The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-01-19
Road Reform.

communications for this column should be ad-
dressed
Road Reform.
The question of road improvement
has taken possession of the public
mind in way that promise. to lead
to good results. These may not be
forthcoming at once over the whole
country, but will break out In spots
where intelligence doth most abound,
and like leaveu, will eventually
'ieaveu the whole lump" What ls
needed is education. Farmers need
educating as to the advantage and
economy of good roads. Most ofthem
| know what d first class bad road or
bog hole Isl but few ever saw or know
the full advantage of good roads.
Many years ago there lay between
my place and Austin bog hole on
the county road. 1t extended the
| fifty yards in Iength. In a very dry
season it was "hard pulling" and at
all other times impassable, compell-
| Ig travellers TO make detour through
adjacent fields and pastures. Our
then commissioners had the pond
drained and rock dump run along
the center of the road. This, though
rough as any mountain goat track,
was henceforth passable in any
| weather and was q great improve.
ment on the previous state of things.
About twelve years ago L began the
active preaching of macadamized
roads and met with very little sympa-
thy amongst my neighbors, who did
not scruple to express themselves in
favor of dirt roads In preference to
| macadam. When asked the reason
for such preference l was generally
told that they would rather haul
loads over good dirt roads for nine
months in the year than over macad-
amized roads for twelve. The fact
was they thought the piece of rough
rock road, which crossed the old bog
| hole, was q fair specimen of Mead
am's system OF road making, and they
very naturally objected to pay q
heavy tax for such class Of work.
since then we have had primary
road school in this district and the
pupils seem to have taken some inter-
est in their studies. Though some of
them would not yet pass very cred
liable examination; there has been q
very decided Improvement In general
intelligence.
Judge Won Rosenburg was the prin-
cipal of our school assisted
by the county commissioners.
1t was conducted Oh the
kindergarten plan which has been
found the best for reaching the untu.
tored intellect Though our teachers
did not hold first grade certificates
they made up for lack of knowledge
by good intentions and liberality.
they gave us sample of macada-
mized road, which without being per-
feet compels the admiration Ofall sa We
those hopelessly incapable of appreci-
ating good roads. With the exper-
ience thus gained still better roads
can be made at much less cost. What
appeared to be the best section of the
road at the time it was built, has as l
predicted, proven to be the worst. The
crushed limestone made smoother
surface which was more pleasant to
travel, during dry weather, than the
portion covered with cracked rock OF
a harder texture, but when the heavy
winter rains fell, conditions changed
and what was generally considered
the best, is now needing repair, while
the other scarcely shows a wheel
| track,
But il is only question OF time and
the most perfect road will be affected
by the action of the wheels, either Ior
better or for worse. The width OF
tires is one of the main factors in the
the maintenance of good roads. Mar
row tires and heavy loads will ruin
the most perfectly constructed
roads; and dirt roads
if properly drained, graded and
packed down, may be kept In good
travelling older in any but the wetesl
season, by the use of wide tires. In
the eastern states this is beginning tt
be recognized and in many counties
ordinances prevail providing that all
wagons constructed for hauling Ger
tain weight shall have four inch tires
on the wheels. Such wide tires would
sugg est to the average Texan greatly
increased draft. This would be the
effect If used In soft mud lanes, but al
their use would tend to hinder the
production OF mud by packing and
sclidifying the road bed there is nt
real ground for fearing increased
draft.
| think it would be q good idea tC
add the science of road making to the
other subjects taught at our \. and M
| college. Road making means more
than blowing the dirt out of tho road
side and dumping it along the center
and "any fool" is not capable OF con
structing macademized thorough
iare. What is wanted is education
After that we will get good roads and
know how to keep them.