The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1893-04-08
HIGHWAYS or BELGIUM.
Enormous Loads Drawn on Them-HOy
They Are Made and Maintained.

Enormous Loads Drawn Oh Them-HOv
They Are Made and Maintained.
Americans who find themselves in
Europe are struck with establishment at
the enormous loads drawn by horses and
dogs there, says Hon. George G. Tanner,
consul to Brussels. One glance of the
eye from the bulk just mentioned to the
roads and half the wonder would be
accounted for, because the roads have
almost everything to do with it. We
are too apt to ignore that which we
trample under foot. The ancients knew
and appreciated mo- the importance of
good public roads than we do today.
though at the present time in Europe
this is a subject of first Importance.
Belgium is divided into nine provinces.
and each province is the seat OF a well
organized state government, presided
over by a governor. Each of the nine
provinces, at each seat of government,
has a bureau for roads and bridges,
whose chief gives his undivided atten-
ton to these things.
The roads are most carefully engi-
neered i'll the first place, heavy grades,
even in mountainous localities, being
carefully avoided. The roads are built
i'll IN oval form, and in most cases are
paved with stones: in Others gravel
forms the roadbed, and still IN others
gravel covers the stone. which soon, be
coming hard and smooth, makes the
best roadbed of all others, because the
jolts and noise of a paved road, which
are both tiresome and disagreeable. are
avoided, and then the wear and tear are
not so great on the running gear, and
this kind of road is decidedly more
agreeable to pedestrians and possesses
in addition to other advantages enumer.
ated, the advantage that if the grave,
washes away the stones remain and 8
good road is always assured.
The stones composing the roads are Of
a blunt, wedge shape, our or five inches
square, and are quickly laid and quickly
taken up if necessary. These stones al,
uniform and regular in size, and whel
placed dirt is put over the new pave
ment, and then a large roller, draw
by four horses, is passed and repasset
over it until the stones are we'll settled
i'll their places and the crevices filled
with earth. In constructing roads ther,
regard is always paid to locality an.
liability to wash. Where they IS Il,
danger of washes stones are dispense SCI
with altogether, and an oval shape,
gravel road is substituted atless cost, bu
in all cases the sides of the road receiv
ing the drainage, and where it is apt t.
show first symptoms of yielding to bn
weather, are carefully paved SO tina
washes and gullies cannot commence il
that quarter.
The public roads of Belgium ente
into successful competition with tn
railroads, so much so that q man VIII,
has his team does not by any mean
consider himself forced to send his prod
ucts by rail. 1t is one of the commoues
sights in Liege to see wagons ladel
with merchandise from Brussels, whicI
is sixty, or from Antwerp, which i
seventy-two, miles from this place; thi
fact does not possess anything a~stonish
ing until the enormous loads pulled tina
distance by one horse is considered, an,
there is nothing that SO astonishes tn
AuleTlCdu DIS lulS' OoiiletlHieS tue WaSo
itself looks like a sufficient charge fO
two horses, while wagon, load and a
are drawn by one with the greatest ease
These horses are of a larger and strong
er build than our horses, and from thei
size and strength are called in Englan
"English drafts" Place the same loa
on almost any of our roads in the Unite
States, and at least two more, if nc
three more, English drafts would be re
quired to pull it the same distance. Do
carts come to this market laden wit
beef and other products of the farm,
distance of twelve and fifteen mile:
drawn by one dog. Two grown person
return in the wagon.