Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1898-02-01
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the inequalities IN the course Of unbro-
ken rock beneath. On top Of this mac
adam, which il made Ia conform clOse-
ly to the contour Of section of thu i'm
ished road, is laid inches Of gravel.
lust a. il comes from the bank. Then 4
three ton roller gives il an approach 10
a surface and in few days natural
travel does the rest. The gravel packs,
becomes smooth and finally takes on
surface that bears close resemblance
10 concrete, and the harder IT is travelled
the better il becomes. lt shows little
dust in dry time and the rainy wealth
er tests which il has had have proved It's
staying qualities under that sort VI
treatment and shown that hardened
gravel surface is as imperviOus Ia Ordl.
nary drenching as Is good tar and
gravel roof
The first cost Of this sort Of road L.
far less than persons III this prairie
country have been led 10 believe. SlN-
teen foot roadway Is the rule where the
line is anywhere near level and IL foot
roadway on hills Of o per cent gradi-
ent and over. This road Is now costing
the county only trife over 80 cents a
lineal foot, or about 81, 800 a mile.
There is large difference between this
figure and the g., 800 Ia 81, 800 which
estimates prove 10 be reasonable eX-
pectation Of the cost OF macadam or
brick for roadways that are conSidera-
bly, narrower Itmeans that a road fund
can be- made To 20 twice a. far a. II has
been expected to 20.
Of course labor Is eliminated "a far IL
possible. The loading of the gravel il
placed under contract at the rate Of .
cents cubic yard The contractor uses
whe,i, "rapers, which are loaded SIM
ply by scoop."9 up the gravel, without
preliminary plowhs and which are un'
loaded by dumping throusS a hatchway
in an elevated driveway into the wait
ing open car beneath.
Teams take the gravel from the car
at the siding nearest the place where IL
is to be used. and extra handling IL
avoided in all cases where such avoid
ance is possible. Some pieces Of road
are let by contract, where grading or
other special work is involved, but most
of il is done by men employed as day
laborers, worked by a competent over
seer, under the personal supervision Of
Dne Of the county supervisors.
One feature of the road improvement
is found in connection with its bridge
work. Iron instead Of wooden bridges
have been built, as far as the funds Of
the county would permit, for "A good
many years but with the Inauguration
of the new system Of gravel roads the
supervisors have been trying 10 discard
structural bridges as far as possible,
replacing them with culverts and earth
work fills A culyert must be stanch
and durable TO be- good. Stone masonry
is generally good, but somewhat costly,
especially in country that affords but
little building stone. Cast iron pipe Is
good, but open, notably in the large
sizes, 10 the same objection Of cost As
a substitute for either this county has
been making extensive use Of steel boil.
er shells, especially Of old mill boilers.
The expense Of half dozen of these
newfangled culverts on the price scale
that has prevailed here has been less
than that Of one first class 40 foot
bridge.