Evening star., 1897-05-28
MAKING GOOD ROADS
Secretary Wilson's Proposed Experiments for
Showing the Best Methods.
Saving Energy and Materiai-ImpOrt
ancc of Well Laying StOne-
Use of Steel Favored.

The Secretary of Agriculture has started
a series of experim snts that, 1t Is believed,
will result IN showing the best methoo 1or
road construction in this country, and will
cause the construction of better highways
In the future than have existed. Secretary
Wilson will begin this work at the New
Jersey Agricultural College at New Bruns-
wick where a fund OF about $OOO Will
be provided by the local authorities, and
the work will be continued at Geneva, N
Y, where contributions made for the pur-
pose by the city, the experiment station and
private citizens amount TO about $1,000.
The necessity for the improvement of the
common roads of the country has long been
recognized by Secretary Wilson: Together
with many others who have looked into
this matter he has concluded that there
is a vast amount of waste OF energy re-
su'ting from bad roads which have to be
frequently traversed by the farmers. Short
ly after coming into Office he requested
General Stone, in charge of the office OF
road inquiry of the Department of Agri-
culture, to look into this matter and report
upon the best methods for road improve
ment.
Macadam or TelfOrd.
This report concludes that macadam or
all broken stone construction is generally
preferable to the TelfoId system, which
consists of foundation of large stones set
en- edge with covering of broken stone,
and that narrow stone roads are better
than wide ones, except where the traffic is
very heavy. A single track of stone, it is
concluded, serves all the purposes of an
ordinary country road and saves all the ad-
vantages of a smooth earth track along
the side for travel in dry weather. The side
road being used only when it is dry, or as
a turn out when it is wet, is always in
condition to turn out upon without diff
Guilty. The cost of the stone road is re-
duced one-half, and the cost of repairs
much more than one-half.
1t is also believed that thin coating OF
stone. we'll laid, is better than a thick one
badly laid Four inches of stone we'll com.
pacted on a good road bed are worth more
than eight inches loosely laid and left tC
the travel to finish. Fine stones are bet.
ter than coarse ones for the construction
ard too much stress cannot be laid upof
having good quality of stone for sur.
facing. The system of continuous repairs
is regarded as very much more satisfac.
tory ard more economical than the waiting
system.
Experiment With Steel Roads,
One of the most important parts of this
investigation is that which has led to 2
determination on the part of the depart
ment 10 experiment with steel roads. It is
said that the reduction of the pull reauiref
to remove a load from forty pounds pe,
ton on macadam road to eight pounds OF
steel track is sufficient to overcome many
objections which have been urged agains
the latter system. Under the present in
vestigations the objections to steel road:
have mainly Disappeared. The obstacl.
of original expense Is overcome by the re
duced price of material and the anticipat
ed high cost of maintenance the latter
avoided by doing away entirely with wooi
in the construction. The danger of horse:
slipping on the rail in going up or dowr
hill is met by indenting the rail used OF
grades sufficiently to catch a horses calk.
without roughening the tread for wheels
| The form of steel rails proposed is an in
verted trough with slightly raised bead
on the inside. The rail is bedded in gravel
| little gravel is spread between the rail-
| for the horse path.
Model Roads.
| 1t is now the purpose of Secretary Wilson
| to have roads to be regarded as model
| built at the agricultural colleges and ex
\ perimental stations. In order to encourag
any practical work in this direction in an,
| part of the country, it is proposed that TIL
| director of road inquiry furnish the ncces
| sary plant for building model roads free o
| charge, while the county or city authoritie
provide the necessary material and !abo
| of men and teams for the work, the gov
| ernment furnishing an engineer to overse
l the work, and inStructs students and viSi
/ tors. In this manner 1t Is believed that
very small outlay on the part of the gen
| eral government will result in a larg
| amount of instructive work, and it is be
| orally better understood and can he ar
/ complished with economy that there vii
| be great impetus to the making Of snc
| improvement throughout the country.