Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1890-03-28
PLAN ADOPTED IN NEW JERSEY.
Chauncey B. Ripley Tells How Country
Roads Have Been Macadamized.

Chauncey B. Ripley Tells How Country
Roads Have Been Macadamized.
The plan of building new roads under
the recent enactment in New Jersey is
described in an interview published in
The New York Times. He says:
In consequence of the ruinous effect
of the continued rains Of the past year
upon the roads and highways about New
York, extraordinary interest has been
manifested by property owners of the
suburban counties in the system of road
making inaugurated by Mr.. Chauncey
B. Ripley in Union county, N. J. Roads
that have been considered of the first
class, and that have cost enough to make
solid and durable highway, have been
SO softened by the wet weather that they
have succumbed to the strain of ordi-
nary teaming, and are cut to pieces and
scanned with dangerous ruts.
Prospecting work on country roads"
said Mr.. Ripley, "the work in Union
county is progressing slowly, but, accord
ing to contract rigidly in all cases. Many
questions have been asked me about the
provisions of the contracts under which
we are working, mostly by letters,
which l am still receiving from many
sections of country suburban to New
York. 1 should be glad to answer them,
once for all. Our public roads are gen
orally laid out 66 feet wide. Of this
width one-ffth, or about 10 feet, on each
side is allowed and used for sidewalks
and shade trees. The country roads are
macadamized only 16 feet in width or 8
feet on each side of the center line,
which the surveyor first defines, and
which, when found, controls all other
lines in the progress of the work.
1.-The first among the essentials of first
class road is drainage. The contract,
specifications and drawings all provide
for such grade as shall carry off all
water from the surface of the road and
that which percolates through the stone.
Before any stone is laid the roadbed is
perfectly graded, with reference to she'd
ding water toward the side as well as
carrying it off lengthwise. The center
Of the roadbed is higher, and the slope
to 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.
CATER its preparation is completed
layer of blocks of stone about 10 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 a
stone hammer, which is used on the top
of each stone till all are broken into, say,
half dozen pieces. The broken pieces
fall down wedge shape, spreading so as
to fill the vacant spaces left between the
blocks, as originally laid, and form a
mass of wedged 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 layer of
larger stones is placed upon this founda-
ton, say stones of the size of 2 to 21
inches on side. This layer is then
rolled, and 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 raised?'
"The cost is about $4,000 mile, I
judge by observation and imperfect re-
ports. 1t is not far from that sum, can
safely say. 1t seems a great deal to one
not acquainted with road making. 1t is
not. We have few good roads in our
county that have not cost at least that
amount Of money per mile. And they
wear out in few years. The money
under our county act is raised by bonds,
running twenty years at A per cent in
terest. The interest on these bonds is
all that the present generation will have
to pay, as rule. 1t is very light, too,
when spread over county. A taxpayer
owning house and lot worth S., 900, and
having $4,000 more out at interest, told
me the other day his yearly tax would
not be more than 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 of
inhabitants it has at present, and the
taxable property will be three times as
great. This we are safe in assuming,
and more, julging the future by the past
two decades. I 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 a severer
test than ever before in the memory of
this generation. This accounts in some
degree for the increased interest and
makes better roads a greater necessity"