346 HEARINGS BEFORE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE. 
The Cuarrman. In Jackson? 
Mr. Dope. Yes, sir; I wish to say in further answer to this ques- 
tion, it is most likely that the black soil of your country could be 
vitrified the same as clay. We have made some experiments with 
the black soil further down in Mississippi, and find it works all right. 
We expect that the black soil of your country would be all. right, if it 
were properly treated, and it would make a very cheap road. 
Mr. Grarr. You have not made any experiments with it? 
Mr. Dope. We have made experiments in the laboratory, but we 
have not made any in roads for actual use. 
Mr. Grarr. Many times there for three months in the year, in the 
spring, it would be impossible to pull an empty farm wagon over the 
road. 
Mr. Doper. Yes, sir; I understand that. 
The CHatrman. Is it that long—three months? 
Mr. Grarr. Probably one month. It is simply impassable. The 
rural carriers are able to go around only on foot. It is the best soil 
in Illinois. And the reason why the farmers there are prejudiced 
against road building is on account of the fear of taxation and incurring 
of great expense. You meet with that prejudice whenever a reformer 
attempts to preach good roads in central Illinois. He has a hard 
task. 
Mr. Dopex. I think myself the burden is a little hard. I agree 
with the sentiments as expressed generally about that. It is rather 
too much of a burden for the agriculturists to bear alone, and that is 
one reason I have stated that they appreciate very highly in New 
York and in New Jersey the assistance that is given by the States, 
and they also appreciate very highly the little assistance that has been 
given them in the way I have stated bere. 
The Cuairman. Is not the road problem of the South a compara- 
tively easy one, in view of the fact that you do not have to compete 
with the frost to any great extent? 
Mr. Dopex. I think it is an easy problem in that respect, but the 
Jaw of compensation seems to work there as it does everywhere else. 
While they have an easier task, they hare Jess means with which to do 
it. They do not have so much of a revenue in any of their States and 
counties as they do in the North. While it costs more to build in the 
North, the revenues and resources of the North are proportionately 
greater. 
Mr. Hauern. Did I understand you to say you had built roads in 
cities or in towns? 
Mr. Doper. There was one or two cases where this ‘*Good-Road 
Train” visited cities, and I thought they had stopped in Richmond, 
but Captain Lamb corrected me. Iam not sure whether they did it 
in any place. They make their headquarters sometimes in the city, 
but they go outside, and, as I said, we cooperate with the chambers of 
commerce. In some instances they have raised the money, or a por- 
tion of it, to defray the cost, but we always insisted on the road being 
built outside of the city. 
Mr. Burteson. You speak of the gratitude of the agriculturist for 
the assistance rendered him by the State and the little assistance ren- 
dered him by the Federal Government; do you think he overlooks the 
fact that he is bearing the greater portion of that burden? 
Mr. Dovex. No; I think not. I think he is a little conscious of 
