=Object-Lesson Roads.=--The Office of Public Roads inquiry beginning, as has been shown, very simply, has by devoted service and extreme economy been able to do a remarkable amount of good for the public highways of this country. The men at its head and employed by it deserve much praise. Their salaries were small, yet they worked with missionary zeal. They were able to coöperate with scientific and professional organizations, such as the American Society for Testing Materials, The American Society of Civil Engineers, The Bureau of Standards, and a number of organizations employing reputable high-class scientific men in research work pertaining to road construction and road materials. The government’s appropriation beginning at $10,000 or excluding the Director’s salary $8000, was increased from time to time until it was in 1896, $37,660 and in 1911, $135,000. Since the adoption of the system of Federal Aid, there has naturally been greatly increased operation. The total appropriations for the Bureau of Public Roads are now approximately three quarters of a million dollars. [Illustration: Chart of the Organization of the U. S. Bureau of Public Roads and Rural Engineering, 1917 +--------+ |DIRECTOR| +---+----+ | +----------------------+------------------+ | | | +------------+-----------+ +--------+---------+ +------+-------+ |MANAGEMENT AND ECONOMICS| |GENERAL INSPECTION| | ENGINEERING | |Chief of Management | |General Inspectors| |Chief Engineer| +-----------+------------+ +------------------+ +------+-------+ | | +----+-----------+ +-------------+-------+ | | | | +-----+-------------+ | +-----------+-----------+ | | MANAGEMENT | | | ROAD MATERIALS | | | | | | TESTS AND | | |Correspondence | | | RESEARCH | | | and Files | | | | | |Cooperation with | | |Chemical and Physical | | | Solicitor | | | Tests | | |Accounts | | |Microscopic Examination| | |Editorial & Library| | | and Classification | | |Quarters & Stock | | | of Rocks | | +-------------------+ | |Standardization of | | +------------+ | Methods of Testing | | | |Investigations of | | +----------+---------------+ | Non-Bituminous | | | ENGINEERING | | Materials | |