Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1892-02-10
Roads in Foreign Countries.

INTERESTING REPORTS ON HIGHWAYS MADE BY
UNITED STATES CoNsULs.
More than a year ago the state department
at Washington sent a circular letter to all
United States consuls in foreign countries ask
ing for reports on methods and cost of road
building and maintenance in the countries
where the consuls were stationed. These re-
ports have been received and issued by the
bureau of statistics. Many of them are most
interesting, for they show how far behind the
times Americas country roads are.
Francis B. LOOMS, commercial agent at st.
Etenne, France reports:
1.-The road system of France has been OF far
greater value to the country as means OF
raising the value of lands and of putting the
small peasant proprietors in easy communlca-
ton with their markets, than have the rail-
ways. 1t is the opinion of well informed
Frenchmen who have made practical study
of economic problems that the superb roads
of France have been one of the most steady
and potent contributions to the material de-
velopment and marvellous financial elasticity
of the country The far-reaching and splen-
favored the success of the small landed pro
prietors. and in their prosperity and i'll the
ensuing distribution Of wealth lies the key to
the secret of the wonderful financial vitality
and solid prosperity of the French nation.
in the high, mountainous regions of the
Isere | have seen, after violent summer rain
of thirty-six hours duration, fifty yards OF
national road, including a small bridge, wash
ed away by fearful torrent rushing down
from a cloud-capped field of ice with an al
most vertical fall of 1000 feet. In three hours
and in the midst of a severe storm have seen
that same road repaired temporarily and made
passable by the road men in this remote and
little frequented region.
1T is this never-failing. .watchfulness and
promptness in repairing roads, coupled with
thorough and honest construction, that gives
France system of roads which is at once a
source of national strength and of national
pride
The manner of maintaining the Austrian
state roads is described by Consul General
Goldschmidt at Vienna:
1.-THE maintenance of the Austrian state
roads is carried on after the system of the so
called recovering After numerous expert
ments with other systems of keeping the
roads, which have always failed, the above
method has ever proved the best. According
to this method the smaller defects of the road
are continually repaired by the regular road
keepers by removing the dust and mud from
the ruts and hollows and filling them with
gravel. 1t is then as rule left to the passing
wagons to pack these stones and roll them in
After certain longer periods of time, when the
ballast of the roadbed has been thoroughly
worn out, certain lengths of the road are again
completely covered with ballast up to theil
normal height. This work is as much as pos
sible carried out in wet weather, as a rule in
the fall and spring of the year.
''The rolling of the new layers of ballast, as
formerly practced, is now omitted. Expert
nents which have been made with rolling
and with the so-called patching system in the
years 1856 1858, 1861, 1864 and 1868 have nei-
Their financially nor technically given any sat
isfactory results. The reason for this may to
great extent be found in the circumstance
that the most of the roads are not constructed
in the manner.of regular highways and were
not provided with sufficiently thick layers of
ballast"
One statement made by Consul Williams at
Havre is particularly significant. He says:
THE American pavements are very much
better constructed than are those of France, all
classes being considered. They, however, be-
come destroyed in a short time while those of
France increase in excellence with age until
the difference is very marked. These differ
ences arise from neglect with our authorities
to promptly and properly repair and from the
constant damage inflicted by the narrow tires
of freighting vehicles.
'In France all roads have perpetual atten
ton. If, from weight of lood, from rain, OF
other cause hollow, rut or sink is formed il
at once receives attention, its surface usually
roughened by picking so that new material
will adhere, and then the depression filled
slightly, rounding with broken stone or stone
chips. If the space repaired be of limited area
the rolling of the new coating is left to the
wide tires of the heavy carts but with extend
ed areas steam roller is brought for use.
IF broad economy should be followed
with the objective to make the highways Of
the United States like those of France, the
first labor should be given to establish easy
grades by cutting hills and filling valleys. This
once done is forever done, and no road should
be made until grade not greater than one
in twenty should be made, for to change the
grade of an improved road makes waste of al
the expense before incurred in its making
Thus grading is economy's first law, and is
here the engineers primary act"
With crIcb sr1apdi5 ayamp1ac of wi oood
roads will do for nation before the people
the frightful condition of the average Ameri-
can highway seems inexcusable The idea
that farmer in his full senses will fight
against the improvement of the roads over
which he is forced to haul his produce, WIN it
has been proved that the improvement would
save half the time devoted to hauling, would
make half the horses devoted to hauling I'M
necessary and would add tenfold to the cash
value of his farm is almost incredible. But
that is precisely what hundreds of American
farmers have done and are doing. But the
demand for nationally constructed and care
fully maintained highways is growing in
America and cannot be ignored much longer
In Holland, Mich, G.. J. Doesbury
publishes the News, and in its columns
strongly recommends Dr. Thomas
Eclectric Oil for coughs, colds, sore
throat, catarrh and asthma.
st. Peter-What claim have you to
entrance to the golden gate?
Applicant was deacon in the
church down below.
st. Peter-Pass in. You'll find the
sisters to the left.
Where there's room at the top you'll
saldom find an alpuatnr