The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-01-09

lord road, S4UU,UUu SnOulu have pul1u dhI't
maintained in good repair nine miles OF
first class road, leaving the difference,
1886, 024, for sidewalks, cutters and street
cleaning. AS a matter of fact we have
NOT EVEN ONE MILE
of good macadamized road
The appropriation for 1891 was $780,
900 and it is safe to say that it will be all
expended before the end of the munich
pal year. This is large amount and
we should be able to see some practical
results from it's expenditure. What do
we find? A few square feet OF granite
block and of asphalt The other KINDS
of roadway need no mention as TO condl-
ton, but as an illustration of my reason
for contending that the city streets
should be in charge of an engineer, will
tell you in few words OF the
WORK DONE ON PINE STREET
last season. The street had what is
called a macadamized top, but which
was in reality only feeble imitation.
Macadam should have for its last
coating small stone, generally not over
two inches in diameter, and small
quantity of binding material. 1t should
then be rolled with a heavy roller until
hard. (The rule in Paris is to roll, until
a single piece of the stone will be crush
ed under the role without indentlng
the surface.) When the surface needs
repairing and general repair is insti-
tuted, the first thing necessary is to
scrape off all dirt, dust, &C.; then pick
up the road surface, add new metal, (as
the brokensstone is called and roll until
hard. This is not, however, the treat
ment to which the street was subjected.
no y,fo which I,I the
was composed of stones rang
ing from the proper size to
6 inches long by 3 or 4 in diameter,
was picked up dirt and all; no new met
al was added, but after levelling off a lot
of gravel was thrown on and then the
surface rolled. By what? BY the mar
row, inch or inch and half tires of car
riages, and only by those. | can assure
you that the last state of that road is
worse than the first.
Yet it cost goodly sum to put this
road in it's present condition, and it is
IN WORSE SHAPE
than it would have been if not once cent
had been expended upon it during the
year.
Iwish you all to thoroughly under
stand that in this matter / have no wish
of our street commissioners or members
of street committees. My criticisms are
not of men, but of the system. Would
any business man intending to build a
house seek a lawyer or doctor to furnish
plans? He would consult an architect
because he expects him to be posted in
all matters pertaining to building.
Would you choose for your head clerk or
manager in large business house man
whose life business had been something
entirely different? Nothing of the sort!
You would look for man experienced in
your line, and from sound business pol
icy. Yet we expend thousands of dol
lars on our streets every year, and al
though we have an officer of the govern
ment fully competent to use it to the
best advantage because of special knowl-
edge, we are content to have it placed in
the hands of inexperienced men. My
remedy for this state of affairs in city
and county is: For your cities make the
CITY ENGINEER THE HEAD
of the street department, and thus let
him have charge of building and main
tanning your streets, instead of combining
him to giving lines and levels. For the
state, outside your cities, have a state
engineer, who shall direct the building
of your country roads. Divide the cost
SO that the state at large shall pay GER
tain proportion of the cost, that thinly
settled communities need not be called
upon to perform impossibilities.
s'The public road is public property,
established by law for the use of all peo-
ple.''
Messrs. Percy H. Richardson, George
N. Fernald and Frank A. Elwell spoke
briefly, contrasting European and Amer
lean roads.
Street Commissioner Randall was
present and expressed his interest in the
papers that had been presented, and
stated that if continued in office he hoped
to be able to bring about a better condi-
ton of streets. He trusted that more
meetings would be held for a discussion
of the subject.