The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1890-09-03
Roads and Road-Making.
BY HENRY RAUcH, Eo.

US any account that paid any attention to
roads, were the ancient Romans. Their
roads were on the most extensive scale,
suitable to the wants of the period
Whatever they might have learned from
other nations they greatly improved
upon, and are therefore entitled to be
called the FIRST and best ioad-makers.
The leading principle that actuated the
Roman authorities in establishing good
roads, was that Of maintaining their mil
itary conquests more than for commercial
intercourse.
Attempts to improve the roads form
ing the principal thoroughfares Of Eng
land were made about the beginning Of
the eighteenth century, aud for that pur-
pose turnpike acts were passed by Par
lament The plan consisted in making
the paths somewhat more level than for
merIy, and Of filing up the ruts and
holes with stones gathered from ada
cent fields by these means the holes,
ruts, swamps or marches were eOnsiders-
bly, limited, both in breadth and depth,
but as perfect levelness was not attained
carriages were dreadfully jolted over the
roagher parts also, no pains were taken
to break the stones Of equal size small
and large were mixed. 1t happened that
the larger ones in time worked to the
surface and created additional jolting to
wagons and carriages. one of the very
things we can see in many places in cur
country roads az the present time, and
our old turnpikes are no exception
1t Is very remarkable fact that some
of the landlords of the counties in the vi
cinity of London petitioned Parliament
against the extension of turnpike roads
into the remoter parts Of the country I;
those remote counties, it was pretended,
from the cheapness Of labor, would be
able to sell their produce at lower rate
IN the London market than they them
selves, and would thereby reduce their
rents and ruin their production they ev-
identiy must have been proteetionis-s,)
but in spite of those remonstrances turn
pike roads were extended into the re-
mote counties, and as ought 10 have been
expected, so far from injnring the neigh
borhood Of the metropolis, they greatly
increased its value, for a free and easy in
terchange Of commodities IS universally
beneficial, and that ea7 only be accom-
plished by good roads and easy transpcr-
tation.
A farm situated at distance of ten
miles from market, with a good road
leading to it, is worth more than one at
half that distance with bad road, or no
road at all, ut to travel
Roads can never be made perfectly Sc
cure until the following principles be ful-
" understood, admitted and acted upon,
namely That it is the natural soil which
really supports the weight of travel.
While it is preserved in dry state it
will carry any weight without sinking,
and it does, in fact, carry the road and
carriages ;also, that the native soil should
be kept as dry as possible, and made as
impenetra5le from rain as possible, and
that it should be elevated above the
line of stagnant water, is also necessary.
The beds Of our county roads, in many
places, are entirely too low in places
where the ground is level, or nearly so,
the bed of the road should be elevated at
least two feet higher than the sides, with
sufficient water-tables, bitches, drains
and culverts to carry off all surplus wa
ter. In places where stones are needed,
they should be broken regular and fine.
We can never expect a smooth road with
coarse and unevenly-broken stones, and
stones broken fine will pack better than
coarse ones.
The width of the road is another con-
sideraiion for convenience a road ought
to be wide enough for two wagons freely
10 pass-from twelve to fifteen feet. A
wide road on hillside is apt to form q
channel or low place in the middle, and
the water running down in the middle Of
the road instead of the sides, into the
wate-tabie. With respect TO the shape or
surface of the road when completed there
is also some difference of opinion, but all
agree that it should be convex the only
difference is in quantity. The degree in
convexity should be governed in a great
degree by the locality and other sur
roundings. road formed of loan or
clay soil shonld have a greater convexity
than one formed of harder material, for
the reason that water will injure soft
road quicker than hard one. A road
upon uneven or hilly ground should have
a greater conyexity than one upon level
ground, TO prevent the descent Of rain
water along the face of the road, which
is there caught by she slightest impress
ions of the wheels, and thus wears q
channel from the top to the bottom of
the hill. A wide road also requires to be
more crowning than narrower one,
which more readily frees itself from wa
ter. inasmuch as the distance the water
/ has to run is less. But it must be borne
/ in mind that the freeing Of road from
rain water is not the only object 70 be
kept in view. In making road crown
| ing the ease and safety of carriages, and
especially those with heavy burdens or
high loads must be consulted A carriage
moves most freely, or with the least re-
sistance when the load lies evenly upon
the wheels just in proportion as the
weight or load is thrown on the one side
or the other, the resistance is increased
hence the inconvenience Of very crown
ing road on steep hill, and the utility
of breakers on long hills, which should
be shaped like the letter V" inverted.
/ 1t is plain that road should be equally
and duly convex in every part Of it +; 9TH
erwise it becomes more partially worn,
the more level parts being most used.
When a road is carried around hill
instead of going directly over it, or when
a road is made on a side-hill, it should
have the least possible convexity consist.
ent with a proper drainage Of the road
In most localities this should rarely ex-
ceed four inches.
In laying out new roads it IS Of some
Importance that the rises and falls. De not
I n r n l.t.r,