The Republican journal., 1871-04-27
Our Roads.

As we have asserted that w. were far he
Eind most civilized countries iu road build
ing, it may not be out of place to state
briefly, how this most important art was
regarded and exercised by the Romans
more than two thousand years ago. That
great nation was remarkably Industrious
IN the construction of roads, which they
considered of such essential importance,
and all their great cities were connected
toy superb roads which for magnitude
would almost equal some Of Out important
lines of railway, and for durability surpass
anything of the kind in modern times, and
have been alike the astonishment and ad-
miration of mankind.
The Roman roads ran IN nearly direct
lines, with little regard to the natural dilii-
cutieS to be overcome, and the manner in
which they were overcome remain as mag
niilCent memorials Of their ingenuity and
perseverance. In low SWampy places they
were built up so as to give an extensive
view of the surrounding country. and if the
foundation was soft, they rcsOrted to pill
ing for the purpose OF giving soliiity to it.
Arches and piers were constructed where
ever it was necessary 20 gain elevation
over streams etc, and the surface or crust
of the roadway was generally formed three
feet deep, and made of four strata.
LIST. The foundation, all soft matter be-
lng carefully removed.
2nd. A layer of broken stones, carthen-
ware etc, set in cement.
.;rd. bed of mortar.
4th The crust or outer coat. of brick
or stones.
Near the city of Rome this last or upper
coat was OF granite. In other and more
remote places it was generally of hard lava
iointed closely.
But the system adopted, the dignity of
those who had charge of the roads aud the
efficiency Of the supervision, are worthy OF
special remark.
The Curator Niarum, or Superintendent
OF Roads, was an officer Of great dignity
and impo rtance. Julius Caesar held this
high office at one time, and after him the
office was rarely conferred upon any one
below a Roman Consul. In fact the posi-
tion was regarded as one of the very high
est honor in the empire.
The Appian Way, extending from Rome
va Brundisium, three hundred and fifty
miles was one of the most celebrated OF
Roman roads, on account Of its length and
the difficulties it was necessary to over
come in its construction. 1t was built
three hundred and eleven years before
Christ, and it was i'll excellent order in the
sixth century after Christ, or eight or nine
hundred years after it was constructed
Many parts of it we travelled over eight
years ago and could not help being amaz-
ed at the soldity with which it was CON
structed and the extent to which it had
'WithStoOd the wear and the neglect of ages.
The Appian Way was built wide enough
TO allow two carriages to pass readily. The
stones used in Its construction We're eX-
tremely hard and must have been brought
from great distance, as none of the stone
was to be found in its vicinity These
stones were cut smooth and squared and
lifted closely together, and they stil adhere
so firmly as to appear to have been formed
by nature and not Cemented by art, and
though they have been travelled over by Sc
many beasts of burden and so many car
riages for so many ages, the stones do not
seem to have moved from their place at all
or to have lost anything of their original
smoOthness.
But the difficulty with such roads, ant
with the great roads made by the Chinese
which consisted of solid granite blocks, cu
and laid with great labor, is that after long
continual wear they were cut into ruts, tC
the great injury of the road and the iucon-
venience of travel. The solid black stone
pavements of the streets of Pompei were
worn into deep ruts, as we can testify from
personal inspection, so that it must have
been matter of great difficulty to turn out
on meeting another vehicle. What they did
on such occasions does not appear, but it is
clear that the condition of the streets and
the deep ruts must have been great public
Inconvenience. And some parts of the
Appian Way became cut into ruts in the
same manner in the course of years of con
slant wear.
The invention of McAdam consisted in