St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1894-11-15
MACADAMTzED ROADS.
Ie EDITOR of the CALEDoNIAN.

10 the Editor OF the CALIFORNIAN
The subject for discussion at our Board
of Trade meeting Nov. 3rd was, How
to improve our Streets" and any one
who may have occasion to ride over
them either for pleasure or business,
knows that there is not only need of dis
cussing the matter, but need of actual
work.
The public demand better roads.
At this meeting made few remarks
on macadam roads, and at the request
of the Board of Trade l write you this
letter setting forth some of the advan-
tages of such road, the necessary plant
and the cost of the same, and other mat
ter that may interest our people. In the
first place macadam roadways are not a
new art. AS far back as the beginning
of the 18th century such roads were built
by Macadam, from which they receive
their name. But it is of recent date that
macadam roads have been built in Yer
mont. There is no uncertainty about
this kind of road, as they have been in
successful opera ton all these years. They
are dura BILE, and will convey the heaviest
traffic, and the cost is not unreasonable
when you consider the quality of road
you have when properly put in.
l will give you few facts as gathered
from the report of one of our thriving
towns in Vermont: Their plant cost
them $500. This includes steam roller,
crusher with % horsepower engine,
IS horsepower boiler, all mounted on
wheels. 1t also includes all necessary
tools, scales, land, etc. to make the plant
complete The st one is bought of the
land owners, who are glad to sell it at
fifty cents a ton, when not drawn too
far This requires land for storing a
good stock of stone as it is drawn in the
winter season when our farmers have
more leisure to draw 1t. The purchaS-
ing OF stone in this manner distributes
the money among our taxpayers, and
reverts back to the benefit of all. Hav-
ing plant and stone, how is this road
built? First of all survey the street to
be macadamized, to get the grade be-
cause after you begin you cannot change,
so it is necessary to begin Alright. Make
your excavation, having the ground
crown or roll, just as you wish the top
to be when the road is complete. Now
we are ready for the stone. First put in
eight inches of No. 1 stone, or that course
that will not pass through a two inch
ring. Spread evenly and roll solid, then
apply three inches of No. 2 or that that
will pass through two inch ring. Roll
this until quite solid, then apply one
inch of No. 8, that which will pass
through one inch ring, this to be rolled
so hard and solid, that water remaining
on the surface will run in waves before
the wheels of the roller. This makes a
water proof surface and a frost proof
foundation. The above is for heavy
traffic. We have put on twelve inches of
rock, and it is to be rolled so it will be.
only nine inches thick when completed
and weigh about 900 pounds to the
square yard
The cost of macadamizing mile of
road depends on it's width or the number
of square yards to be covered, and the
thickness required. For illustration, a
mile of road Is feet wide will contain
$500 square yards. If laid seven inches
thick it requires 700 pounds per yard.
Cost of stone at crusher SO cents, cost of
crushing 35 cents, total IS cents. For
300 tons $2635. Cost of carriage,
spreading; excavating, and rolling
$1,000. Total for Is feet roadway
$685.. Still farther take Eastern
avenue, which is about 1000 feet from
the railroad to the Athenaum, and
about 35 feet wide, or about 1922
square yards. We will lay this inches
thick, for heavy traffic, or 900 pounds to
the square yard, or about $500 tons of
stone. Allowing this will cost As cents
per yard, for stone $3.50, cost of cart
age, spreading, excavating and rolling,
1920, total cost 1890. This estimate is
based on what it has cost in other
towns in our state. don't know but
what our taxpayers enjoy having the
Of
material carted on to this avenue, Just
to see it washed into the Passumpsic
river, but 1 can say for one, do not en-
JOY it. Why not bring this matter be-
fore the taxpayers at our next annual
meeting, and make a move toward hav-
ing permanent and substantial road
ways in our village.
GEO. P. MOORE
st. Johnsbury, Nov. IA, 1894.