He asked for $75,000 United States currency, with which to build this road, stating that he expected to be able to do it for $65,000, but would like $10,000 as a margin of safety.
On December 21, 1901, the commission passed an act authorizing the construction of a highway from Pozorubio, in Pangasinan, to Baguio, "the same to be built under the general supervision of the military governor and the immediate direction of Captain Charles W.Meade, Thirty-sixth Infantry, United States Volunteers, who has been detailed by the military governor for that purpose, along the general line of survey recently made by Captain Meade for a railway between said towns." The $75,000 asked for were appropriated by this act.
Work began promptly at both ends of the line.

In June, 1901, I set out on my first trip through the wild man's territory in northern Luzon.

Incidentally, and for my personal satisfaction only, I inspected the work on the road.

We had been rather disappointed by Captain Meade's failure to make more rapid progress.

At the lower end I found that delay was being caused by a huge cliff necessitating a very heavy rock cut.