Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1894-02-09

( \ fertile country with good
IL roads it is necessary to have
on the average one mile OF
well-constructed way to each square
mile of the area. Constructed in the
cheapest possible manner consistent
with a true economy, the cost of Civ
ing these roads a firm and enduring
surface, such as macadam affords, can
not be less than $4,000 per mile, or
about So for each acre Of land which
is thus furnished with means of com
munication. 1t is therefore evident
that any blundering in the effort to
better our roads may be not only cost
lv to the communities which are seek
ng Improvement in their highway
systems, hut may result in taxing rath-
er than in helping the farmers.
Therefore the first and most immedi-
ate need is for body Of trained men,
who have, in addition to fair knOwl-
edge OF engineering, which will enable
them properly to lay out a road and
build the necessary bridges, special
training in the peculiar learning which
the modern "highwayman" requires
for his craft. This includes some
knowledge of physical geology, so
much Of mineralogy as will enable
him to Judge the qualities of rocks,
and fair acquaintance with chemis-
try and physics To do the work de
manded of him the roadmaster should
have the general training Of n skilled
civil and Typographical engineer, and
special education in the matters which
pertain to roads.
As yet our engineering schools nave
hardly begun to train men for the
need which We are considering, though
in several of them courses of lectures
on this subject have been introduced
into the work. In the Scientific School
OF Harvard University some further
progress has been attained by begin
ming Il laboratory for experiments con
cerning the value of various road ma
terials, and by having under q skilled
roadmaster practical instruction for
the students in the field, where they
may become personally acquainted
with the problems to be met in that
department of engineering. In order
to fit himself for this employment in a
satisfactory manner, youth, after
receiving proper high-school train
ing, or its equivalent, should spend
four years in making ready for his
work. A fair knowledge Of the subject
may be acquired in two or three years,
but to be in true sense trained in the
art demands as much time as is given
to that Of the railway engineer. 1t
behooves our technical schools to meet
this public need in prompt and
efficient manner.
Next after the need of professionally
trained men, we may reckon as most
important knowledge as to the dis
tribution and relative value OF the
road materials which exist in different
parts of this country. The cost and
goodness Of road alike depend on the
nature Of the substances which are
used. To construct mile of first
class macadamized or other substan
tial road-bed, several thousand tons Of
materials, the cost of which is in most
cases made up in the main of trans
portation charges, are required 1t Is
therefore most important to have ac-
curate and detailed knowledge as to
the sites of those rocks which can be
most adyantageously used. At pres
ent the better sorts of road metal are
often carried for the distance of sew
eral hundred miles, often passing near
their destination materials which are
equally well fitted for service. This
waste of money can only be avoided by
a well-made survey and report OF the
country from the point of view or thsl
road-maker. 1t is here that the.
era! Government can render
important service in the I'm
of our highways. 1t -
limits OF its powers
h.ls, except in