The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1892-12-16

MI I'LL IL luLt4
eight or ten years ago In Essex conn,
proved so successful that an e~xtens.
~ the system was desired. and th,.
wears ago, under the celebrated New IL,
sew road law. Union county took up \.
work and laid the famous Union coup-r
roads. that are now considered molss
of roadmaking. 1t was no small TAI
to convince the people Of Union count,
that $500, 900 expended on roads worl
nav them big returns, and considerak.
talking and writing was done before h.
Union county board Of freeholders toi
the matter mp and built the present y,
TEN Of roads.
The work Of the advocates Of the road
system has been helped materially il
New Jersey by the excellent object \.
son in roadmaking that had been giva
for years previous to the passage q u,
New Jersey road law by Chauncey B
Ripley, LII. d.. at Westfeld, in Unin
county. Fully impressed with the in,
portance Of good roads in a farmr,
community. Mr.. Ripley was willing i
accept what was considered as one 4
the humblest offices in the gift Of IN
people. that Of road overseer, with IL
result that six years ago the roads 4
Westfeld township were the best in Id
state. With the result Of DIR. Rirlsy,
work in Westfeld before them, a lCI
stride was covered on the way for ID
Union county roads. and now the CnA.
county roads are attracting the a'ss
ton of other counties in the state a..
other states in the Union.
A few years ago, before the New Jr1
sew state agricultural board at Tren.cn,
DR.. Ripley advocated "A project for ~
building of two roads, the immensely q
which almost made the agrlculturs1
gasp for breath. 1t was for two gsss
national roads-one 10 start at Jer~y
City and terminate at the Bay Of y.
Francisco; the other TO stretch fr-
Chicago, in the north, TO Galvesto-
direct from the great lakes 70 the GU
Of Mexico.
The doctor Claims that such road
would be Of more importance than rail-
roads; that the agricultural Interests I'd
twenty-five miles On each side Of sle1I
roads would boom and be immensely
benefited. AS 10 the road Itself, y
thinks that 100 feet would be a gcod
width. from fence to fence, with fifteen
feet on each side laid ont TO sidewalk
and seventy feet to the wagon wsy'd
this twenty-five feet in the center 2 4
properly laid with tone on tie Iel.Or3
Nacadam plan, like the reads OF luz1
/, county.
Where the principles OF Telfort AZ
Macalam are combined, the roadbed |
excavated to- depth Of twelve or si-i1
; inches. and the foundation stone. VIZ
! are large, broken stone. are placed
hand; over this a layer Of coarse bFoS3
stone is scattered and rolled with les3
4 rollers until compact, then a thi4 t71
0 ing Of clay is spread over anN ~
4 over the clay is spread the inch ~
a that il. stone that falls throt&a y
meshes Of the sieve an inch Ill diaifex'
\ These are thoroughly rolled and "a;
: them is spread the top dressing |
\ screenings. which is ~sprinkled and 0-S
y until hard and compact. r..
a road put downin this way cos'sa r'
= $4,000 per mile. The cost Is reglls'
= somewhat by the distance it Is necesS
= to transport the stone. a very -
y road can be made at about half tins g
il the foundation stone Is OF com
crushed stone dumped in the exca'aa
instead Of the large stone placed
n hand. but the road with the laid ioahl
D. ton il not affected by frost or ram
a. easily as the other.
10 The doctor thinks that such "a
should be built by the national cove
ment and under its control, b SAN
the military highways OF the =
World.
h Apart from the two great nanu
n roads, DR.. Ripley is advocating the ,
struction in New Jersey Of two roaa
n from Sussex county TO Cape !
- and another from Jersey City 10 y
!. den: the latter would tie the first sec,
II ! of the national latitudinal road
, proiect Of these two roads Is havins'
u consideration in New jersey
the time may not be far distant y"
they Will be an accomplished fac''
DR.. Ripley says: ''Our country
but in its infancy when the ram
" sprang up. We had not had nl
construct wagon roads or military !
49,. like those in Europe. The old post :
an were apologies for roads. tut ?
or what they should have been. Ing
n, roads have monopolized the CAT.
: NJ, and we have been content 70 ~
have it. In the meantime our "
and roads have been neglected. 80 n
town not along a line OF RAW
isolated and ~stagnant through =.
' Of means for easy communication WI
neighbors. We have built up ram
ut the expense Of wagon roads /"
are really Of as much importanee.
must now turn our attention 70 =
roads and give . little Of the pene.
...- our great wealth to those use .
- In a agricultural interests ~.
IN foundation Of our prosperity, an'
farmers call for good roads snou'
ased go u~nheeded." 80
had The building OF the W roau, !
are be a great undertaking, but h0u
great for the greatest nation =
- globe to undertake and put thfo'
Q successful completion. II.
The DR.. Ripley il being mentioneu I
'rade OF the national road commlsslo"s