The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-04-30
ANCIENT-MODERN ROADS.
To the Editor OF the Eagle.

To the Editor OF the Eagle.
The earliest roads about which any,
| thing is known are those of early Rome
the most noted OF which is the Appian
| Way, commenced 312 B. c.. Roman
roads are remarkable for preserving a
straight course from point to point. In
excellence they have never been ex.
celled, many of them remaining until
the present day, the paving of which
consisted of four courses-the first
layer of fiat stone; secondly, OF
smaller stones set evenly in NOR
tar; thirdly, a peculiar kind of cement,
and lastly, of square blocks of stone
cut evenly and fitted nicely. These
roads were about sixteen feet wide and
generally well drained, leaving the roads
dry and hard which accounts for their
durability.
About the beginning of the Eighteen
century 1T was found that France had
copied after Rome in the mode OF
making roads. They held that road
should be as short IS possible between
two points, and that they should be
smoothe and even for military purposes
and kept in order by the state. With
England it was different, OBJ
stacleS prevented their being
straight and are often found to be
OF great length. English roads are con-
structed with two roadways for carriages.
Outside Of these are the footpaths, then
the fences, outside of which are the
bitches, the poor draining causing mud
and mire in some places. A road when
first constructed to be good should have
a half inch more dirt allowed for set
ting than the bottom of the bed. 1t
should be rolled, made hard and smoothe.
The art lies in the preparation. In con-
sidering the roads of the United States,
Rayard Taylor said that Euclid ave-
nue. of Cleveland, o., was the finest he
had ever seen of its length-lined with
its fine mansions with their blue grass
lawns faultlessly kept, decked with trees
of finest foliage, and flowers of rarest
kinds. But the road itself is failure. in
the writer's judgment. Many improve
ments are being made on the old fash
Toned piked aud McAdamized roads.
Asphalt. iasperite and pressed brick
meeting a long felt want.
Benjamin Franklin considered the
making and keeping of good roads
and through his instrumentality caused
the first pavement to be laid in Phila-
delphia and secured the first systematized
street cleaning there, but note the
modern invention with an endless chain
keeping in revolution circular brush
six feet long, sweeping the dirt into the
cutters TO be picked up and hauled
away. Experience teaches that gas and
water pipes should have surban ways,
either in the middle or to one side of the
roads in which these pipes may be laid,
and to which easy access may be had
without damaging the carriage road.
The Bodock is a good durable pave
ment-so constructed that it can be
taken up at any time and relaid without
injury-splendid for heavy loads but not
smoothe enough for pleasure or bicy-
cling. We advocate the greatest good
to the greatest number. And for uni.
versal use, it has been proven that
Asphalt pavement meets all wants
heavy loads, pleasure and bicycling.
Kansas is one of the best laid out
states in the Union. Now, if all her
roads were paved with Asphalt, laid out
as they are on the straight section lines.
with free mail delivery, what an Eden
gentieman's country seat would be in
this beautiful state.
CHARLES II. LAW