The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1892-08-19
GOOD ROADS.
Their Requisites, How Obtained and
How Northumberland Laws.

printed III a volume issued under
the auspices of the University of
Pennsylvania, makes the following
comparative estimates for macadam
and telford roads respectively.
"Macadam-One mile, 80 feet
wide and ii inches deep in center,
from $1,000 to So, 900, according to
material and distance. With a
good old foundation it would cost
81, 500 to 81, 900.
"Telford-One mile, 20 inches
deep, in layers, with good rolling,
can he made for $4,000 to $1,000,
according to material and distance.
On old foundation it will cost So, 900
to $780,"
This writer pronounces the ma
cadam road "the best and therefore
the cheapest. Others maintain
the superior merit, as well as cheap
ness. of the telford system.
A perfect road, either telford or
macadam, or even of Illinois gravel,
can only be secured by keeping the
roadbed perfectly dry through all
seasons, either by undertakings or
by making the covering imperNious
to water and by prompt and tho
rough repairs. Hence side drain
age, culverts, slope and curvature
are of prime Importance.
j. +. Pope, civil engineer, of
Austin, maintains that a road with
a "metaled" surface, either of
broken stone or gravel, Is feet wide
and 4! inches at the side to G.
inches deep in the middle, can be
constructed for $1,000 to $4,000
per mile, can be kept in repair for
500 to $500 mile per anum and
would need resurfacing once IN tou
or five years.
Another writer claimes that a
good road with a surface Of gravel
laid on ten inches of broken stone,
with side drains, can be built for
81, 800 TO $4,000 per mile. With
one side drain and eight inches of
broken stone, he estimates the cost
at 81, 500 to $500 per mile.
Dirt roads must for long time
be the dependence of Illinois and
other states, and the best method
of securing thorough drainage and
a solid track will continue to be
discussed in road conventions and
the press. The attention the sub
ject is attracting is a promising
omen for the future. One of the
reforms needed, and that will even
tually be reached, is the regulation
of the width of tires of vehicles
according to the load, thus prevent
ing the cutting up of roads as now.
Next to construction a question
of prime Importance is that of care
and maintenance. Unsystematic
methods, work performed at i'm
proper seasons and absolute neglect
are the bane of any road system.
Some of the most important rules
may be briefly summarized as fol-
lows:
First-Make all needed repairs
promptly and at proper seasons.
SeconG-Wet weather is the most
favorable for repairing or resurfac-
ing macadamlzed roadway.
Thlrd-Keep drains clear.
Fourth-Remove mud and dirt
and do not allow puddles or ruts
on a hard road.
Fifth-In making repairs see
that the macadam is of proper size
and evenly distributed.
A most valuable treatise on the
subject of Road Legislation for
the American State" by Professor
j. W. jerks, of Knox college. at
Galesburg, His, read before the
American Economic association in
May, 1889, is printed in the publ
cations Of the ASSOCIATION volume ~
for that year. In that paper the
author points out very forcibly the
wastefulness of the present system
of unimprovcd roads in this state.
Professor jerks estimates the cost
of the present defective system to
the people Of Illinois at nearly fif-
teen and half millions annually,
and the depreciation IN the value
Of the farms of the state at $780,
100000 In practice 1t has been
in New Jersey and other states
where an improved system of high
ways has been adopted that the APP.
probation in the value Of real estate
has been from 25 to so, and in
some cases even 100 per cent. As
a prerequisite for the systematic
i'm provement of the American road
system Professor jerks proposes:
First-The abolition of toll roads
with due regard to the rights Of
owners.
Second-The classification Of all
roads with reference to relative
Importance. He would diyidt
them into three classes. l Tht