The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1869-12-28
Written for the Spirit
R % a Id 9
Location of Roads.

| The location OF roads IS one among
the most important duties that necessa
rily devolvc upon those appointed to
perform this difficult task To locate a
road as it should be, requires great exs
ertion of scientific skill and practical
knowledge, and consists in determining
and marking out on the ground those
points which the road should pass il or
der to satisfy, as nearly as possible, the
requirements heretofore laid down, 4: e.,
Gas to direction. as to Slopes" and also
as to the cost. Certain points, or pla-
ces, will often be found through which
the road must Or should pass; such as
low gap in range of hills, valley, or
a suitable place for bridge across q
large stream, and sometimes towns and
villages.
'But road whichis to be thorough
fare between two places Of great trade,
should not be turned from its direct OF
best course to accommodate small vii
lage, taxing, for its benefit, all who
travel upon the road, "The greatest,
good to the greatest number should Ds4
the rule. Much less should individual
interest be allowed to operate, and Us
general interest of community be sacri'
feed to the convenience or caprice Of a
single person. The permanent benefits
to future generations should never be
made subordinate and subservient to
temporary and personal advantages"
In determining the best and most
practicable route for road in addition
to what has already been given, the cost
of construction should also be consider
ed. This involves the necessity of lna.
king proper estimates of the different
routes under contemplation, ,alid in order
to make the estimates, in addition to the
usual mode Of surveying roads, of the
horizontal angles and distances, it will
also be necessary to take the relative
heights of the different points at which
the line changes its slope, called "lev-
cling" (the cross section should also be
taken at every change of slope This
is not only necessary in making esti-
mates, but also for the purpose Of ascer |
tanning the lowest grade, or the least
ascent or descent that can be made upon |
a eivenI1engtn or slope. Suppose tn |
ascending hill 16O feet high we have a |
slope or inclined plane Of 1000 faetSn
length this would be & rise OFFS feet in
every 10U; and at another point the hiIl /
is found to be only $50 feet high and the
slope only 1,50O feet long, this would be
a rise of 10 feet in every 100; it will be
seen that although the hill at the former
point is 10 feet higher than at the latter,
yet the ascent at the former is 2 feet in
every 100 less than at the latter.
In ascending or descending hill the
longest slope that can possibly be OBJ.
tanned should as general rule be adop-
ted.
The width Of the road also enters into
the consideration, and will depend upon
the extent and nature Of the traffic that
will necessarily pass over it. This will,
however, be considered under the head !
of construction.
A minute and careful estimate of every |
possible source Of expense in the con-
struction of road, is very important
element in determining its location. The
principal are the earth work, mechanical |
structures and the kind of surface COW
ering, or road bed. The amount Of
"ear.hwork," or excavation and emhank-
ment having been determined, its cost
per cubic yard depends on the wages of
labor, the quality Of earth, and the dis
tance over which i, is moved
By experiment it has been found that |
q common laborer in q day of ten hours |
can dug up or loosen from Is to % cubic |
yards Of common earth, or he can shovel
the same, including throwing 6 to II
feet, from 10 to II cubic yards, or shovel
into barrows from II to % yards, meas
ured in embankment, having been previ-
ously looscned; can dig up or loosen
from 7 to II cubic yards of compact
gravel, and can loosen up rock by blast
ing from 2 to q cubic yards per day
The cost of throwing with the shovel is
usually one third Of that Of digging up |
When an embankment is made Of
earth carried beyond q certain distance
usually lee66 feet in the direction of the
length of the road) it is paid for twice
once as excavation and once as embark
liSHJ uuI W hlCu Sdi llCl iSoS Lulii ILLS NlS- |
tance { as when thrown from the upper |
to the lower side of the road which is
half in cutting and half in filling) only |
one price, that Of excavation, is e5tima-
ted for.
When, therefore, the materials have to
be carried beyond this distance, i. c 100
feet, the distance of such transport must !
also enter into the estimate. The fol- |
lowing is an easy approximate rule for
the average cost of hauling one cubic
yard any distance on level with cart.
For
500 # divide the wages Of cart & driver BY "a
500 10
1000 II
1900 d" 81
5000 {" q" a
2500 81
1900 81