Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1898-02-12
Good Comhination Ronds.

At dinner given 20 General Stone.
IN St Louis. a; the time Of the recent
Good Roads Convention. the general
spoke. as follows. concerning wha, is a
good road for general purposes
The science OF road-huildinC is
steadily developing and. so far. expert
ence has shown that the very best road
In the world. IN good weather. is tie
dirt road. When Il is either dry or
frozen il makes the best road known.
For this reason Il is the rule on the
most modern roadways TO have dirt
road running alongside of the paved
roadway, and in some instances the
paved roadway has a dirt ROAD on each
side Of il. TO be used in good weather.
IL Is remarkable. on roads built IN this
fashion. how many days IN the year
the dirt roads do the best possible ser
vice, aud the wear and tear on the
paved portion Of the road Is thus
saved Besides this. wet weather Is
the time when travel over the paved
road does II the least harm. for the
vehicles then press down the rock and
stone into place. instead Of scattering
them, and by being used only in bal
weather. il lasts much longer.
There Is another argument in favor
Of building roads in this way. and that
j. that instead OF a paved or graveled
roadway. sixteen or more feet in width,
il Is only necessary 20 build II eight
feet wide This reduces the original
cost Of building the roads Just one
half and il has been found 10 answer
the purpose just as we'll, If not better
than a road twice its width. How
about wagons passing each other =:
F, That Is = natural question and simply
answered. One wagon turns ont on
the dirt road where two wagons meet.
, but, Is two wagons seldom OF never
meet IL exactly the same place, there
is no danger OF wearing a deep hole OF
/ rut In the dirt road.
The cost Of building a first-class
, road Of this kind recently. IN Phila-
( delpLia. with inexperienced hands.
aud other unfavorable conditions. was
/ 5000 a mile. The same kind of road
: has been built for 5000. and even as
low as $500 O mile The railroads
, everywhere appreciate the direct ben
eft that good roads are TO the freight
traffic on their lines, and have. il
nearly every instance. when called
upon, given the movement then
hearty aid and cooperation. The
Southern Railroad Company assured
me that il would be glad to haul the
rock needed for constructing the road
ways, 70 stations along its lines, a
the bare cost of hauling the cars.
In collecting data on the $500,
900, 600 annually, which bad road
cost this country, / sent out ten thou
sand letters, both IN this country an'
abroad, and the figures are givei
only after very careful estimate. II
the State of Iowa the farmer haul
thirty bashels in q load when, If tn
roads were good, he ought 20 haul 10
ia one load. That single instanc
tells the story In greater or less de
gree OF the bad roads throughout tn
country. That 5000, 900, 600 loss ever
: year, through bad roads. is tax, nc
only on the farmer, bat on everybody
ind, IN my experience, that one {
the most difficult things which th
promoters of good roads have 70 ds
/ end especially those who live in ia
cities, is to prove 10 the farmers tbs
their interest in good roads in th