The record-union., 1895-05-07


facilities under the sun for making good
and cheap roads than we have, yet we
pay more, believe, in taxes, for road
purposes, than any other State, and have
poor roads.
Drainage is .Ae first requisite in max.
ing good road. The simplest and
cheapest accomplisnes as much good as
in throwing up high and steep grades.
Where the natural drainage is good, the
crown of the road should be raised in a
crescent shape to shed the water, with
good deep conduits to carry 1t OFT to its
natural course. No hollow, or dent,
should be lett upon the crown of the road,
but she same should be kept smooth the
first and second years after turnpiking.
By so doing the road will be always free
from ruts.
1t is water held in basins or hollows
that make rutty roads, and when ruts
once form it is impossible to fill them. If
they are filled in winter, it is a mud-hole,
in summer. dust hole. Therefore, it
would require 10 be regarded or turn
piked.
Roads graded up too steep or brought
up at right angles are more apt TO form
ruts. The soil being OF a soapy nature,
wagons will slide sideways after a shower
small creases which hold the water upon
the crown OF the road.
No contract for grading should be let
to be performed after the first of March,
and for culverts after the first of May.
1he more moisture there iy in the SOIL,
the better 1t packs and cements together
Work done on the roads late i'll the
spring will remain unpacked all sum
mer, and the winter following will be
muddy.
Thirty feet makes good width for
ROADS OF common traffic. On main
thoroughfares 40 feet is sufficient. Mar
row roads are easier to drain and keep in
repair than wide roads.
OULvERTS.
Culverts should never be put in the
roads with rise or mound over them. Ii
the water level is too high, surface cuI-
verts should be used and built without
side planks dipping on outer edge 80
wheels Will not form ruts at the culvert
A box culvert does where it can be we'll
submerged in the crown of the road and
never below the water level.
BRIDGES.
Contracts for bridges should be for
mudsills in bedrock communities, as
piles cannot be driven in bedrock with
out being steel-pointed, and where a
mudsill answers the same purpose it is
cheaper and easier TO repair.
No report should be received from
viewers unless the distance is given be-
tween the bedrock and high water on all
creeks, when viewing aud surveying q
new road.
Our soil does not require much broken
rock to macadamiZe it-from three to six
inches is sufficient, and no way should
the rock be larger that quarter Of q
cube. and finer would be better. All that
Is required IS to give our main thorough
fares better surface for wear, and when
laid it should be done TO get q smooth
surface.
We also submit to you samples of
washed gravel from along the American
River, which may be had very reason
able upon the Twelfth-street or Marys-
Vile road, by flat boats upon the Amer
lean River. BY putting this washed gravel
or macadam at six inches in center of
crown to three inches at ten feet from the
center, TO one inch twenty feet from the
center-that is graveling or macadamiz-
ing torty-toOt rUad-wOuld be little
over one and a quarter cubic yards to the
foot, requiring $500 yards to the mile.
LABOR ON THE ROADS.
All labor performed on the public
highways by specified contracts will give
greater results and better and more
..
as being safer and more business-like Q
method of expending public funds. 1t
is the only way by which public money
SO expended is made amenable by the
public, and is the best means of econo.
mizing our road funds and encouraging
Intelligent methods of construction.
DEBATE OVER THE REPORT.
There was consid derable discussion, par
ticipated in by the members of the Bu-
reau of Highways, the Supervisors and
nearly all OF the twenty or more prop
erty-owners in the Fourth and Fifth
Districts. Between the latter considera-
BILE ill feeling was apparent, as some of
them were not in favor OF the Alliance
Committees report.
After Mcmillan had explained in detail
the purport of the committees con-
cfusiOns, ID. DOnahue said that Mcmillan,
who had been roadmaster for three years
in his district, had always left his work
undone and rarely gave satisfaction.
There never had been better roads than at
present He said he noted but very few
names Of taxpayers on the remonstrance.
Nh. Manson said that in the last few
weeks he had discovered that he had lots
to learn, especially about road beds. One
of the prime problems to solve, he said Is
to get good drainage for the road beds,
then the steam roller should be brought
into use. County and State roads, he
said, are OF vast importance. If only one
mile of road is constructed, and that
first-class, it is better than to have five or
six miles OF road which is constantly in
need of repair.
MIR. Maude also spoke of the necessity
of constructing roads i'll a careful manner,
and said that there should be map of all
the roads in the county.
Mr.. Irvine said the gravel obtained
from the American River is good mate
rial. There is no reason why roads
should not be macadamized. OF course,
the farmers would object, because they
would have to shoe their horses, but the
good results that would be obtained
be but short time before the maoadam
road would show its value.
The Alliance memorial was ordered
MIA