The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-04-02
ROADS AT THE WORLDS FAIR.
John Y. Cuyler Proposes an Exhibition
OF an Instructive Kind.

John Y. Cuyler Proposes an Exhibition
OF an Instructive Kind.
In letter to the editor Of the New
York Tribune, John Y. Cuyler says:
An important subject is that of roads,
roadmaking and maintenance. If could
make the roads of a country, good law
making would be sure to follow. This
free parapllrase is intended to be imper-
sonal. There will, no doubt, be pro-
vided an exhibition of machinery and
appliances Of all sorts for use in con-
structing roadways, and for their repair
and maintenance; machinery for break
ing stone and otherwise preparing mate
rial required for roadnlaking; steam
rollers, excavators, scrapers and appa-
rati and tools a-plenty, convenient and
practical exploiting Of which will be
greatly to the advantage of the exhibitor
and of those who geek information.
Contiguous to such exhibition there
could be provided an open area, where,
within the compass of couple of acres,
there could be arranged many exam
pies of road construction, SO varied IN
detail and material as to afford, in the
most simple and comprehensive way,
information to thousands seeking knoWl-
edge on the subject everywhere through
out the country.
We would admit, if you please, street
pavement in use in cities, as inappllca-
BILE for the purpose discussed, but in all
else short stretches of roadway, showing
an open end section which would dis
close all details, and including In one
form Of construction or another all
classes Of 1naterial-earth, gravel,
broken stone and combinations of these,
and Of widths and depths intended to
meet local requirements and exigencies.
Drainage and the care Of water should
be illustrated. Countless machines and
apparatus could be practically exhibited,
and here the visitor from Vermont, from
Kansas and from Texas, could in day
get more ideas on this most valuable
feature of the public economy than town
committees and supervisors absorb
during a term Of Office.
AS people we are only awakening to
an appreciation of the Importance Of
substantial and intelligent system Of
road service, and of the business end,
affecting the interests of all, of a proper
system of repair and maintenance.
More money is yearly wasted by igno-
rant and dishonest use in this branch of
the public expenditure than would,
under intelligent and honest manage
ment, with moderate accession of
funds, make and maintain fair roads.
The value of continuous and intelh-
gent maintenance, the keeping of the
surface in order and the proper DISPOSE
ton of water, which is the greatest
enemy of roads, are hardly understood,
let alone practiced, in any of our rural
districts.
1t is the experience of many engineers,
as it certainly is my own, that 1t rarely
happens but that fairly good roads may
be constructed out of material readily
available at very small part of the cost
usually supposed to be necessary. To
make every dollar tell in construction,
and proper attention thereafter, is the
simple secret in more than enough
instances to justify it as rule.
1t may be that the project may be
deemed to be impracticable. l think
not. Possibly some such plan has al
ready been born in the brains Of the
commissioners of the fair, but no harm
can be done in submitting through your
columns the suggestions herein con-
tanned.