Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-11-25


that they would not 60 to section wher'
the roads were inpassable. This is theil
only objection. They inform me that they
would gladly go to such sections, but that
they do not wish to be mud-bound or mud
blockaded for six months in the year.
can say to such sections that they mus
make good roads before they can induce 'em
igrants to come among them. If it is econ
omy that restrains, it is false economy
every day that they allow their public roads
to remain In an impossible condition, theil
streams to remain without bridges, they
deal direct and severe blow at their OWL
interests; the country will remain undevel
oped, its hidden treasures locked up"
Value Of Good Roads to France.
Turning from Belgium to France, it il
found that the road system has been of fal
greater value to the country as means
of raising the value of lands and
of putting the small peasant properties
in easy communication with their markets
than have the railways. It is the opinion
| of weltinformed Frenchmen who have
made practical study of economic prob
| lens, that the superb roads of France have
| been one of the most steady and potent con-
| tributions to the material development and
| marvellous financial elasticity Of the coun-
try. The far reaching and splendidly main
tanned road system has distinctly favored
the success Of the small landed proprietors,
| and in this prosperity lies the key to the
secret of the wonderful financial and solid
prosperity of the French nation.
For century the French roads have COM
PEELED the respect and admiration OF for
eigners, and of all the roads in the country
those considered the most excellent are in
the most rugged districts of the French
Alps. Here as elsewhere the highways are
numerous, of easy grade, solidly built, al
ways open and good save when temporarily
blocked with snow. They are subjected to
the most changeful and violent forces of ma
ture. Snow, frost, ice and furious glacial
torrents springing suddenly into existence
at unexpected points have sought in vain
for decade to destroy them.
Great Arteries of Inland Commerce.
The finest roadways existing to-day in
France, the greater arteries Of inland traffic
structed the Appian way. No greater build
ers of roads have left their mark on the an
nails of time; none have regarded them of
more vital import for the maintenance and
strengthening of the empire; no more forci-
BILE examples of Geographical engineering
have been so indelibly presented to modern
generations as the great highways of the
Romans.
In Germany the roads are mainly a
heritage from the century which immedi-
stely preceded the introduction of rail lroads.
In those days the mails and the few travel
ers who iurneyed by public conveyance were
carried by post chaises; freight was trans
ported by great numbering wagons, each
drawn by six horses and what was regarded
as not less important in that period of
prolonged and incessant warfare, broad,
smooth roads were necessary for the rapid
movement of the kings armies with their
supply trains and artillery. It required
many years after the introduction of rail-
roads to persuade the conservative officials
of the Government that the period of post
chaises was forever past, and that thence
forth their splendid system of macadam1zed
and graded highways must play q secondary
role. The building of turn pixies began to
assume great proportions with the beginning
of the present century, the first half of
which may be Justly termed the classic age
OF the construction of State roads.
Ancient Highways in Spain.
1t is in Spain that the ancient highways
are still to be seen in all their perfections
Ell Calzada del Diablo and Ell Calzada de
las Gigantes are known to all who have Wis
tied the land OF the Alhambra. According
to st. Isidoro, the first paved roads of Spain
were built by the Carthagenians, and the
same writer is authority for the statement
that the Phoenicians opened the road across
the Pyrenees and the Alps many centuries
before the Christian era The most ancient
road outside of Italy was in Spain, and led
from Cartagena to the Pyrenees, where 1t
connected with others that led across the
Alps to Rome. This roadswas travelled by
he of insa tha An
made the system of communication so COM
plete that little else was left for his sue
cessors to do than to care for the roads
already constructed. The most ambitious,
as regards road making, of Augustus sue
cessors was Trajanus, and his example was
by Adrian, Lucius and others, but
afterward the removal Of the Court to Byz-
antine by Constantine caused the abandon
ment of that most magnificent system of
highways that laced Rome to its most dis
tant provinces.
Some idea of the extent Of these roads
can be gained by glancing over the itinerary
Of Antonino Augusta Caracalla Accord
ing to this the following were the Roman
Roads of Spain:
Road from Italy to Spain and Portugal
375 miles long; from Italy via Narbona, $50
miles; from Cardoba to Castulo, SO miles;
Castulo to Malaga, 301 miles, and 30 others
varying in length from so to 400 miles, the
total being 1926 miles.
How the Roads Were Constructed.
The .immensity of the work of construc-
lion can be imagined from the following ac-
count of Consul Turner, Of Cadiz. ''These
highways were pavements firmly and SIM
ply leveled and of such solidity that REM |
fo af IF fho al
found in a state of fair preservation In |
various countries They were generally |
narrow, being from four to six meters in |
width and constructed as follows: The road |
bed was excavated and in it was first placed |
layer of stones. The stones of this |
bottom layer were sometimes united |
With mortar. Over it was placed strata
If plaster made of stone or brick pounded |
With mortar. This was followed by another
# sand and lime, or sand and earthenware
lay, which, like its predecessor, was
pounded and leveled with great force. The
op was made Of irregular stones united
With cement. The road formed a pro-
lounced curve between strongly made
urbs, which at regular distances were ele-
'ated to serve as stiles for the mounting
nd dismounting of horses"
1t may safely be said, says Consul Catlin,
# Zurich, that in no country in the world
8 the construction Of roadways carried out
nth more scientific skill and thoroughness
han in Switzerland. The mountainous
ature of the country, the conse-
uent difficulty of providing means
f easy communication between points
ocated in comparative proximity to
ach other and the severe tests to which
Dads, even when once constructed, are sub
ected by the violence of storms and the
udden swelling of water courses, have from
he earliest period rendered the subject of