Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1897-09-09
ROADS OF GERMANY.
BEAUTIFUL HIGHWAYS KEPT IN
CONSTANT REPAIR.
bitches RECEIVE CAREFUL ATTENTION
To PROVIDE FOR GOOD DRAINAGE
METHOD OF SUPERVISION.

tIhe ~ IL 81 tIut lnat slltCD III
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 in 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 dis ict except the state OF
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 and
other damages or deficiencies neat pyra-
mid shaped heaps Of stone of assorted
size. gravel. siftings, clinkers, etc,
placed in regular rotation, are always
to be found along the roadbeds, and .
number Of laborers are always busy
with such mending. drawing for their
material on these supplies. These never
ccasing labors are strictly supervised
by q smaller corps OF "wegewaerter"
and "chsussee aufaeher, men in uni.
form and under official oath. These
80 balterns are again directed and con
trolled by the higher officials, the in
spectors. directors and "chaussee bau
rnethe," or councillors Of road construc
ton, many Of whom wear royal deco
ratiCns on their breasts But even the
mere lahorers are usually hired by the
year, and their pay and the duration OF
their services are made strictly depend
ent on 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
mlnous and exI llclt, so that intention
al fraud committed. such, for example,
as the use Of material Of minor grade OF
the substitution of one material for an
Of the work lsubstructure, etc. }, Is made
punishable like any other fraud-yiz,
by Jail from three months up and fine
exceeding III value by far the possible
gain effected by dishonest practices-but
there is further fact rendering illegal
tricks next to impossible, and that is
the careful and strict supervision of the
mi inc Nv ba al Of ,a1c
supervision 30 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 II carried on
stage by stage by . regular scale Of
oath bound officials (and as to honesty
and strict enforcement Of duty the Prus
slams and other German officials may DO
backed against the world), it will be
seen that even the most cunning and
unscrupulous 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 &C.
neindewege. The former two are those
whose building and maintenance rest
on 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 enc 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
munul roads, for the law compels the
rural and municipal communes to
render i'll many and frequent eases
prompt unpaid help. Thus, for instance,
AS to keeping the highest grade Of pub
lie highway. the so called "kunststras-
sen" (artistic roads, always in proper
shape, the royal commissioners are en-
powered to call at any time for the aid
of adjoining communes Tin manual la
Dor, tools, vehicles, materially in put
ting these roads instantly back into
good order whenever snow accumula
tons, freshets, long rains or similar &C
cidents of nature have temporarily rem
dered traffic ON them difficult or impos-
sible.
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 horseshoes with which the animals
passing these roads are shod must be Of
particular kind.
AS the maintenance Of the roads is
6yed nv sDecific laws and repn lat ions