The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1889-10-05

France are under the general super
vision of the prefect of the department,
and their construction and repairs are
entrusted to the engineers of the points
ct chaussees. The necessary funds for
this purpose are allotted to each de-
partment by the Minister of Public
Works. The high.roads are divided
into two classes-national roads, run
ming through two or more departments
and connecting the chief cities, and
departmental roads, connecting the
principal cities within single depart
ment. The local roads are divided in
to three classes-the important local
roads, the ordinary local roads, and the
by-roads. Each is thus classified ac-
cording to its use and the traffic upon
it, as determined by actual count at
stated periods. The construction and
the maintenance are varied according
to the use and the volume OF traffic.
Some of the national roads are paved
with stone blocks, like city streets, ior
long distances ;others are macadamlzed;
and the local roads are of gravel. The
engineer in-chief has charge of all the
roads in the department; under him
are engineers having charge of certain
districts, and under each of these are
superintendents and overseers, each in
charge of a certain force of laborers
and the necessary materials for keeping
the roads always in good order. 1t is,
In short, the same system of constant
inspection, maintenance, and repair
which is in use on every one of our
principal railroads, but which is never
applied to our roads.
The fundamental principles of
maintenance, as laid down in the
Manual of instruction, are only two
in number, viz The removal of the
daily wear of the road. whether in
the form of mud or dust; I. The i'm
portant replacement OF this wear by
new material.
Each road is divided into sections
called eantons; on heavily travelled
roads a canton may be only 100
yards long, on light roads it may be
a mile; and to each canton there is
workman known as a cantonnier,
who is responsible for the condition
of the road in his canton. He lives
in the immediate vicinity, and is OBJ.
hged to be on the road from a. m.
to 7 p. m. in summer, and from SUM-
rise to sunset in winter; he can rest
two hours for his noon. day meal,
but with this exception he must be
always at work between the hours
above stated. He has the following
tools, viz. Wheelbarrow, iron shovel,
wooden shovel, pick, iron scraper,
wooden scraper, broom, iron rake,
crowbar. hammer, hammer, and
tape-line. His duties are, I, to keep
the cutters clean so that the water
can run off freely; 2, to scrape off the
mud in wet weather and sweep off
the dust in dry weather, SO as to
keep his canton always clean; 3, to
clean off the snow as far as possible,
and to break up the ice on the sur
face of the road and in the cutters
during the winter; 4, to pick up all
loose stone, break them, and pile
them in regularly shaped piles on the
side of the road, ready for use in re-
pairing ruts and holes; S, to keep the
nile-posts in good order; E, to take
Care of the trees bordering the road.
The six adjacent cantonniers form
a squad called brigade, which is
under a foreman known as a canton
ME, -chef, and forms the unit of work.
ing force. Several brigades are
placed under the charge of condue-
teur, or superintendent, who has
charge of a section of 40 or 50 miles
of road, for the good order of which
he is responsible, and every part Of
which he must inspect and report
upon twice month. Several sec
tons are placed under an engineer,
who has charge of all the roads in
an ary0ndlsSement, or township, and
must inspect every part of them
once in three months. Finally, the
engineer-in chief has charge of all
the roads in the department or prov
ince. eighty-seven Of which consti-
tute the territory of France.
| During the winter, when the re-
pairs are heavy. and whenever a
general re-surfacing of the road is
undertaken, the regular contonniers
are assisted by auxiliary labor hired
for the time being. The broken
stone required for such work is fur
nished by contract.
1t should be borne in mind that
this is not mere paper organiza-
ton, or code of forgotten statutes,
but an actual working system in full
operation to-day. 1t is the result OF
I2o years of thought and labor de-
voted to an important subject by
some of the best minds of France,
and the result is the most superb
system of roads to be found anywhere
in the world. The cost is surpris-
ingly small, considering what is ac-
complished. The actual cost per
mile of maintaining the national
roads Gall macadamized) is given in
Debauve's Manual for each of the
eighty. seven departments. 1t varies
- n Il