Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1897-02-11
PERMANENT IMPROVEMENT OF
ROADS.


ty, November 10, 1896; read also before
the Cumberland County Institute, at
Shiloh, NJ j., January IS, 1897, by Job
s. Haines.
These county institute meetings appear
to have come among us to stay, and as
our advantages in this line increase, so
does our responsibility. This prompts me
to comply, even on short notice, to pen
the following, although the question as
framed seemed difficult: by what
method may our country roads be per-
manently improved without increase of
taxes?" This would appear impossible
we do not generally get something for
nothing
In usual methods some provision must
necessarily be made either in material,
labor or funds, or all combined to make
even temporary improvements to our
highways. But to make such as are con-
templated by the term permanent inn
provements' will require strong united
effort, with well-directed expenditures,
all of the best that mind, skill and energy
of communities in county, State and ma
ton can devise. But if we may be al
lowed to treat this subject in its general
bearings we would say that it is as
ancient as the human race, and limited
only by the boundaries of the continents
A dwelling place, food and self-protec-
ton were early requisites of man, and
in search thereof ways of travel soon
were used. Paths worn by the tread
of human feet led to richer supplies for
man and fresh pastures for his fiocks.
These extended and broadened became
the arteries of inland trade and com
merce, and as the needs increased a
great network of highways has been
opened to traffic throughout the inhab-
tied portions of the globe.
And as the amount of traffic and rate
of speed increased upon any of these
highways >their improvement became
necessary for convenient use How far
this has been done varies with dates and
nations. Among the first principles OF
improvement we note the smooth, solid
footpath by the road side, across the
vacant lot the meadow or the wood,
suggesting the broad tire method. The
human foot presents to the path or road
greater surface bearing tlian the mar
row wheels of wagons, especially in pro-
portion to weight This thought car
ried further enables the indian with his
snow shoe to traverse the snow-clad
vale and mountain with ease and safety.
And the daring adventurer may even
walk upon the surface of water. While
this plan may help, yet it will not do
all for our roads. There is limit to
the application of any one principle alone.
1t would be impracticable to attempt to
any vehicle carrying a two-ton load
with the human loot and its load. 10
meet the requirements of the road two
other means at least should be adopted.
One to provide for rapid drainage of
water from the road surface and the
soil beneath and the other to grade
and elevate the general road-bed and
resurface the same with material, COM
bining as far as possible hard, tough,
On ma
enormous weight of water from the an
nual average rainfall, amounting to sew
eral thousand tons upon each mile OF
road, will often have the effect to pack
and improve a well-graded and rounded
loan or gravel surface, where there are
ample, unobstructed and continuous side
drains to take the surplus water, which
if otherwise allowed to form ponds or
filter through the soil will cause the I'M
satisfactory conditions of road so often
complained of. And as the above inn
prOVementS consist so largely in labor
and natural material, they ought not to
be SO difficult to secure. We must ad-
nit that much has been accomplished,
for while many of our roads are far
from what we might desire to have them,
yet a good proportion of the roads of
this section of our State have been great
ly improved from their former condi-
ton. The advent of turnpikes half
century ago gave us better roads. Hills
were cut, valleys filled, steep grades re-
duced and travel rendered more easy;
counties and townships partially relieved
from expense of bridges and roads and
an impetus given to the spirit of improve
ment. These turnpikes constructed on
many of the main highways leading to
cities and towns have since been super
seeded by parallel lines of railway, which
have become in their turn the great pub
lie carriers of freight and passengers.
Thus the means of transit have so
changed as to divert large amount of
interest and skill, as well as capital by
the millions of dollars into channels
other than our public highways, yet have
relieved them much from long distance
and heavy travel, and have tended to
change by-wayS or cross roads into lead
ing roads toward market centres on the
railways. So the people of to-day find
themselves confronted with new con-
ditions as to roads as well as other bus
mess matters and are required to adapt
themselves thereto. While it is claimed
that the United States have nearly as
many miles of roailroad (1S0,000 miles
of main line and $4,000 miles of sid
ings) as all the other countries together,
and that in New Jersey there is no farm
more than seven miles distant from a
| railroad, yet withal there goes up in
| earnest tones call from the Pine Tree
State of the East to the Golden Gate
| of the West, and from the Lakes to the
| Gulf for improved free public highways.
This is well and denotes an unrest under
subjective conditions as to means of
transportation. And justly asking for
the roads of our country their due share
| of local, State and national encourage
ment and aid in common with railway,
/ river and harbor and ocean commerce
Improvements, thus contributing to the
needs and comfort of the homes of the
millions In the earlier days of this
republic the Government built some ma
tional roads from the navigable waters
of the Atlantic States to the West, to
encourage settlements. These were of
two-fold advantage, for while aiding to
develop the newer sections of our cOun-
try it also showed what could be done in
road construction. But the United
States builds roads now only in the Dis
trict of Columbia, National cemeteries
and the Territories and allows United
States troops to labor ON roads for
small additional pay. Many Of the Eu-
ropean countries construct and maintain
their main leading highways. Some of
these, however, have been at immense
cost and labor, the lated poorly paid.
The Applan Way, in Italy, $50 miles
of stone faced with finished blocks, was
completed 30 B. G., and is in use to-
day France, Germany and England
have expended large sums on their pub
lie highways. The French system re-
quires especially close attention to re-
pairs and general supervision in main
tanning an even surface upon the road
bed, and imposes an annual toll upon
each wheel using these roads. Though
other countries thus provide for their
subjects, and for military movements,
we would not advise their entire plan
here, yet it might be possible for our own
Government in it's supreme capacity to
render some efficient service to a free
by the United States Congress in 1898
Bureau of Government Road Inquiry
may have in view some action that will
advance the cause. The American Con-
suls abroad have by concerted action
made careful study Of the subject of
public road improvement in the respec-
tive countries where they have been
stationed and have submitted their re-
port to the United States Government,
which report we have not yet obtained.
Sessions of the following road organiza-
tons have been held recently: National
assembly for good road improvement, at
Chicago, 1892; National Road League,
Washington, d. c., 1893; National Road
National Road Parliament Atlanta, Ga,
| 1895, and North Carolina Road Associa-
ton. In referring to action by the
States we find that Massachusetts has
road law 1894 appropriating about
100000 per year, in charge of a High
way Commission. They have 106
petitions for roads to be improved. ag
gregating 500 miles, Work has been
commenced on fifty miles in thirty differ