The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1893-06-14
A County With Good Roads.

the subject should be laid before the PEG
pie. The tax paid by the agricultural
community to bad roads is such heavy
one that the possibility of escaping il
should be shown as often and clearly al
possible. A short time ago one of the
leading magazines had an article in which
1t was stated that Parke county, Ind, was
one of the two counties in the United
States having the best system of wagon
roads. This complimentary statement
led the indianapolis Journal to make an
examination of the roads in Parke coun.
ty, and the report OF its examination is
deserving the attention OF all interested
in this important subject.
AS to the quality of the roads, the OBJ
server reported that while not as smooth
as asphalt streets. they are so even and
smooth that it is pleasure to ride over
them at speed which woulk break car
riages and painfully jolt their occupants
If tried on the ordinary country road. A
fifteen-mile drive was taken after a two
hours downpour of rain, and while on
the dirt crossroads the team could not go
out of a walk, on the gravel roads it trav-
eled at spanking gait, the wheels just
leaving track on the hard, even surface.
A long ride was taken on another day
over a road on which no rain had fallen
for several days. On the surface the
horses hoofs stirred slight dust, but it
had no depth and was not an annoyance.
For scores OF miles these roads can be
travelled at fast speed at night without
the slightest danger
As to the rsults of building these roads
the observer reports that people who live
within six or eight miles OF the county seat
are as much part OF the town as those
who live within the corporate limits.
This is so because the excellent roads
have changedthe methods of conveyance.
Unless the farmer is taking load of pro-
duce to market, he does not poke into
town on farm wagon, but has "rig"
adapted to the excellent roads There
are doubtless more good carriages and
horses in Parke county than in any conn
ty of similar population and employments
in Indiana. The gravel roads have
wrought the change. While the people
in other counties are mud-bound three or
four months in the year, the mud season
does not interfere with traffic in Parke
county. Upon good gravel road full
load can be hauled as well in the wet sea-
son as the dry,
How are these roads made? There is
no secret about that. Parke county ex-
perience shows that good roads, that will
last and remain good with proper care,
can be built anywhere where good gravel
can be obtained and where the road-bed
can be drained Capt Meaeham, who
has built some Of the oldest OF these
roads, and over the toughest country,
holds that drainage is all-important and
must be secured from the start. In re-
gard to understanding the road-bed, this
experienced builder held it is not neces-
sary, because a foot of gravel will only
pack four inches; that is, all the gravel
below four inches, if it is gravel, will be
loose, and natural drain for whatever
water is not turned into the ditch by the
slope OF the surface. The graveled por-
ton OF the road-bed should not be less
than twelve feet wide. The road-bed is
made by road machines. When proper
ly made by such machine the surface is
ready for the gravel. Sand is not gravel.
To make durable road the gravel should
be put on foot thick, and should be so
spread that there will be gentle slope
from the center of the road TO the ditch
on each side. 'n'.i
The roads are kept up by special tax,
expended by local inspectors, each of
whom is charged with the repair Of
given section. The smallest break in the
surface is repaired at once, winteror sum
mer. The present laws are ample for the
maintenance of gravel roads in Parke
county. Road taxes are payable in cash,
and the cash is paid to taxpayers for
teams and labor for repairs. Construc-
ton at the outset is by contract. A first
class road costs s., 900 mile, though the
county has built some for 81 200 mile.
Repairs on these cheaper roads, however
bring up the cost in a few years to equal
ity with the better roads. eiaa
There are few parts of Kentucky in
which there is not abundance of material
TO make good roadbeds Of, either good
gravel or good limestone TO macadamize
with. A good macadam road can be
made Just about as cheaply as a good
gravel road, ana, II properly constructed
and rolled, can be made and kept as
smooth as a gravel road. 5000 ~ 4
These Parke county roads are all free.
They cost something, as all good things
do, but they more than pay for them
selves Il nuiaYille Commercial.