The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-03-18
PLAN ADOPTED IN NEW JERSEY
chaunoey II. Ripley Tcii. How co.n,r,
Roads Have Iiccn Aiacaa.r,t..a


The New York Times lie saws.
In consequence of the rulnous effect
OF the continued rains OF the past year
upon the roads aud highways about New
York, extraordinary interest has been
manifested by property owners Of the
suburban counties in the system Of road
making inauguratod bv Mr.. Chauncov
g. Ripley in Union county. n. J. Roads
that have been considered of the first
class, and that have cost enough toma1c
solid and durable highway. have been
so soitoned by the wet weather that they
have succumbod 20 the strain of ordi-
nary teamiug, and are cat TO pieces and
scanned with dangerous ruts.
Respecting work ON country roads. q"
said Mr.. Ripley, "the work in Union
county is progressing slowly. but. accord
ingto contract, rigidly in all cases. Many
questions have been asked me about the
provisions Of the contracts under which
we are working, mostly bv letters.
which / am still receiving from many
sections Of country suburban 10 New
York. ! should Doe glad toanswer them.
once for all. Our public roads are gene
orally laid ont Cj feet wide. OF this
width one-hfth, or about 13 feet. on each
side is allowed and used for sidewalk,
and shade trees. The country roads are
macadamized only 10 feet in width or
feet on each side of the center line.
which the surveyor first dciaes. and
which, when found, controls an other
lines in the progress of the work.
"The first among the essentials Of q first
class road is drainage The contract.
specifications and drawings all provide
for such a grade as shall carry off all
water from the surface Of the road and
that which porcOlatcs through the stone
Before any stone is laid the r0adbed ia
perfectly graded, with reference 90 shed
ding water toward the side as well as
carrying it off lengthwisc The center
Of the roadbed is higher, and the slope
10 each side is regular. a shoulder is left
on each margin of the 16-foot bed. SO that
the foundation stones cannot spread
The roadbed is made smooth and rolled
before any stones are placed on it.
"Aiter its preparation is completed
layer of blocks of stone about ~ inches
long by or inches on the sides is laid
each stone by hand. Each stone stands
an inch or so away from other stones
The stones Of the first layer are pretty
uniform in size. and of trap rock. and
crack or split easily when struck with
stone hammer, which is used on the top
of each stone tiil an are broken into. say.
half dozen pieces. The broken pieces
fan down wedge shape, spreading so as
IL fin the vacant spaces left between the
blocks, as originally laid, and form %
mass of wedgel stones that will stand in
the position they are left by the hammer
forever we may almost say. After this
the roller is applied, and the stones are
packed by rolling. Then a layer Of
larger stones is placed upon this founda-
ton, say stones of the size of 2 TO %
inches on a side. This layer is then
rolled. and "a finer grade is used ON top,
till stone dust and gravel complete the
evenness of the surface The roller now
in use on the Union county roads is
steam roller, and has pressure of twelve
tons"
"What do such roads cost, and how is
is the money raisedf'
"The cost is about $4,000 mile.
judge by observation and imperfect re-
ports. 1t is not far from that sum, can
safely say. 1t seems @ great deal to one
not acquainted with road making. It is
not We have few good roads i'm our
county that have not cost at least chat
amount of money per mile. And they
wear out I'm q few years. The money
under our county act is raised 10y bonds.
running twenty years at A. per cent. in-
terest. The interest on these bonds is
all that tie present generation will have
to pay, as q rule. 10 is very light, too,
when spread over county. A taxpayer
owning q house and lot worth 5000. and
having $1,000 more ont at interest, told
me the other day his yearly tax would
not be more than a dollar or two greater
ON account of these roads Although at
first a croaker and opposed to them, he
is now in favor of the roads"
"But when the bonds fall due, what
them
"When the bonds fall due Union county
will contain three times the number q
inhabitants it has at present and the
taxable property viii be three times as
great. This we are safe in assuming.
and moro, juiging the future by thepast
two decades. / have fresh evidences
every day Of the increasing interest In
improving carriage roads in Rockland,
Orange. Duchess and Westchester coun-
ties in New York The earth is SO full
Of water from the excessive rainy season
we are passing through that the old style
Of gravel roads has been put to q seyeror
test than ever before in the memory Of
this generation. This accounts i'm some
degree for the increased interest and
makes better roads a greater necessity"