But as to Mr. Chambless himself, I can say, and say with enthusiasm, that he is a man deserving of the confidence of men. Mr. Hawthorne commends Roadtown to the earnest consideration of all thoughtful persons for itself. I commend Roadtown in a similar way for its inventor. Prove him wrong if you can, but first master his ideas.

Church of the Messiah, June 15th, 1910.
Park Ave. and 34th St.,
New York City.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE
CHAPTER I
When I Began to Think[17]
How I came to invent Roadtown[18]
CHAPTER II
A New Conception of Transportation[21]
Transportation in nature[23]
Our disjointed civilization[27]
CHAPTER III
Line Distribution—The Logical Outcome[31]
Transportation determines the form of cities[33]
Building in one dimension[35]
A line of city through the country[38]
CHAPTER IV
The Roadtown Plan of Construction[40]
To be built of cement[41]
The railroad will be noiseless[43]
Speed possibilities[46]
The street upon the roof[53]
CHAPTER V
Civilization Through Pipes and Wires[59]
Water[63]
Sewerage[64]
Heating[65]
Refrigeration[65]
Drinking water[66]
Bath and toilet[67]
Gas[68]
Vacuum[68]
Disinfecting gas[69]
Electric light[69]
Electric power[69]
Telephones[70]
Dictograph[71]
Telegraphone[72]
CHAPTER VI
Roadtown Housekeeping[74]
Woman’s work not specialized[74]
No laundry work at home[76]
Dusting and sweeping[78]
Making beds by machinery[79]
Coöperative cooking practical[81]
The end of household drudgery[84]
CHAPTER VII
The Servant Problem in Roadtown[89]
CHAPTER VIII
Roadtown Agriculture[90]
Sufficient land to support population[93]
Elimination of the middle man[99]
Coöperative ownership of farm tools[100]
CHAPTER IX
Industry Returns to the Home[102]
Wage slavery doomed[103]
A work room in every home[105]
A new type of factory[110]
A special message to women[112]
The end of monotonous labor[114]
CHAPTER X
Roadtown Makes Co-operation Practical[116]
Also a Mecca for the individualist[117]
The Roadtown department store[119]
CHAPTER XI
Roadtown Education and Social Life[123]
Roadtown athletics[125]
Education for old as well as young[126]
Eyes to be used less and ears more[128]
Mothers for public school teachers[131]
Lowest death rate in history[133]
A home in the truest sense[137]
CHAPTER XII
Who Will Build the Roadtowns[139]
Home rule for Roadtowners[142]
Detached villas practical but undesirable[145]
Builders of Roadtown take minimum risk[148]
The cost of the first mile of Roadtown[150]
Economy increases with length[157]
A real remedy for congestion[161]
CHAPTER XIII
In Roadtown There Will be no Trusts[163]
Shall we miss them[165]
The Roadtown religion[168]

ROADTOWN

CHAPTER I
WHEN I BEGAN TO THINK

IN the panic of 1893 I was in the city of Los Angeles. I had received word from the East that my small fortune had vanished as a result of an ingenious Wall Street railroad “reorganization.” I had drawn my last dollar from the bank and had spent it. I was out of a job. I didn’t know where or how to get one, for I had been troubled with eye strain all my life, and had little experience in the work of the world. The city was thronging with experienced and trained workmen, out of work like myself. I did not know where the price of my next week’s board was coming from—in short, I was stranded in a stagnant world. It was Sunday afternoon. I was sitting on a rock on top of a hill in the heart of the city. The ground about me was vacant, yet I could have thrown a stone over the precipice into the principal street of the city. I began to think—I needed money—there was no opportunity to get a living by working with my hands. I grasped eagerly at any idea that had within it the possibility of creating value, wealth, money, bread, perhaps butter and a new suit of clothes. The ground where I was sitting was vacant and comparatively worthless. I asked why? The answer was, lack of transportation. There was no convenient way for people to get on top of the hill.

Time passed. I finally located in New York City and became a patent investigator. I continued to think of transportation and its relation to land value.