The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1889-12-14
PUBLIC ROADS.
Soma Facts Learned by Baltimore
County Commissioner in
New Jersey.

To learn something of the roads and manner
and cost of building them in Essex county,
n. j., where the best are to be found, Robert
Magruder one of the new board of County
Commissioners went to Orange last week. A
sam reporter accompanied him, and here is
report upon the visit
Essex county, being contiguous to New
! York, has many large towns or bOroughs, and
each has some special way of raising money
to build good roads. The Legislature of New
Jersey, however, at its last session passed
law confering certain powers upon the coun-
/ ties in regard to macadamized roads.
ROADS WHICH COST $4,000 A MILE.
/ This new law is being applied throughout
/ the State, especially in the counties OF Essex,
! Union and Passaic. Mr.. Magruder made
/ the town of Orange, in Essex county, about
twelve miles from New York, his objective
I point, and obtained some valuable informa-
ton regarding his mission. All along the
railroads running from Hoboken to Orange is
/ almost one continuous town. As fast as the
train leaves the suburbs of one town it enters
that Of another. Along the road, and espe
Cially upon the outskirts of these towns, are
almost countless handsome villas, occupied
hy New York business men, who are willing
to pay literally for good roads. This in part
accounts for the complete system this county
has In some of these boroughs, as they are
called in New Jersey the matchmaking of
the roads, including the cobble cutters, cost
as much as 900 n mile. Mr.. Magruder
thinks that this would be too expensive for
general adaptation in county rs large as
Baltimore. which has about $50 miles of road.
But g, 500 PER NILE WILL D..
This great expense, however, is due to the
fact that where the cost is so great the streets
OF roads are macadamized fifty or sixty feet
from Gu b to curb. and one finished up
with cobble cutters, which would be unneees
sary in county roads. The macadam Is also
IN these avenues twelve inches deep, greater
depth than is called for usually though the
deeper the macadam the longer will the roads
last The roads outside the Incorporated
limits Of these towns are not usually macada-
mized for a greater width than eighteen feet,
which is considered ample for country roads.
II was estimated by an expert at Orange thai
the roads in Baltimore county could be ma.
caiamized 10 a width Of eighteen feet and Of
sufficient depth for about s., GOO or 8, 500 per
mile. though the cost, he said, would depend
largely upon the accessibility Of the material.
In some places in Baltimore county stone
coald be obtained very cheap. In ether sec
lions IL would be more costly. Such stone rs
u generally found upon farms, 1t was said,
would nos do for macadamizng, except for
the lower layer, as they were too soft, and
that IL would require hard, broken rock.
nov To NACApANizE ROADS.
This IS the way they make macadamized
roads Of the best quality ia Essex county
The roadbed is excavated, graded and com
pactlv rolled 70 depth Of twelve inches below
the established grade. Ga she bed SO formed
there - laid a bottom course Of stone blocks
carefully by band, so a. to form a close, solid
Pavement Of seven inches deep, with no stone
over seven iuches IN depth. All intersiices
are SLICED IN with stone chips, firmly wedged
and driven down with sledges. Upon this
bottom course is laid a second course Of
broken stone TO the depth OF three inches.
with no stone Over three and one half inches
in diameter. This second course Is repeatedly
and thoroughly rallied with = roller OF not less
than three tons in weight until solid and
smooth Good clay Is used with this eosrse
sufficient Tor packing, and Is spread evenly by
hand. and not TO exceed one inch 10 thickness.
On this is laid the third course OF finely broker
stone to the depth Of two inches, with no
stone over one and one hAifinches IN diameter,
aud ihea the whole surface is covered With a
coating Of Stone dasi. THIS Is then thoroughly
rolled unti smooth aud solid. All stone used
there Tor macadamuag has % bt OF trap
rock both for bottom aud broken stone.
