338 HEARINGS BEFORE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE. 
Mr. Burteson. About how much of road could you build in these 
States that you have never visited at all—about how would be its pro 
rata, about? 
Mr. Dopex. It would be exceedingly small. 
Mr. Burixson. A hundred yards? 
Mr. Donce. I do not think you have a proper idea of it. You all 
the time think about our building, but we do not build; we only assist 
and instruct those who are ready to build. For instance, to give youa 
little illustration that comes to my mind at the present time, the com- 
missioner of public works of the city of Detroit came to our office a 
few days ago, and said he had been authorized by new acts of legisla- 
tion on the part of the council to purchase all the brick that would be 
necessary to build all the’streets they intend to build during the next 
year. Always heretofore in that city, and I think in all cities, they 
have let the contract to a contractor, and he has secured his brick, but 
they have changed the law there and the commissioner is authorized to 
buy about 8,000,000 brick. He came to us to ascertain what was the 
best to do to determine the quality of his brick. 
We can not test all of the brick that would be used for such an occa- 
sion, but we offered to test some and give him our advice. If anyone 
in Texas should apply, which they have already, we would not take 
any of the money that you may give us—however little or however 
much—we would not take the money and go there and build 100 yards 
of road. We say to them, ‘‘If you have the labor and material and 
the animal power, or the fuel to furnish steam power, to work the 
machines, and desire to have us do so, we will send skilled men to assist 
you in building half a mile, or a mile, and maybe 2 miles,” and we 
believe, according to our past experience, the littie mite we put in will 
enable them to build more and better roads. I have already stated that 
in my own county we built, at a cost of about $3,000—. Iam oe 
that language in connection with this explanation that we build wit 
the materials and labor furnished—we built roads at a cost of about 
$3,000 which corresponded very well with those that would cost 
$12,000. I want to make it clear that the thing we do is not to build 
and pay for as the Government is building harbors or deepening rivers. 
We do not pay the cost. 
The CuarrMan. What do you want to buy machinery for? 
ne Dopexr. I do not want to buy machinery, Mr. Chairman, 
unless 
The Cuarrman. You have estimated for machinery. 
Mr. Done (continuing). Unless these gentlemen would refuse us, 
which I have sometimes thought they might; but I will say, with the 
close of this year, since this request was made, that I have communi- 
cations from several manufacturers professing a willingness to furnish 
still further. I would not use that money to buy unless we were 
stalled for want of it, and it is possible we would not have to do that. 
The Carrman. This machinery is exhibited at all the State fairs? 
Mr. Dover. Yes, sir. 
The Cuarrman. Have you ever tried to do any object work at the 
State fairs? , 
Mr. Doper. Yes, sir; we have at two State fairs—the Illinois. State 
fair in 1900 and at Minneapolis in 1902. We have done two object 
lessons at those two places. 
The Cuarrman. I remember that the Secretary, at the time he made 
