Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1894-05-17
THE ROADS OF ENGLAND.
smooth and Solid Highways That Are
Well Built and Carefully Repaired.

smooth and Solid Highways That Are
Wen Built and Carefully Repaired.
The solidity, the smoothness, the con-
tinuous excellence of the highways Of
England may well be tho wonder and
despair Of the American who reflects on
the two streaks Of country mud or costly
expanse of nobby. very knobby, city
pavement he has left at home. There
roads are made. At home they grow
that is, they are made bad and generally
grow worse. II Thomas jefferson was
right in saying that the civilization Of
rountry might easily be judged from the
ttate Of its roads, then America is about
two centuries behind anywhere else, in
spite Of her boasted progress. We tickle
the sides of large streak of mud with
scraper and dump more mud in the cen
ter and complacently go home with the
idea that our road tax is worked for the
year, while it is left to the long suffering
driving public and the chief engineer Of
the weather to repair the mischief we
have wrought
In England the roads are well made in
the beginning and are carefully looked
after every day instead of once year,
andnot with what Carlyle calls drib-
bling futility of intention. but with
steady determination Of means to an end.
English roads are started out in existence
well equipped. as all else is there from
which they expect good work and serv-
ice. Careful excavation TO good sub
stratum. liberal filing in with sand or
cinders, layer of evenly broken stone
and above that bed Of macadam and
cinders mingled make a road over which
the heaviest hauling can be and is done.
that invites speed IN every horse travel
ing over it, even down TO the behemoths
hitchei 10 the beer trucks. and is the
bicycler's fondest dream.
There Is not much crown 10 their road
way. but where the surface Is hard and
smoothly rounded. as il is. high crowned
roadway would h. not only unnecessary,
hut injurious. For there is drainage and
real drainage. Not a little depression
at the sides, where the water may stand
in reproschful ruddles until it pleases
Providence 10 Try it up with the sun.
nut drain carried along the gutter and
having openings at proper intervals,
whence the water Is carried 10 the sys-
tens OF drainage IN the adjacent fields
and made - subseryc the purposes q
agriculture where desired. The foot
pass, niger. too. has been remembered by
guo1 Eath at one side or the other
made from c!nders Or slaE pounded fine.
AMI frequently some Land owner who
loved nj fellow man has planted long
rows q oak or ash or Scotch FIR or elm
that arch and shade the way and are
things q beauty and joys forever.
Presently 1t rains, a. il has a fashion
~ doing IN that country and where there
J. a weak place IN the surfac. the read is
cu,tere,l Is it left to the forgetful at
tentlon Of whom it may concern or neg
lrctei until al. the reet u the way Is
like unto il. on. no, On every road
silc are nea; little piles II irregular IN
te-ya.sof broken stone or furnace refuse
or smelling Stag or whatever may b. the
last material Il the district. and when
arut Is discovered the workman IN charge
of That division fills il NJ neatly, and in
a couple of days Il II worked down
smoothly. indis,inguishabls from the
rest The drains. too, are kept clean and
flowing
s. the y,ads are KEEP, clean and hard
and smooth and solid. and - they wind.
white aud r--rt,c; track. amid the
sre merry and hight ami shade II that
parkl!kr country, aud tile pedestrian and
eines TRAN and the pedestrian get their
I'll Of beauty that is soul satisfying 70
gaze on aud impossible 10 describe.
The car" q the roads throughout Eng
land Is vested in county councils. the
members II which are gentlemen Of
weight ana standing in their respective
districts, and VINO serve. ike members u
parliament. without other compensation
than the honor Of the position Yet their
work Is none the less well done that it is
graiu!tous-
a chief engineer Is their adviser and
executive, assisted by one two on three
assistant surveyors. according to the ex-
tent Of ;Ac country covered by the coun-
~ limits New roads are not construct
cd without their necessity bang We'll
defined by commission or jury o. in
quiry tor that purpose and where dam
ages are held 10 be inflicted. conyensa-
tion is gwen. whether for destroying an
old highway or making new one
Cor. 81. Louis Republic.