Evening star., 1897-04-17
GOOD ROADS NOTES

~ Oh MafytdHu TO&aQS 10 HV purpose.
The good roads cofnnaRtee Of the board
OF trade of Saginaw. Mich. has asked
the state legislature to amend the county
road law SO as to provide for special as
sessments, whereby the course of road
improvements could be charged against
the property directly benefited. instead of
the entire cost being a general tax.
P. v. Collins, a prime mover for good
highways in Minnesota g.; figures out that
the average cost OF hauling, on the average
road in America is 81 fSer ton for four
miles. while in Europe It is 16 cents for
the same load the same distance, and any,
where it is less than cents ton for
four miles hauled On steel rails.
An authority suggests that a bill be
drawn requiring all new wagons and new
wheels to be made of a certain width tire,
according to the load they are built to
bear, but permitting old wheels to be used
for a period Of. say. five and possibly ten
years.
c. A. CIonser of Orlando has invented
given a practical test. 1t resembles
cotton drag, only it has convex lower
surface, and has three ribs arranged in
v shape with the apex pointing forward.
The sharp edges Of the ribs drag over the
grass and weeds and soon wear a smooth
path. --sl. .e.,
1t Is understood that the National League
of Good Reads will soon open braach Of
Omaha, Milwaukee and, Atlanta, which will
cooperate with the headquarters in this
city, and which will have a full supply OF
good roads literature published by the gov
ernment. .t.' ~
The county commissioners of Jefferson
county. Ohio, have adopted and put into
execution the following regulations for the
protection of improved roads from heavy
burdens: Wagons with 11-2-inch tires not
more than 1890 pounds: 3-4-inch tires,
1,700 pounds; Pinch tires. 2,000 pounds: s.
inch tires. 2.5O0 pounds: 1-2-inch tires,
$500 pounds; finch tires, 4,J0O pounds:
1-2-inch tires, $500 pounds: 5-inch tires,
$500 pounds; 6-inch tires. 1850 pounds.
There is bill pending in the Pennsyl-
vania legislature for the state to build
cycle paths along public highways, and to
repair and maintain them.
The secretary of the national farmers
congress has figured out that the agri-
culturists of this country needlessly ex-
pend 360O,000,OO0 a year in moving farm
States.
In the whole territory of Alaska there
are only sixteen miles of reads according
to a recently published statement. ..
1t is not an uncommon thing in France
to see farmer forty or fifty miles from
home in wet weather with heavy load.
The rain has no effect on the highways of
the French republic, and the farmers choose
just such weather for long hauling, pro-
tecting the load with a tarpauil
The plan pursued by the New Jersey
people is pronounced as the best method
that has as yet been developed. The peo-
pie in the neighborhood who want their
highways improved agree to pay an as
sessment of 10 per cent If the county does
the work, and the state bears one-third OF
the expense.
According to an authority permanent
good highways can be built at an expense
of 5000 per mile. There have been so
great as this which faFldd to be per-
manent Improvement, Ahat the farmers
are rather chary of expesding so much
money. -'-sr 1uo1
Chief Consul Sans OF nMaryland, who
intends to deliver addresses on the subject
of good roads throughotttuthat state. has
received an interesting letter from H. Is.
Messenger of Federalt;,utg the subject
of good roads in Cssg1ffne county. Mr..
Messenger says that thai neat need in the
country Is broader tires ,On vehicles. The
narrow tires now in ubesicut roads to
pieces as soon as they aremade. He favors
when the wide tire is sAdHpted he thinks
that there should be a law prohibiting the
use of others. ~ s"s 'sLlEsf.- =. sfl..-
5S..'' .--O--4-t5f, . % 200 :.
- A lucky vAIet. - ,ss''.:a-
From the Badmiaton sIagpzif, sn..'5 ,77 ~
1 do not really beiieve.,tbat The. world in
general is abandoning ITS faith in .sys=
TENS at roulette. Idiofs linger. of course.
and always will; but during a recent VISIT
to Monte Carlo / did, not come across a
single person who was foolish enough to
imagine that by any system Of play he
could beat the tables At roulette you win
if you ere lucky, but no careful calcula-
ton or provision will enable you to win.
And what luck some men have! One 1
watched on several occasions. ard the ball
seemed always to land where he wanted
it to go. When some of us play, the ball
always seems to land On the next number
to that for which we are trying. On
certain day the lucky player of whom l
am speaking, after winning big stakes all
over the board, had all the money that the
regulations allow on "26' and around 1t.
Up 1t came! He took the bundle of notes
and pile of gold and left down his stake.
Up 1t came again! Once more he was
paid. the ball was spun, and the number
for the third time was 26 That Is some
thing like luck!
I do not think I have seen In print the
story of the servant Of friend of mine,
though the incident Is year old. This man
put down a louis and waited results with
a mixture of curiosity and confusion; for
he had the vaguest possible notion of the
game. The ball was spun. however, the
result called, and such pile of gold put
to his louis that he dared not touch it,
being unable to believe that 1t could all
be intended for him. Consequently he left
1t all where 1t was, the game proceeded,
and another pile Of gold with a bundle of
notes was added to the store. Are you
who happened to be next to him Inquired.
rs that all mfne?" he asked. why, of
course 1t ISL was the reply and the lucky
valet collected close on to f1, 600