Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1897-09-18
ROADS OF GERMANY.
BEAUTIFUL HIGHWAYS KEPT IN CON-
SLANT REPAIR.

bitches Receive Careful Attention to Pro-
vide For Good Drainage--Mcthod of SUI
pervision - Regulations as to Mainte-
nance, Horseshocs and Vehicles.
One main reason for the good condi-
hon of the German roads is the keeping
of them in constant repairs Nowhere
else is it so true that "a stitch in
time saves nine," writes correspond
ent of the New York Post The regu-
lations as to that are as minute and
comprehensive as they are rigidly en-
forced. In some provinces of Prussia,
as i'll Silesia and in the other eastern
provinces, the "schulze,' or village
mayor, is strictly held responsible for
the good condition of all the roads
within his district except the state or
provincial ones, which are under the
direct supervision of royal officials. The
bitches alongside the road, effecting
efficient drainage, are especially looked
after and must always be kept free of
all hindrances and rubbish.
For the constant and immediate re-
pair of holes formed in the road aud
other damages or deficiencies neat pyra-
mid shaped heaps of stone of assorted
size. gravel, siftings, clinkers, etc,
placed i'll regular rotation, are always
to be found along the roadbeds, and
number of laborers are always busy
with such mending, drawing for their
| al
ceasing labors are strictly supervised
by smaller corps of "wegewaerter"
and "chaussee aufaeher," " men in uni
form and under official oath. These
subalterns are again directed and con-
trolled by the higher officials, the in
spectors, directors and "chaussee bau-
raethe,' or councillors of road construc-
ton, many of whom wear royal deco
rations on their breasts. But even the
mere laborers are usually hired by the
year, and their pay and the duration of
their services are made strictly depend
ent Oh their behavior.
Again, one main reason why the
building of roads in Germany is carried
! out honestly is the virtual absence of
! temptation to do otherwise, for not only
/ are the laws in this respect very strict
and the legislation on the building
and maintenance of public highways
dates back centuries and is very volu-
minOus and explicit, so that intention
al fraud committed, such, for example,
as the use of material of minor grade Or
the substitution of one material for an
other Or the omission of certain part
! of the work (substructure, etc. }, is made
| punishable like any other fraud-viz,
by Jail from three months up and a fine
| exceeding i'll value by far the possible
| gain effected by dishonest practices-but
there is a further fact rendering illegal
tricks next to impossible, and that is
the careful and strict supervision of the
building process by the royal officials, a
supervision so minute that it virtually
extends from day to day, hour to hour,
and at every point where construction is
| going on.
And since this supervision is not the
task of one man alone, but is carried on
stage by stage by a regular scale of
oath bound officials (and as to honesty
and strict enforcement of duty the Prus-
/ SltlIlS anu OtIltI ulty D0
backed against the world), it will be
seen that even the most cunning and
INSCRIPTIONS contractor would have a
very hard job indeed to have slovenly
| Or dishonest work pass the series of ar
gus eyed examiners.
There are three kinds of highways
the provincial, the kreis and the ge-
meindewege. The former two are those
whose building and maintenance rest
Oh the shoulders of the provincial or
district representative bodies. All the
rest are communal or private roads.
Among the latter the larger part are
| built and kept up on shares. In assessing
taxes for roads one principle adhered to
throughout is to lay these in exact pro-
| portion to the greater or lesser benefit
accruing, adjacent property paying the
largest share.
For rural communes especially the
burden of maintaining and keeping
clean their roads is, in many localities,
heavy one. And these obligations are
not confined either to their own COM
munal roads, for the law compels the
rural and municipal communes to
render i'll many and frequent cases
prompt unpaid help. Thus, for instance,
as to keeping the highest grade of pub
lie highway. the so called "kunststras-
SEM (artistic roads) always in proper
shape, the royal commissioners are EN-
powered to call at any time for the aid
of adjoining communes lin manual la
bor, tools, vehicles, materially in put
ting these roads instantly back into
good order whenever snow accumula-
tions, freshets, long rains or similar ac-
cidents of nature have temporarily rem
dered traffic Oh them difficult or impos-
sibIe.
Special regulations of other kinds
exist, anyway, as to the traffic upon
and maintenance of these "kunststras-
sen." For instance, it is forbidden to
use them for vehicles with protruding
wheel nails, defective wheels, screws,
spokes or otherwise Objectionable gear
The horseshues with which the animals
passing these roads are shod must be of
particular kind.
AS the maintenance of the roads is
fixed by specific laws and regulations,
SO, too, are the conditions of construct
ing new roads. Thus, the conditions to
which communes are subject in such "a
case are infinitely prescribed. One of
| the most curious and significant nara