying the running expenses of this Office and the road- 

 material laboratory. 



The necessity of furthering the work of this laboratory is felt all 

 over the country, and at least $10,000 is needed for carrying on this 

 branch of the work for the next fiscal year. The small sum of $1,500 

 heretofore allotted to each of the four divisions of the country is not 

 sufficient to pay the salary and expenses of competent persons. The 

 Department should be able to command the entire time and attention 

 of those representatives, but in order to do this at least $2,500 should 

 be set apart for each division. 



Our small force has been so completely occupied with outside work 

 that the preparation of didactic literature had to be neglected. This 

 branch of the work should also receive more attention, especially the 

 collection, illustration, printing, and distribution of practical and sci- 

 entific information. I trust, therefore, that you will find it within 

 your power to secure at least $75,000 for the use of this Office for the 

 next fiscal year. 



When the last report was submitted there was some doubt as to 

 whether we could secure a sufficient number of trained men to carry 

 on extensive investigations in the various States, but during the past 

 year the Office has devoted a great deal of attention and study to the 

 selection of persons who are sufficiently skilled to inaugurate this 

 work. It is gratifying to announce that we are now prepared to 

 greatly extend the work of this Office, and the appropriation above 

 mentioned, if granted by Congress, will be expended judiciously and 

 wisely. 



