The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-04-11
Wood Tires as Road Preseryers.

From the limestone quarry at Split
Rock to the works of the reducing com
pany in Geddes, Onondaga county, N.
Y, the distance is about AZ miles.
The road connecting these two points
has bed of hard clay which has some
times shown symptoms of tolerable be-
havior in dry weather, but has invaria-
bly, backslidden into the condition of an
impossible, bottomless and sticky
slough in seasons of heavy rain. The
general condition and grade of the road
are favorable for drainage, and its i'm
rortance as a line of traffic has often
suggested good reasons why it should
be improved.
Three or four years ago the work of
improving the 4 = miles of road was ac-
complished. Rough quarry refuse and
for part of the distance field stone
were used, all hand broken to two inch
and three inch sizes. This was covered
with fine unsifted quarry chips, and a
crown was given to the roadway with
an elevation of about six inches in a
width of 10 feet. Wagons were built
for hauling stone over this roadway
with wide tires and different gauges as
follows: Front tire, seven-eighths inch
thick and inches wide; distance(gauge)
between front wheels, feet 8 inches.
The rear wheels had tires an inch thick
and 6 inches wide, and the width be-
tween the wheels was feet inches.
The axles were ~ front and inches
rear. These wagons were poled for
three horses, and the use of three horses
abreast tended to combine with the wide
tires and varying gauges of front and
rear axles to smooth down and even the
slightest ruts caused by wagons of mar
row tires and ordinary gauge, of which
there were many in use on the road
The constant use of three of these
wagons during the last three years has
produced a smooth, compact and regu-
lar surface between the quarry and the
works, and the substantial browning of
the road has kept the surface we'll
drained and therefore dry and free from
ruts. The wide tires and varying gauges
excited a good deal of attention at the
outset, and conflicting opinions were
expressed regarding their utility. The
result is eminently in their favor. and
the general sentiment supports the use
of these wagons for heavy loads.
Loads of stone varying from s, 900 to
10000 pounds are continually hauled
over this road with no perceptible wear,
weakness or breakdown either to the
wagons or to the roads. The carts used
are varied in gauge. and all have given
excellent satisfaction in keeping the
roadway smooth. When these wagons
were first put into use, the road was
rough and rutty, and the work of haul
ing was severe on the horses, but soon
the broad tires began to roll and pack
the road surface, and it is now difficult
to exaggerate the great benefit these
tires have produced in keeping the road
smooth and hard and the amount of la
Dor they have saved in the work of haul
ing and repairs.
The cost of hauling stone has been
reduced from so cents to 60 cents per
ton, and team can easily earn from
$3.50 to 81 per day hauling wall stone
and making two round trips of nine
miles each, or total of IS miles.
The results are extremely favorable to
the value of the wide tire as road roll
er and should put at rest all question
regarding the use of wide tires on
heavy wagons. 1t is clearly no mans
right to destroy what another man
builds up for the benefit of the public,
and the time has come when the abom-
ination of narrow wheel tires should be
taxed out of existence. Good Roads.