PAYMENT for The work y made fortnightiy rs
ftlF FNMA HtNN4eNSts ~ AAt NAsNAN vs. ~ ~ e
cent of the amount then due. the balance
being paid on Tire completion Of the whole I
wovE \ contractor usually has 70 commence
ten DAYS after the eOatyci - suArded aud I
fiuish the wogk IN ninety DAYS ii practicable, {
according TO the length 81 IT, The croSn OF
the road ~ the middle has 10 be six inches /
higher than the curb line, and the road be /
evenly rounded from side TO side
Nj. sPnrrIsWOupE' GxrgRIgNcE.
Mr.. George Spo,tisEoods, Of Orange, Nj, /
who has largely engaged IN building maeadA.
nized roads since lS12, and formerly
member OF the eoancil Of the town, while 4
iayoriug toe must expensive system as beng 4
ths brsg IN the end. SAYS that II counties or
boFosrhs cannot afford such expense, they
could sscare very good roads by grading the 4
diFi road and patiinE on from three to SIX 4
inches Of broken stone, bat this viii not wear I
we'll II the traffic IS heavy. some Of the aUo /
broad avenues ia Essex county are paid tor, I
he says. entirely by the county, others are .
partly paid for by towns aud boroaghs. From
Nevark the county seat Of Essex, there are /
SIX wide avenues Fadiaiing ike the sPokes OF
a wheei 10 the county line. These are paid
for by the cognty. Mr.. Spotuswoode said I
that the best class Of roads could be r.ade for
s. 600 n riile Il stone could be obtained
handjly, and = very good road cGuld be made
for So 200 q mile or even at &, 500, especially
Il The haaliug on Il was not too heavy.
as GivEs sa@2 ADVICE. roo.
Twas not sconC--f, he said, for a corpora
tiou 20 do ANYTHING. NJ be was altogether IN
favor OF putting all sacn work out at contract
A contractor coaid get a much work done
for 81 90 As = corporation could for sl.o0
Contractors do no, employ broken-down old
men, as corporations have 10 do, especially II
thcy Wang TO please. II any county pAnders
70 sentiment Of this kind it will never have
good roads. He advised that some active
man should 20 IN the business and provide
his own plant. Crushers coald be obtained for
from s. go To $, OOo each, including an outfit
Of engine and boiler. Ii the county should
obtain such plant every district would want
i, al the same time. la building roads one OF
the most important things 20 be done, Mr..
Spot,sswoOde said, was a correct system OF
drainage Ii this was NOT done IL would be
impossible to build roads that would stand.
Mr.. srErs0S's OBSERVATIONS.
Mr.. Horace S,etson. city clerk OF Orange.
said that ia that city the cost OF building
roads was assessed upon property according
to It's worth. Persons so assessed could pay
cash or have SIX years 10 do il. but IN that
ease - per cent interest was charged. As to
curbiug grading and tagging. that had to be
paid for immediately Where credit is given
bonds are issued to pay the expense of ma
cadAmizing. The county board, he said, had
charge Of portion Of the work, and portion
was done by the boTOughs. la some eases
one half the expense was paid by the county
and the balance by the towns. The roads or
streets varied in width, being from forty to
sixty feet. As general rule the roadway
was three Gfths of its entire width. The tax
rate ia Orange, Mr. Stetson said, was 81. 20
on the 500, but as the taxpayers are gener-
ally rich they do not mind it. The property,
however, was only assessed at 40 per cent. OF
its real value. The street commissioner was
the inspector of roads in Orange township.
Mr.. Stetson thought good county road could
be macadamized for $500 per mile, but it
largely depended upon the cost of obtaining
the stone. In Orange there had been a com
bnation Of contractors, which put the price
up. Daring the conversation with Mr.. Stet-
son, Mr.. Magruder said that Baltimore
county had a very good law, but very bad
roads
SPINNING ALONG IN EARNEST.
In order to see how good the roads were
out in the county team was procured, and
Mr. Magruder was driven several miles over
roads that were almost as smooth as glass, and
seldom wa there Jolt perceptible. He also
had good opportunity of seeing the condi
ton of road in that locality which was not