The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-09-15
WE MUST HAVE ROADS.
rHEORY MUST SHAKE HANDS WITH
CiRCUMsTASCE.
The Main Dependence In Virginia TOT
Many Years Must BE Dirt Roads an"
Constant Repair should be Followed

sens u-IspeciaL--Ths one leading topic
NJ to-day Is that Of better roads. Ihefe
IS need Of and there must be gene,
ral and determined effort maze to"aio
their repair, rc-oonstruction' ana per
mancnt Improvement
on the proper consideration OF roao
sren,ovemept THEORY must shake HANDS
9Th circumstances" II Is highly tmpor'
tant that We agree upon the best me'h-
ODDS OF improving the roads VIC have. uh'
IN We can get rid OF them by substitute
ing permanent ones OF broken rock.
Rad. as altogether too many OF our
roads are, they are capable OF pen's
made better at no appreciable increase Oh
expense. provided the usual anhuai re-
ralrs are made in accordance win inc
best known principles OF roao-ndhins
and repairing. II the SUPERVISORS wouiu
meet: exchange experiences. oeciac upon
The best methods. irrespective Oh tneh ~
siiyidual notions and prejudices, the I'M
hroyed condition OF our common roads
would be the b.st evidence that individu-
ai.tv had been supplanted by an aSreeu'
,pon method OF uniformity.
The proper location OF road has mucn
10 do with Its subsequent value, ana
the cost Of keeping the same In repair
The danger 10 life is greatly lessened py
avoiding steep grades, TO say nothihs Oh
The manifest advantage OF CENTER
Grade on account Of the less power need-
"a 10 move heavy loads. High grades
thould not be tolerated when IL is posi-
lle TO avoid them. The roads needed Tor
The comfort and convenience or the pun
lie should be located by experts ana then
he SO constructed as 10 be permanent.
The best at the least cost 10 tho pdoie
should be the aim. and this can only DE
accomplished by the adoption OF a gene
raj system OF roads 10 be placed under
the Immediate and constant supervision
n competent head. In TINS way ohiy
can the best results be secured
In repairing roads no sod or vegeta-
bic matter should be used On the road
sed. and In repairing holes or depressions
,se as nearly as possible the same KIND
n. soil as that forming the general road
,vsv. Road repairs should be constant
The present method OF making repairs
In the spring. and little or no repairs IN
The fall. leaving holes and ruts In when
the water collects so that the wnoie
,oad-bed becomes softened, Is the worst
plan Of all, and when winter sets In, tine
last condition OF that road IL worse
than the first' There Is no real economy
In cur present system of annual road
Matching IL is the most inefficient ana
worthless of all plans.
Whatever is worth doing at ali is worth
doing well. Why perform work which
must needs be done over again the FOL
lowing year?
II the actual cost OF teams and labor
be counted, IL will be seen that the sys-
TEN Of road-patching referred TO, COSTS
more during each decade. than the Ia
Dor and materials required to build
good road-bed and keep 1t in repair. FOR
many years to come our main dependence
In nearly every locality must be on dirt
roads These should, therefore, be prop
erly graded under-draincd. surface
Grained, and then be thoroughly har-
roxed and rolled. When grayclled road
are made on good, well-drained, com
pact foundation, and the coarsest gravel
Is put at the bottom and well rolled.
with additional layers of finer gravel put
on and rolled also, good road Tor
reasonable amount of travel will be form
Cd which will last several years. 1t Is
q serious error TO put either gravel or
broken stone upon a road-bed which mas
lust been graded without first making the
.oad-bed as firm and solid as possible.
No road should ever be left in such a
tonditicD as to force tho travel 10 the
Sides of the roadway.
The main thing TO be done In repairing
a roadway is to open the water-courses,
nut I'm under-drains In the wettest places;
ZONE firm quickly, and then surface with
nne gravel or finely broken stone. The
general surface should be kept a little
full so that the surface water Will quick
~ get 10 the side drains. This plan in
sures a reasonably hard and compare
lively dry surface that does not cut up
easily. In no case should water be al
lowed TO cross the road except through
rood culvert. Instead of covering
,oueb rocky places with dirt.
freak off the projecting rocks with
hammers and level off with the small
est pieces or with gravel. Previous 10
adding dirt. rock. or gravel to the sur
face, clean out any mud that may be
In the part 10 be repaired, loosen the
surface over which the repairs are TO
extend with n pick in order TO effect
god bond with the old bed, then I'LL up
with dirt ard roll or pound the same
until it is even with the surface sur
rounding the place repaired. Such
road will remain in fairly good condi-
ton tire entire year All the stones lying
about loose on the roadway and at the
roadside should be gathered up and put
in piles to be broken or crushed for use
on the surface where most needed. The
breaking of such stones as could be
broken with a hammer into pieces small
enough 10 pass through two-inch ring.
would anord employment 10 persons I'M
fitted by reason of age or physical In
nrmity TO perform any other kind OF
manual labor.
No road when compile ted. should be let
fven for a short period uncared for. 1t
needs constant watching. especially IN
all the Southern States where sudden
and violent rain-falis OF a tropical char
acter are common. These sudden show
FRS do more damage in half an hour than
Fan be repaired in a day. Eternal Wig
nance is the price of good roads. Our
.ommon roads need the timely care OF
section boss as much as do our rail
Nay lines. He should always be on the
.lert during bad weather. ready to re-
,air the roadway by filing up with road
material any hollows or ruts where pools
OF water are likely 10 be formed
No class OF persons appreciate good
loads more than the family physician In
he rural districts, and TO none would
they bring more direct personal CON-
ort and even practical financial help. on
good road the doctor car travel ten
mi'cs an hour. while on a poor one. bare
ave The time required IN doing his
FORK is doubled. the physical WEAKNESS
q increased and the amount OF visiting
rendered is curtailed Besides this the
atlent suffers. for the doctors visits
,re delayed and less frequent He can
TOT. therefore. watch the patient as
.ioseiy. and he brings 10 his work
veariec body" In case of sudden III
less or Of poisoning. or severe wounds
,hcn tho saving OF a life might depend