Wheeling compiler. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [i.e. W. Va.]) 1829-1831, 1830-02-17


they afterwards opened in such manner as
10 drain the bed, the bottom of them being
IN most instances above the bed Of the
road. The effects of this oversight will
seriously affect the durability of the re-
pairs, as the formation has been to make
concaye rather than q convex surface tor
receiving the broken stone"
1.-The stone has, in almost every case,
been well prepared as to size. before throw
ing on the read. The very few deviations
from this particular, are specified IN the
notes.
The instructions proceed: "The old
material should be used only where 1t is OF
a proper hardness" This has, in my
opinion, been disregarded to an extent, that
affects, most seriously, the durability and
utility Of nearly all the work done on the
road. From Wheeling TO Laurel Hill, the
best Of limestone can be procured inmany
places on the road side, as convenient, IN
fact, as could be expected. 1t has been
the uniform practice, in the construction Of
this part, 10 break up sandstone forming
the ola road, for a stratum Of six inches,
and then procure, elsewhere, limestone
sufficient for a stratum Of three inches"
"On part Of the road. 70 limestone can
be procured, so far as I could ascertain.
Sandstones Of various qualities have
been used on these parts OF the road; some
Of them, particularly the three inches
forming the upper stratum, have been Sc
lected with care and Judgment. The
whole depth should have been formed with
the hardest and best materia! that could
be found. At Brownsville and Smithteld,
some contracts have been executed partial
iy with limestone: other than those places,
the whole repair, from the former place to
Cumberland, has been with sandstOnes Of
various qualities as to durability, with the
exception a contract near the Savage
Mountain, where a very hard siiice0us
stone is found, and has been partially used.
Il is much to be regretted that more OF It
was not used"
THAT part Of the instructions requiring
paved breakers 70 be constructed on the
slopes of the hills, has been well and
strictly attended TO- The masonry is re-
CURED to be repaired, in substantial man
ner, aud care must be taken that the NOR
TAR used be o. good quality, without max.
ture Of clay. This branch Of the work l
found, according 10 my ideas OF good ma
sonry, TO be far from good, and, in most
instances, very bad. On Wheeling Hill
is the best work Of this kind. could not
discover how the inside Of this wall was
formed, as il could not be seen. ! learn
ed, however, from inquiry, after making
my notes oflhi5 work, that the stone was
we'll proportoned as to length and width,
although II appeared on the face Of the wall
otherwise The coping was good; but the
face Of the wall not at all pointed, and be-
ING very rough work, the weather Will soon
find its way INTO the heart Of The wall, and
IN Winter iniure It materially. The NOR
tar IS apparently much better than that
used 10 the old work, yet us far from be-
ing good; sand not being found IN this
Vicinity. All the other repairs 10 masonry
were bat indifferent; stone Of bad proper
tous, aud not laid solid, or we'll beded III
mortar. One wall, from the bad quality
Of the stone used, and the want Of proper
dimensions of the section to sustain the
pressure, fell shortly after Its construction.
But little mqsonry having been done, no
material Inconvenience viii grow cut Of ITS
Indifferent execution. The reference to
the notes will show an exception TO the re-
marks on masonry near the eastern end OF
the route"
attention has been, and is now, paid
70 taking the broken stone to fall up any
ruts made by the travel on the new road,
until the mass becomes consolidated"
1.-THE next paragraph of the instructions,
requiring, ,hat, where material of a good
quality cannot be obtained from the road
in sufficient quantity TO afford a cover OF
SIX inches, new stone must be procured to
make up the deficiency to that thickness,
does not appear to have been construed
according TO my ideas Of proPrlety. In
nearly all cases, SIX inches Of sandstone
feom the old roadhos been usedas amaterlal
which should. IN no case, have been made
use OF. when compact limestone coIld be
procured. This has unfortunately been
too olteu the case "
.lNext, respecting the parts to be re-
paired, sc. This part of the instructions
has been complied with fully, with judg-
mont and discrimination am the better
prepared to give an opinion on this point
Gom having passed over this road IN July,
lust as the repairs were commencing.
a GARD.
VT fJtur7srSigHcd CABIN Pass ycTS oH board
81 i. ~. IyTT N1,SIT4 y ot ber rgys4 ge