Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1897-06-15
GOOD ROADS.
MISTAKES WITH THE ROAD MACHINE
COMMON STONE PERMANENT
FOUNDATION.

No subject relating to rural life has
come 70 the front with greater rapidity
than good roads. Everybody Is inter
ested in them, and everybody wants
better roads than we now have.
IL is unfortunate that the agitation OF
this question and ''hard times" should
have been presented to the people At
the same time, as many road improve
ments have been set aside because OF
the necessary increase In taxation which
the people feel must be kept as low as
possible. Road Improvement need not
always call for increased taxation,
but Ii does call for better methods.
Road machines, il properly used, are a
great help, and by their use the roads
in many sections Of New England have
been greatly improved. Unfortunately
many men who have charge Of the
roads do not know when or where TO use
the machines 10 the best advantage, and
ia some instances roads are damaged
rather than made better by the use of
the machines.
A few days since passed over piece
of road on low ground that had just
been worked with machine. The
bitches had become filled with mud and
wornout dirt, and this worse than use
less material was taken from the bitches
and put in the middle OF the road, and
the travelling public was obliged to go
through il. By the first Of July, IL the
rains are not too frequent, the road may
be passable, but the first continued rain
will make IL a mud hole, and In the fall
and spring il will be almost impossible
again. Such kind OF machine work is a
damage 20 the roads and a needless ex-
peuditure of money.
In this state special state road tax Of
per cent is levied and divided among
the different towns in proportion 10 the
miles OF highway in each town, and the
money thus received Ia supposed to be
used for the construction OF permanent
roads. In many towns the road COM
missioners are carrying out the intent OF
the law, and building sections Of perms-
nent stone roads where most needed. ln
other towns the commissioners seem TO
think that any road that Is continually
travelled Il permanent road, and the
money goes 10 make r mud scraper of
the road machine, with the roads in low
places continually growing worse.
A few of the wealthy towns In the
state have stone crushers, but a majority
Of the towns cannot afford TO buy and
operate one of these plants, aud, In
fact. there Is no necessity for stone
Crusher in half Of the towns In the state.
In many Instances there are unsightly
stone walls By the side Of the road which
some saw are better than crushed stone
for road building, and in some sections
they are being extensively used for this
purpose.
A good drainage bottom is prepared
from nine TO sixteen feet wide, accord
ing 10 the locality and use OF the road.
and these stones are placed on this bed,
TO depth of from twelve 10 sixteen
inches, depending somewhat upon the
natural consistency OF the soil, the small
stones being used for "chinkers" and TO
make the surface as smooth as possible.
The stones are given a good coating OF
about four inches OF clay. where obtain
able, then six inches Of good gravel COM
pletes the road.
Where clay Is not obtsinsble stones
are often covered with hemlock or spruce
brush, with thicker coat Of gravel, and
where material Is near at hand these
roads are not expensive. Road COM
missioners estimate their cost At $500
and upwards per mile. In towns where
this plan Of road building ia adopted the
low places on the main travelled roads
are first looked after, new section made
''permanent" each year, and where the
work is well done the people are greatly
pleased with it.-A. Messer In New Eng
land Farmer.