348 HEARINGS BEFORE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE. 
The Cuargman. I made a statement yesterday to a gentleman to 
whom I was talking that in my State it was not over 24 miles. If it 
is 6 in Wisconsin I should say it was less in my State, because we 
are gridironed with railroads. 
Mr. Dopex. I would like to state to the gentleman with regard to 
diminishing the amount of revenue that is taken from the people, 
whatever ities might do, as a matter of fact they have not done it, 
and I do not think you would make any mistake if you would be lib- 
eral in appropriating to benefit the rural districts. 
Mr. Grarr. Have you been able to see any marked effect in interest 
the farmer has taken in road building and in the actual building of 
roads, through the work of your department? And if so, give us some 
instances of it. 
Mr. Dopex. IJ have noticed remarkable changes in that respect. I 
believe them all to be based, however, on the expectation that they 
would have assistance. I would call the gentleman’s attention to some: 
testimonials published in the report. I took occasion to request 
reports from the different places where these object-lesson roads have 
been built, after a considerable lapse of tinse—one, two, and three 
vears’ time—and ] published a number of these testimonials in a report. 
I would be very glad if the gentlemen would read them, especially to 
show the effect after the road was built, and the beneficial results that 
would come and were recognized in the community. You will find a 
number of such reports by way of letters that I have included, and I 
think, if you can get the time to read them, it would throw consider- 
able light on this question. I must say I was greatly pleased, almost 
surprised, at the uniform testimony given, and often by. persons I did 
not know. 
Mr. Grarr. With reference to central Illinois and to road building 
in that country, gravel has been practically the only thing used. 
What do you think of that material for central Illinois? 
Mr. Dopeg. Gravel is very good. Of course thereis a great variety 
of gravel, but the hard gravel, that is not too large, is exceedingly 
useful for road building. 
Mr. BuRueson. But gravel upon a black soil, without something to 
bind it, will sink just like lead in water. 
Mr. Dover. That will be the case. It needs something that rests 
like a cushion over the mass; must be consolidated by this process in 
order to make sure it would not settle. When you get a heavy pres- 
sure on a portion of it, like a horse’s foot or a narrow-tired wagon, it 
will cut through. 
Mr. Grarr. Is this material that you have obtained from Cairo for 
your operations in the South a stony substance? 
Mr. Dopeg. It seems to be a sort of granulated rock that is accom- 
panied by a powder, some of which is so fine as to be almost like a 
powder, and by spreading the powder in with the-other it makes a 
filler that comes to a very hard, smooth, durable surface. 
Mr. Apams. What sort of expression do you get from the people 
you have helped in this matter of road building? 
Mr. DopcE. Very favorable expressions. Without any exception 
they always want us to do more than we are able to. When we have 
built half a mile they want us to go ahead a mile; when we have built 
a mile they want us to go ahead with 2 miles. There are a great 
many instances where individuals have furnished money to carry on 
the work after the public money was spent. : . 
