The Newtown bee., 1892-07-08
Trumbulps Road Case.
TUESDAYS HEARING, JUNE 2s.


 field. Bradford D. Pierce, street com missioner of Bridgeport, Charles k. Brothwell, F. T. Barnum's agent for the last 30 years, testified and Charles P. Chapman, road contractor for Westport, partly gave his testimony. #
 Mir Schofield On the old road, if laid out according to profiles shown in court, starting from point 50 feet from where the proposed layout branches off, there will be 950 feet with grade of Il to the 100. For the next 100 feet, grade of 9 1-5 feet, then 100 feet with grade of five feet, five inches, after which the road is practically level, having only one or two feet rise to the 100. Between where the cut begins on the ll-foot grade to where the 1l-foot grade ends, 925 cu- bic yards of filling would have to be ta- ken out, more than half rock. Rock could be broken up for 60 to Goo. cubic yard; balance of dollar would transport it, smooth it out and finish road for trav- el. Dirt could be excavated for BOG. cu- bic yard; 200. transport and spread it.
 Could not make grade of old road less than II feet without more cost than trav- el would warrant. Did try 10 feet, but gave it up. Cutting it to S-foot grade would cost 10 times as much as ll-foot. If could go around hill entirely would do so, but by layout have to get up the hill all the same, but by longer route. Give a horse all it it can draw on a level and can only draw 75 per cent. up grade IA feet, 9 per cent. up 10-foot grade and H. foot grade would reduce it's capacity or per cent. Judge Beers said that man had offered to give bond to the town to build the new road for 5000. MT Sco- field said that, in his opinion, ends the question of cost. MT Scofleld explained his estimate of $l cubic yard for exca- vating and moving rock, but said that, in city, man who quarries rock at that rate has surplus rock for his own, besides the $1. Cost more to blast in city than coun- try, as city blasts must be bound to pre- vent accident. Think four weeks reason able time to grade old road.
 B. D. Pierce, street commissioner for seven years. Most road work under his direction during the time. General con- tractor for roads and sewers before that some experience laying out country roads. Layout is under side of hill, hard pan, loamy, bordering a little on gravel. Lower lots contain more stone and boulders; quite damp and spongy. New road would require lateral drain. Wouldn't be best kind of road unless suit ably drained; good deal of drainage. Think there Is better material to make a good road on old road. Rock increases a third on the average in quarrying. Rock at top of hill is granite, fairly hard stone. Good place to blast; no houses near. Could put in battery of holes and large quantity of explosives. This would must be made for gutters, that water stand not on road, nor wash dirt oil. Could not possibly blast rock out at top of hill without falling below grade ; should put chips of rock back on road as went along. Would corroborate Engin- eer Scofield's estimate. Know where rock was quarried in Bridgeport and moved eighth of mile for in the neighbor- hood of $1 yard. Old road ought to have four culverts; cost $l5 or $16 each. On layout, 330O cubic yards of dirt to be moved; probably cost 30 to 40c yard. Should have four small pipe culverts, cost $10 to $16 each. New road cost more to keep in repair; take two or three years for dirt to settle. Old road, re- paired, in my judgment, would be easier to travel with loads than layout. Extra friction on earth road more than make up for difference in grade. Shouldn't dodge the hill; should keep straight and mar row path. In few places sounded with bar on old road. May be gravel under heath. Gravel next best to trap rock. $1 cubic yard for rock, 50c for dirt em- braces finished road with one culvert and gutters complete. If had contract, should take gang there, build quarters blast on one side of 20-foot road and let public pass on other side. Prefer hard road with steep grade to reasonably soft road of less grade. Rather have eight foot than 11foot grade. Would rather spend money to cut down old road than to make new. Should endeavor to blow whole hill up at once. Judge Beers gave Mir Pierce smart local hits, which he took good naturedly.
 O.. R. Brothwell agent for Barnum 30 years, seven or eight years member o1 board of public works. Accustomed te making estimates. Layout has appear ance of being sort of shed for water from hill. Think it would be hard to travel il you used material found along the road Should say enough material beside tho road to grade with. Ground either hard pan or loam. Think 35c cubic yard fail price for moving dirt. Turnpiking costs S2 50 to $3 rod. Saw no reason why rock on old road could not be excavated Should be done for less than $l cubic yard. Have contracted to remove rocl in city at soc yard. Easiest kind of haul all down hill; 40c yard ought to move dirt. At these prices, using rock anc broken stone, could make finest road Don't see how anything more than nat ural rainfall would be on road. If lay out built of loam and what is found along it, rock road best. In muddy times, load' would go old road, if both were graded Never contracted for rock cut road. Be lieve in getting lowest grade every time easier to travel on. Don't think you cal build good road over layout unless mac adamized.
 C.P. Chapman of Westport, road con tractor. Layout loam inclined to be sof and boulders. Put bar down, water i bottom of hole. Cart material from uI