The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1895-06-06

ened The advantage to owners derived
from the construction of the way is, as
a rule. so much greater than the injury
to them by widening tie road that, in
a large majority of cases, the town
officials have been able to procure re-
leases without any cost.
Thirtv-eight sections have been con-
tracted for, and only eight of them are
TO have a width of eighteen feet of
hardened surface, all others being nj
teen feet wide. AS the primary OBJECT
is to get length of way, the Commits
sioners are considering the advisability
of building single-track roads in thlnly-
settled districts. These would not be
over nine feet wide, with here and there
portions of double width as convenient
passing points for carriages. A mile
and a half of such roads can be built for
less than the cost of a mile of fifteen
feet width, and the advantage in get
ting produce to market is not lessened,
provided such construction is confined
to localities where the average traffic is
from six to eight vehicles an hour.
There is need of legislation to regulate
the care of, and responsibility for, side
walks on State highways. These being
of purely local advantage should be
under the supervision of the town, the
wheelways alone being constructed and
kept in order by the State.
Progress has been made in the labor
atory work on the road building stones
of the State. Experiments of this kind
are carried on at Harvard University
in the Lawrence Scientific School,
whose dean, Prof n S. Shaler, is a
member of the Highway Commission.
The chief aim of these inquiries has
been to determine the qualities which
constitute fitness for road making.
This will be of value to the Commits
sion in enabling them to utilize the
road material near at hand, and thus
lessen the cost of construction. AS this
phase of the work progresses maps are
made showing the location af all depo-
sits suitable for road building.
4 number Of towns have already APP
propriated money to build their streets
in the same careful manner as those
constructed by the State, aud others
have purchased road machinery with
the intention Of extending the work on
roads other than State highways.
Every State should make a beginning
on road improvement. In thlnly-
settled regions of the country, where
the people do not feel able to undertake
much, they. can not do no better than
to start the reform by constructing sec
ton of single-track roads. No com
munity can afford to neglect the COM
mon roadways. Oar prosperity is too
intimately connected with the facilities
for communication.
1 have spent many thousands of dol
lars in inaugurating and advancing
this reform, and continue to take an
active part in it, though for long time
[ have not addressed you Oh the sub
ject.
The interest is now general, and the
leaders numerous, consequently there
il demand fcr rood ,.o~',, mora -
pecally for the recent ARRANGEMENTS in
the line of actual experience.
Here is what we have done in the
Old Bay State. Will you not publish
it, or portion of it, for the benefit of
your readers, many of whom, without
doubt, are directly or indirectly con-
nected with, or interested in, the de-
velOpment of the cause?
If you give space to this important
matter | would appreciate a marked
copy of your paper for preservation.
Very truly yours,
ALBERT A. Pope,
Boston, Mass, April, 10, 1895.