The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-07-08
The Roads.
ur Country Roads Once More.

Our Country Roads Once More.
did not expect ever again to ask the priv.
lege Of lntllctlng upon your readers another
article on the subject Of roads, now, that the
road 80 much talked of mean the Ottawa
and Deer Park or Vermillion roads under
the control of an efficient board OF commits.
sioners. | am informed that the commission.
ers have perfected all their plans, and that the
work on the road IS ready to be pu! under
contract. 1t is to be hoped tina. 1t will be
pushed through rs expeditiously as possible,
in order that the road may become settled be-.
fore freezing weather.
SO far as have learned all their plans are
satisfactory to those who are interested, but
would like, in very respectful manner, to
take exception 70 one OF them. And DO this
not in a faultfnding and cspsous spirit, but
tor the sake Of elici.ing. information on q
question that may have two sides. As sub,
scribcr to the fund and as one who has taken
an interest In the work from the beginning,
think that my opinion, as we'll as that of any
other subscriber, should be entitled to re.
spectful consideration. l have observed in
conversation with men generally, that very
few have any practical idea of how road
of their own, that they think is InfallIble. My
idea may be only an OPINION after sll-it is
this:
| have been told by some that the commits.
al int IN a., IN
they intend to put tile in the middle Of the
road, &c" l have frequently heard men ex.
press themselves IN regard to the practicabiity
Of this mode of road making, but have failed
of so doing. 1t seems to be contrary to all the
principles of road making, as laid down In the
books-entirely unnecessary, though II may
not be INJURIOUS that If the same amount
Of money spent IN tile should be expended in
gravel, the road would be much better and
more substantial.
Allow me to express my idea IN the Ian
guage Of McAdam himself, the great macada
mizer, on this point. AS authority refer to
Chambers Information for the People, vol. l.
page l35. Philadelphia, Zeiber Il Co.. 1S47
He says;
| "Roads can never be rendered perfectly Sc
cure, until the following principles be fully
understood admitted and acted upon, namely
that is the natural soil which really supports
the weight of travel; that while it is preserved
in dry state, II will carry any weight with
-. mad - in, ra,k IA.
road, and carriages also; that this native sol
must be previously made quite dry and
Towering rs much lmpenetrablc to ram u:
possible must then be placed over it, to pre-
serve it IN that dry state; that the thickness
OF road should only be regulated by The
quantity of material necessary to form sucf
impervious covering, and never by any refer
ence to Its own power of carrying weight.
The sides of the roads must possess wet ditcte
or cutters, into which all water may be readll,
culverts, drains and gratings may be ne
Cessary."
| If such then are the principles OF road max
ing as "lsId down and consistently acted upol
by the greatest authority" If, ii order t
have a road perfectly safe" the great prere
|quisite Is, that 1t should be preserved In
dry state" "impenetrable to rain" with
covering either of broken stones or gravel
that will be Impervious to wafer, where the
Is the necessity for tile drain under the be-
: of the road! 1t is not expected that III
rain that tails shall percolate perpendicular
through depth of feet Of gravel and dirt :
sbe run Off by an underground tile. Nor ough
: lit to be expected that the water will run hor
, zontslly from the sides into the middle. whe
l"wet bitches or cutters" either tiled or ope
are properly constructed tor that purpos,
Butifit is expected thst water will percolate t
the depth Of the tile, and that the covering
will not be sufficient to resist the power G
the ram, where Is the necessity of putting o
any stones or gravel at alls Why not leav
the road in Its natural state subject to thi
mode of artificial drainage, that is, by placin
tile on either side and IN the middles
!. If the road is not solid and impervious
water, If the gravel becomes wet and loos,
wheels will cut through and deep ruts will b
: formed, whether there is tile underneath G
A AZ 4. IL 4 A. L.xN