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Show ANNUAL ADDRESS OF PRESIDENT OF INTERMOUNTAIN GOOD ROADS ASSOCIATION. DELIVERED AT DOISE . x By J. A, Hendrichson. Good Roads conventions are ancient Institutions, abd the perusal of (indent (ind-ent history, and tho evidence now existing ex-isting discloses the fact that the various va-rious great and wondorful nations that existed anciently butlded excellent excel-lent roads to connect tbo countries over which such governments had sway. The ancient Carthaglnans built highways In Africa h sue used to this day. Alexander the Great, did likewise. The handiwork of the Romans in this lino Is to be found all over Europo and Asia Minor, Mi-nor, and In certain places such roadways road-ways and highways epo being used at tho presont tlmo. Coming to cur own hemisphere. Tho ancient Peru-lans Peru-lans constructed roads of such superior su-perior kind that they aro today the best highways in that country and through tho Andes. On account of tremendous amount of railroad construction that has been carried1 on for the past sixty to sevonty-flvo years, tho matter of good roads has been neglected, and It Is high tlmo that our present day civilization civ-ilization should emulate tho example of tho ancients hnd construct high- ways tyid good roads throughout the country, and I do not thereby mean only the United States, but the whole cMllzed world. It Is truo that In Europo they havo been building good roads for about fifty years that are a pleasuro to travel over, and has beon the means of developing the countries whero constructed, making of them tho foremost commercial na-1 na-1 tlons of tho world. It Is thoroforo extremely fitting and proper that this great and glorious country of ours should seriously and Immediately proceed with tho greatest great-est energy towards tho construction of good roads overy where It Is possible possi-ble to do so. During periods various advancement along certain lines has been noticeable, in this country, but It Is only recently that tbo question of good roads has been seriously considered. con-sidered. Since tho last Good Roaidg convention conven-tion held Juno 12, 1912 at Logan, Utah, there hag been a remarkable-change. remarkable-change. There has been road legislation, road conventions, wid good road con gresses held In various sections of the country. Among Uie noteworthy gatherings In tho Interest or good roads, I will mention tho Nat oaa! Congress held last September at . t- luntlc City, Now Jerso; the Natlcn- dentlal Inauguration, hnd still more nl Good Roads Congress, at Washing- I ton, D. C, at tho tlmo of the pros!- ' recent, the National Congress held at , Birmingham, Alabama). In addition ' to the national gatherings mentioned, 1 thoie have been road conventions 1 held In many of tho states all for tho purpose of creating favorable public sentiment towards the necessity of 1 better roads and highways, Tho legislatures In almost every I state havo been legislating In behalf I of road Improvement, and millions of dollars havo boon set aside, and much I of it hch nlrcady been spent on tho roads In tho different states. The present agitation for a highway high-way extending from tho Atlantic to the Pacific, will most assuredly bear fruit and tho result will bo a highway connecting east with tho west, completed com-pleted beforo tho Panama Exposition In 1915. This will only bo tho beginning of tho end, for tho first national road through tho country will bo followed by others crossing the country at con-venlent con-venlent polntB from tho North to tho South, and from tho East to tho West connecting overy great city of the nation. na-tion. Tho States embracing this organization or-ganization havo been allvo to their responsibilities re-sponsibilities and have awakened to tho present necessity. It has been very difficult for me to obtain accurate Information of tho work that hag been done, but will pro-sent pro-sent tho results from the best data I havo beon ablo to obtain. As to Utah' During the past 15 months In tho Stato of Utah, 32G miles of graded roads have been bubt, and 7G miles surfaced, 853 culvorta and 103 bridges havo been built. During tho last year and up to April of tho present year Continued on page eight |