The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1891-07-03
'H'zs ESSAYS ON ROAD NAMING.

Valuable suggestions ON Construction and
-, Maintenance.
About year ago COMMITTEES repre.
senting the University of Pennsylvania
offered three prizes Ct 600, 5000 and 500
TOT inc pest three papers on road making
ana maintenance. The award Of prizes
was duly made last October, and the
three prize essays have appeared in book
form, together with five other essays, tho
writers OF which have received honor
able mention.
Inc hrst prize paper is by Henry Irwin,
OF the engineering department, Canadian
Pacific railroad, Montreal. His essay is
based on experience while in charge
OF . district adjoining a large town
wnere some OF the finest macadamized
roads are to be found, and while driv.
ing Tor many years over some Of the
worst highways in the adjacent county.
First, Mr.. Irwin shows that practi-
ca!IynIevel road around hill, though
II N (ases the distance one mile, would
eneo saving in work equivalent to
W,7o year, surprising the road to be
used !! 100 farmers. In hilly country
roads may generally with advantage fol-
low along water courses, railway fash
ion. TRe steepest grade of public road
should not exceed one foot in twelve, and
this for more than 100 feet. A good
load ma taken up a grade Of one in
twenty length Of 400 feet. This Is
the 81 ! slope allowable on a road
witt traffic. A long stretch Of
peri road is not desirable on
acco Eipage.
OI the first item to be looked
after Asecond in importance to
none.t pey is well spent THAT secures
q f1rm' sroadbed. A road heaved by
the fYoq Imeans road badly drained.
Country roads may be macadamized for
width Aof only eight feet if extreme
economy is necessary. But for constant
traffic the macadamized portion should
be sixteen feet wide. Where but ono
sidewalks constructed it should be on
the north or east sides, for there the sun
1ries the walk more quickly. When the
'oadbed is graded it should be rolled
several times with a roller of not less
han ten tons. In matchmaking hand
broken stone is much superior to that
bya machine, which is gener-
lily Of irregular shape and does not
'eadily bind together, an essential mat
er. The best time to apply the stone is
Turing hot weather in the spring and
all. In dry summer weather loose
tones should be used for patching the
urface or else stored in heaps along the
oadside.
"There is nothing strikes European
more on his arrival in North America"
dr. Irwin says, ethan the excellence of
he railroads and the inferiority of the
Dads. This inferiority may partly be due
o the fact that the rich, both in the United
'tates and Canada, almost invariably
i've in the cities, where the roads are
etter kept up, or else in the immediate
Of towns which they can
each by rail. The country roads seem
be principally used by farmers, to |
1hom time seems to be no object, and |
tho do not apparently realize that good |
Dads ran -lee profitable. since they do not |
ctually place dollar bills in their hands. /
nd who seem to think that the only |
'ay to increase their income is to sell
lore produce, no matter how much it
lay cost to draw it into market, and ac-
they spend greater part Of
,eir lives slowly plodding over bad roads
'ithout thought of trying to improve
,am."
Good roads admit Of larger loads at
reater speed; Of use in wet weather
hen horses would otherwise be idle;
icy practically shorten distances, en-
ourage travel, benefit trade, enhance
10 value of lands and save money. It
as been estimated that in Illinois full
'ad can be carried on the roads only
lree months in the year; two-thirds Of
load three months, and half a load six
lonths. Good, permanent macadam-
ed roads there would reduce the cost of
auling three-fourths. The defective
ighways of Illinois cost it annually an
ztra $l5 ZOO, 900 for hauling. and depre-
ate its farms $3.50, 100000.
The second prize paper is by David 81.
ergey, of North Wales, Pa.
Mr.. Bergey, like Mr.. Irwin. approves
ost highly the Telford and macadam
stems For either system the bed Of
10 road should receive some preparation
,fore the work of construction begins
should be excavated, leaving four
oh elevation or Ridge in the middle,
I'd gradually slope toward the edges
his saves some material in the construc-
on of the road. besides giving the road
ay an arched contour. This feature is
'luable, especially in thin macadam.
The board Of adjudicators awarding
ese prizes, consisting of seven prom
ent Philadelphians, join in the follow
g recommendations to the committee
| better roads.
First-That in the improvement Of
ads the macadam system, consisting
small angular fragments, in sizes not
.ceeding from two to two and half
ches in their longest dimension, &C
riding to quality, should be used,
herever stone surface is both practi- /,
bile and justiiable.
Second--That the minimum width OF
e metaled surface for single track
ould be demirod st feet), of such depth
tho oE <,.o< nd al, <,to ~ !