The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1897-06-30
STEEL WAGON ROADS.
,prRFTARY OF AGRICULTURF
TRGES THEIR ADOPTION.

Methods of Disseminating Information
the subject of Road Improvement.
cocratarv Wilson has given directions to
raneral Roy Stone, chief of the bureau Of
GOOD roads at the department of agricul-
Two to construct a sample steel roadway
- the most convenient location he can find
- +ba Nashville exposition, where it NAV
No seen and studied by the visitors who
,riIl attend the exposition during the sum-
WOW Secretary Wilson thinks the steel
t,sckwav for wagons is the easiest solu-
t;on of the good roads problem, particular
- in the west, where stone and gravel are
scsrce and the soil is deep and sticky.
No road material promises so much
home to the western farmers and village
nopulation as the fiat bars of steel at the
nrasept cost of manufacture, said the
secretary yesterday, "and l propose to
nave sample roads built not only at the
Nashville exposition, but at different
nojnts throughout the country, where they
will afford practical object lessons to coun-
~ commissioners and other officials hav-
inc the highways under their charge The
steel manufacturers of the country are
+okiug hold of the matter with much in
Nrest, and are making experiments on
their own account, which have already
thought out valuable suggestions as to the
details Of construction. The Cambria Iron
0mpany of Johnstown, Pa, has Joined
bartily in the work of the department,
and is cooperating in the development of
our mans. The result has been that very
promising designs and methods of con-
struction have been evolved, sufficient at
least for experimental construction, and
the Cambria company will soon be pre-
pared to furnish the traokway for expert
msnts or for larger use.
1.-THE advantage of the steel roads in the
reduction of the pull required to move a
load from an average of 40 pounds per ton
on macadam road to pounds on the steel
track is sufficient to overcome many Objec-
tons, " continued the secretary. "But, in
fact, the objections to steel roads have
mainly disappeared under the present in
designations. The obstacle Of original ex-
pense is overcome by the reduced price of
material and the anticipated high cost Of
maintenance avoided by doing away entire
II with wood in the construction.
The danger of horses slipping on the.
rail in going up or down hill is met by in
dentng the rails used on grades sufficient
ly to catch the calks of the shoes without
r0ughing the tread for wheels.
The difficulty of low joints is met by
making the joint stronger than any other
part Of the track, and the danger of form
ing rut alongside the rail is overcome by
making every rail joint serve as re
mount for wheels. The form of rail pro-
posed is an inverted trough wish slight
y raised head on the inside The rail is
lmbedded in gravel laid in a trench which
is well drained. A little gravel is spread
between the rails for the horse path. The
rails are tied together at the ends and in
the middle. The present design is for an
eight inch tread, seven-sixteenths of an
inch thick.
In addition to the steel road, another
recent departure is in the direction of
building object roads at agricultural col
leges and experiment stations, " continued
the secretary, Gin accordance with the
provision made by congress for aiding
those institutions in disseminating in
formation on the subject of BODYBUILDING.
The limited funds at command have not
rection but cooperation has now been
established by the director of roads under
which the manufacturers of road machin-
cry furnish the necessary plant free of
charge, the county or city authorities pro-
vide the material and the labor of men
and teams and the government furnishes
an engineer to oversee the work and in
Struot students and visitors, and pays for
one or two skilled operators for the ma
chimes
The work will begin at the New Jersey
Agricultural college at New Brunswick,
where a fund of about So, 900 will be pro-
7ded by the local authorities, and at Ge-
neya, N. Y, where contributions have
been made by the city, the experiment
station and private individuals, amount
Ing to about s. 900.
In sections where stone is very scarce, "
SAID Secretary Wilson, las in central Ill
1nols, experiments are being made for the
construction of brick roads, At Mon
mouth road has been made Of single
course Of vittihed brick set on edge, laid
on sand, feet wide between curbs of oak
prank and borders of broken stone to
instance of feet on each side This road
las l0S not been in use long enough to be
lHIly tested, but has given very favor
a0le impression at the outset. 1t has been
, g:, that an experiment be made
KIN G'yh brick trackways for wheels and gray
!, oec"een for the tread of horses, and it
~ f.lVe possible that steel trackways may
tpiontably substituted for brick.
h.. = more thorough test of brick roads
y g,t5 oeeh made in Cuyahoga county, o.,
tbat (, 'hey have proved so satisfactory
dfr ~' GI'eY are being extended in several
o ulITysGttons. The plans for their extension
an eight foot track of" Of brick G the remainder
NO. ,''e road, 20 feet wide, being graded but
Eo'.. paved These roads, however, have
booIe expensive and have required much
r,,'.S grading. The cost of paving is