The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1892-01-15

torrent rushing down from a cloud
capped field of ice with an almost verti-
cal fallof 1000 feet. In three hours and
in the. midst of severe storm have
seenthat same road repaired temporarily
and made passable by the road men in
thisremote and little frequented region.
"It Is this never failing watchfulness
and promptness in repairing roads,
coupled with thorough and honest con-
struction, that gives France system of
roads which is at once a source of ma
tional- strength and of national pride"
The manner of maintaining the Aus
TRAN state roads is described by Consul
General Goldschmidt at Vienna:
'1The maintenance of the Austrian
state roads is carried on after the sys-
tenn Of the so called recovering. After
numerous experiments with other sys-
TENS 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
roadkeepers by removing the dust and
mud from the ruts and hollows and fill
ing them with gravel. It is then as
rule left to the 4passing wagons to pack
these stones and roll them in. After
certain longer periods of time, when the
ballast of the troadbed has been thor
oughly'wornsout, certain lengths of the
road are again completely covered with
ballast;up to their normal height. This
work is. assmuch. as possible carried OUT
in wetsweather, as.a rule in the fall and
springsofthe year.
2 ''The ruling of the new layers Of bal
Last, as formerly practiced, is now omit
ted. departments which have been made
withholding and with the so called patch !.
ing systemsin the years 1856, 1858, 1861, y
1854 and 1868 have neither financially !,
nor technically given any satisfactory I.
results. The reason for this may to a
great extent be found in the circum-
stance thatTthe 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 Will
hams at Havre is particularly signifc-
ant. Hesays:
''The Americana pavements are very
much better constructed than are those
of France, all classes being considered.
They, however, become destroyed in
short time, while those of France in
crease;in excellencewitha age, until the
difference;is very marked. These differ
ences arise from neglect with our au-
thorities to promptly and properly repair
and from the constant damage inflicted
by the narrowtires of freighting vehicles.
SIN France all roads have perpetual
attention. If, from weight of load,
from rain, or other cause, hollow, rut
or sink isformed it at once receives at
tention, its surface usually roughened
by picking $50 that new material will
adhere, and then the depression filled
slightly, rounding with broken stone or
stone chips. If the spacerepaired be of
limited area the rolling of the new coat
ing is left to the divide tires of the heavy
carts, but with extended areas q steam
roller'is brought'for use.
eff broad economy should be fol-
lowed with the, objective to make the
highways of heaUnited States like those
of France, the ffrstslabor should be given
to establish.easy grades by cutting hills
and filing valleys. This once done is
forever done, and no road should be
made until a gradenot greater than one
in twenty should be made, for to change
the grade. of an improved road makes
waste offan the expense before incurred
m its making. Thus grading is econo-
my's first law, and is here the engineers
prfmaryfact."
Withssuch,splendid examples Of what
good roads will do for nation before
the people, the frightful condition of the
average American highway seems mex
cusable. The idea that q farmer in his
full senses Wilt ghtagainst the improve
ment of the roads over which he is forced
to haul ibis Sproduce, when it has been
proved :thatithe improvement would save
half the time devoted to hauling, would
make half sthe horses devoted to hauling
unnecessary and would add tenfold to
the cash vate-o of his farm is almost in
credible, But that is precisely what
hundreds of American farmers have
done and re'doing. But the demand
for nationally constructed and carefully
maintained highways is growing in
America and cannot be ignored much
longer.
The Emperor Williams Family.
- IT16uQ III D0Illu, VIII - very muCu
in with the imperial family, apropos OF
of the young princes, writes: "Of all the
children, the crown prince is by far the
most clever, most gifted. He, and es
pecially Prince Adalbert, are remarka-
bly, musical, and play quite admirably
on the violin, to the delight of theil
parents. All are the most obedient and
merry little souls it is possible to imag.
inc. Of all their teachers, a young theo-
logical professor is, perhaps, the favor
lite. One day, when he had been talking
to the boys of the golden city, the cid.
est exclaimed, How glad shall be tc
get there! For won't throw heaps OF
gold down to the poor people herer"
An anecdote told from the same source
of Prince Adalbert, the third son, de-
serves to be repeated. When playing on
the seashore he found little crystal
which he forthwith presented to the
wife of one of his fathers generals, who
happened to be standing by. THANK
you, dear little prince" said the lady.
81 think it is the prettiest little stone =
ever saw" "Oh, them" replied Adal
bert, elf it is the prettiest you ever saw.
let me take it back again, for then ]
must give it to my mammap'-Gentle