Show I A BOULEVARD SCHEME I DR XAGLES FOR HELPING THE COUNTRYS UNEMPLOYED I To Stretch from the Atlsiiilie to the I Pacificit Would Be the Admirn tioti of the World I Peculiar interest will just now attach to a great scheme being promoted by Dr John T Nagle of New York and which if successful wouldgive employment employ-ment to the unemployed of this country I coun-try The doctor is exploiting his plans I in the New York World He uroposes I to construct a transcontinental boulevard boule-vard from the Atlantic to the Pacific one of its objects being the furnisning of work to the vast army of unemployed men in the United States Dr Nagle says such a boulevard is neither Utopian I Utop-ian or chimerical as some critics seem to term it but is practical and would prove of incalculable benefit to the country if constructed and he continues contin-ues uesWhile a gigantic work of this kind might not relieve the distress of all workingmen yet it would relieve a large percentage of the most needy of the laboring element especially mechanics me-chanics and would aid in stimulating other trades and industries that appear to be prostrated at the present time The building of the transcontinental boulevard extending from the Atlantic to the Pacific appears to me to be as necessary in the development of the hidden wealth of the country and its resources in the settlement of its unoccupied I un-occupied public domain the transportation transporta-tion of its products the establisnment ot freer intercourse between tile states and the improvement of < the commerce of the inland states as it is to build vessels ves-sels of war to protect the commerce of the United States with foreign governments govern-ments I would like to see a grand boulevard of 100 feet in width with a space of about twenty feet in the middle if deemed necessary for sewers or drainage drain-age pipes telegraph wires electric wires water pipes etc Here I would plant grass flower beds and shrubbery which are indigenous to the section through which the boulevard would pass I would build a twentyfive foot sidewalk on each side of the boulevard with a double row of handsome shade trees It would also add to the splendor of the boulevard if it were embellished I with statuary representing the foremost men or events or characteristics of the country Artistic water tanks troughs and fountains could be erected at stated places in harmony with the surroundings sur-roundings Many of these would be donated do-nated by societies representing the industries in-dustries of the country its trades mechanics me-chanics arts and professions and by wealthy families as memorials to some philanthropist These fountains for the thirsty man and beast might be placed in circles where other roads would probably prob-ably intersect them or at other convenient conven-ient locations Provision should also be made for the thorough drainage in wet weather of the surface and roadbed at suitable places and the roadway ought to be crowned sufficiently to shed the water A boulevard of the description I mention men-tion would I believe be the admiration of the civilized world and would afford the nations of Europe an example of the progress and enterprise of the citizens citi-zens of this great republic I think there can be no doubt of the financial success of such an undertaking if built in an ornate and substantial manner Money would be freely invested in land facing this beautiful and lengthy driveway drive-way and taxes on the property and licenses for business purposes would pay for the expenditure of keeping it in order repair and police protection The boulevard should be restricted against nuisances and other harmful conditions and industries which might endanger the health and comfort of the residents At as early a period as the conquest of Peru by the Spaniards the latter found that the Quichuas governed by Incas a prehistoric race of Indians had I constructed excellently paved roads at some unknown time the remains of which still exist and attest their magnificence mag-nificence The most remarkable were the two which extended nearly 100 miles north of Quito and on towards Chile one passing over the Grand Plateau and the other bordering on the ocean Humboldt in his Aspects of Xa ture says of this mountain road But what above all things relieves the severe se-vere aspect of the deserts of tine Cor dilleras are the remains as marvelous as unexpected of a gigantic road the work of the Incas The Incas ait some early period built an excellent road about twenty feet wide extending a distance of from 1500 to 2000 miles Portions of it still exist in a good state I of preservation near a place called J Loja and this collosal work was done i at an elevation of 12440 feet i 1 I I quote the following statement of Prescott Galleries were cut for leagues I through living rock rivers were crossed by means of bridges that swung suspended in the air precipices were scaled by stairways hewn out of the native bed ravines of hideous depth were filled with solid masonry in short all the difficulties that beset a wild and mountainous region and which might appall the most courageous courage-ous engineer of modern times were encountered and successfully overcome The length of the road of which scattered scat-tered fragments only remain is variously var-iously estimated at from 1500 to 2000 miles Its breadth scarcely exceeded twenty feet It was built of heavy flags of freestone free-stone and in some parts at least covered cov-ered with bituminous cement which time has made harder than the stone itself In some places where the ravines have been filled up with masonry the mountain torrents wearing on it forages for-ages have gradually eaten away < 4111 through the base and left the superin crnnbeant mass such is the cohesion of the materials still spanning the valley val-ley like an arch The ancient Romans Egyptians J Greeks Carfehagenrans and East Indians i In-dians had remarkably good roads j which were constructed under the difficulties i diffi-culties that existed in their period i As I do not profess to be tamiiiar with road construction and the best means for building it I leave this matter j mat-ter to be decided by men who are experienced ex-perienced I simply desire to show that I the construction of such a boulevard I as 11 have suggested is feasible and I that the present time is the most opportune op-portune and desirable to begin it I The expense of constructing this transcontinental boulevard ought to be borne by the states through which it may pass as they will be most benefited benefit-ed by it If these states are not financially f finan-cially able to build the road then the cession of a strip of land of a certain width to the United States would be suggested and the government then could construct a national boulevard as it has constructed a national park with the necessary restrictions against I nuisances with the power and privilege privi-lege of disposing of land facing it collecting I col-lecting taxes imposing licenses for business bus-iness purposes and adopting any other means it may deem fit for its maintenance mainten-ance and care I The location of the boulevard ought ito i-to be as far south as may be judicious J j judi-cious to avoid interruption by snow i and ice The construction of it would j I induce other states to improve their roads that intersect it and would be I the dawn of better roads all over this country The government control could prevent it from being used by any railroad whatever and the government govern-ment might be empowered to issue boulevard bonds or scrip of a small denomination to make it popular with the people and with a rate of interest and for as long a period to run as might be deemed advisable j The construction of roads by the i national government is not a new idea although it may be to many people I In answer to a request made by me to I General Roy Stone who has charge j of the office of road inquiry of the agricultural department he informed me that the national government built the Cumberland road between 1806 and 1836 and that this road was 1000 miles long and extended through the states of Maryland Pennsylvania Ohio and Jndiana It was constructed mostly of macadam and was paid for out of the I funds of the United States This road was turned over to the respective states through which it passed to be kept in order about 1840 General Stone further states that many short roads of macadam shell or gravel have been lately built by the United States government to national cemeteries and are maintained by annual I an-nual appropriations |