San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1890-04-03
PLAN ADOPTED IN NEW JERSEY.
Chauncey B. Ripley Tells How Country
Roads Hnve Been Macadamized.

PLAN AOOPI eD IN NEW JCHoCT' q
Chauncey B. Ripley Tells How Country
Roads Have Been MacadamizeS.
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: b.
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
80 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.
Respecting 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 mo about the
provisions of the contracts under which
we are working, mostly by letters,
which I 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 gem
orally laid out 60 feet wide. OF this
width one-fifth, or about 13 feet, on each
side is allowed and used for sidewalks
and shade trees. The country roads are
macadamized only 1G 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 i'm the progress of the work.
"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 rs well as
carrying it off lepgthwise. The center
of the rOadbed is higher, and the slope
to each side is regular. A shoulder is left
on each margin of the 1G-foot bed, 80 that
the foundation stones cannot spread.
The roadbed is made smooth and rolled
before any stones are placed on it,
"After its preparation is completed
layer of blocks of stone about 12 inches
long by 6 or 8 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 till all are broken into, say,
half dozen pieces. The broken pieces
fall down wedge shape, spreading so as
to I'll 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, ami the stones are
packed by rolling. Then a layer of
larger stones is placed upon this fonnda-
ton, say stones of the .size Of To ~
inches on a 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 a
steam roller, and has a pressure Of twelve
tons"
"What do such roads cost, and how is
is the money raisely'
"The cost is about $4,000 n mile,
Judge by observation and imperfect re-
ports. Il Is not far from that sum, l can
safely say. IL seems a great deal 10 one |
not acquainted with road making. IL Is
not. We have few good roads in our 1
county that have not cost at least that /
amount Of money per mile. And they |
wear out On a few years. The money /
under our county act is raisei BY bonds. /
running twenty years at 81 PeT cent in
terest The interest on these bonds is /
all that the present generation vii have
TO pay, a. a rule. u IL very light. too. /
when spread over a county. 4 taEpayer I
owning a houzs AMI iot worth s. .O11. and /
having 5000 more ont AZ Interest, tod .
ne the oilIer day his yearly tax EOuld d
% b. more ti-.a a dDiiHT o. tVFO greater
oa accSunt - the1e roads. Aiiiloazh 81
frst q crnater and oTgsnas'i - tlern. he
i rsoE in faroT q ti5e roz.ls.
ssIut Nlen uIs bonls fan de-. uizi /
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