636 THE JOURNAL OF GEOLOGY. 



betterment of roads. This movement has not yet taken a national 

 character, but it is believed that, by establishing a laboratory in 

 connection with the National Survey, where information can be 

 given as to the character of the material best adapted to road 

 construction, a great impulse may be given to the improvement 

 of highways. 



It is well known that in many districts great expense has been 

 incurred in building roads, with the result of producing dusty 

 roads in summer and muddy roads in winter. This outcome is 

 the result of ignorance in regard to the character of the rock 

 necessary for the production of good roads. Inferior materials 

 have sometimes been used, when, in the immediate vicinity, there 

 were other materials which, alone or in combination, would have 

 produced a solid road-bed. Such failure results in discourage- 

 ment, and is detrimental to further progress. The requirements 

 which relate to the building of a road are not more complicated 

 than those which relate to the building of a roof. The main 

 questions have to do with the choice and manipulation of mate- 

 rials. It is clearly within the province of the Survey to gather and 

 distribute accurate information concerning the value and location 

 of rocks which may serve a good purpose in the construction of 

 roads. To a great extent these inquiries can be made in the ordi- 

 nary work of the Survey, with but a small addition to the present 

 cost of its operations. 



A large part of the country, including the greater portion of 

 the southern states, and some portions of the Mississippi basin, 

 has been thought to be essentially destitute of materials suit- 

 able for the construction of good roads. The inquiries that 

 have been made by geologists, especially by Professor Shaler, 

 have shown that in many places within these regions there are 

 hidden deposits of gravel, and other sorts of rock, which, when 

 properly used, might give excellent highways, and that around 

 the margin of this great area, often within the limits of convenient 

 railway distribution, there are abundant supplies of rock well 

 fitted for such use. It only remains to discover the supply of 

 such stone as is cheapest and best for the use of each region. 



