Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1898-02-15
ROADS OF GERMANY.
BEAUTIFUL HIGHWAYS KEPT IN CON.
SLANT REPAIR.

SLANT REPAIR.
bitches Receive Careful Attention TO Pro-
vide For Good Drainage Method Of So.
pervi.son Regulations n to Maints
nance. Hor.eshoes and Vehicles.
One main reason for the good condi.
ton Of the German roads is the keeping
of them in constant repairs. Nowhere
else is i, so true that "a stitch in
time saves nine, writes correspond.
ent of the New York Post The regu.
latious rs to that are as minute and
comprehensive as they are rigidly en-
forced. In some provinces Of Prussia,
as in Silesia aud in the other eastern
provinces, the "schulze,' OF village
mayor, is strictly held responsible for
the good condition Of all the roads
within his district except the state or
provincial ones. which are under the
direct supervision Of royal officials. The
bitches alongside the road. efiecting
efficient drainage, are especially looked
after and must always be kept free OF
all hindrances and rubbish.
For the constant aud immediate 10.
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
ceasiDg labors are strictly supervised
by a smaller corps Of wegewaerter"
and "chaussee aufaeher, men in uni
form and under official oath. These
subalterDs are again directed and con-
trolled by the higher officials, the in
spectors. directors and "chaussee bsu-
raethe," or councillors Of road construo-
tion, many Of whom wear royal deco
rations on their breasts. But even the
mere laborers 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
minous aud explicit. so that intention.
al fraud committed. such, for example,
rs the use Of material Of minor grade of
the substitution Of one material for an.
other or the omission Of a certain part
Of the work tsubstructure, etc. }. il made
punishable like any other fraud-vix.
by Jail from three months mp 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 u
the careful and strict supervision Of the
building process by the royal officials. .
supervision so minute that IL virtually
extends from day TO day, hour to hour.
nou at eNtty po'ae whckV Sohst uSsaSAA ~
going ON.
And since this supervision is not the
task Of one man alone. but is carried ON
stage by stage by regular scale OF
oath bound officials tand as TO honesty
and strict enforcement Of duty the Prus-
slams and other German officials may be
backed against the world), il will be
seen that even the most cunning and
unscrupulous contractor would have
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 ge-
meindewege. 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 NJ on shares. In assessing
taxes for roads one principle adhered TO
throughout is 10 lay these IN exact pro-
portion 10 the greater or lesser teDetit
accruing. adjacent property paying the
largest share
For rural communes especially the
burden Of maintaining and keeping
clean their roads is, in many localities.
a heavy one. And these obligations are
not confined either 10 their own COM
munal roads, for the law compels the
rural and municipal communes to
render in many and frequent cases
prompt unpaid help Thus, for instance,
as to keeping the highest grade Of pub
lie highway. the so called "kunststras-
sen" tartistic roads, always in proper
shape. the royal commissioners are en-
powered to call at any time for the aid
Of adjoining communes Tin manual Ia
Dor, tools, vehicles, materially in put
ting these roads instantly back into
good order whenever snow accumula-
tions, freshets, long rains or similar 40
cidents Of nature have temporarily rem
dered traffic OH 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, il is forbidden to
use them for vehicles with protrudiDg
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
fixed by specific laws and regulations,
30. too, are the conditions Of construct
ing new roads Thus, the conditions to
which communes are subject in such
case are minutely prescribed. One Of
the most curious and significant para.
graphs is the first. That provides that
all districts not over Il German miles
q English miles) to right or left Of
the line of the projected road must
permit the taking of stone, gravel, clay,
sand, earth, turf and any other ma
terial except wood and must allow
the temporary use Of their SOIL fields,
etc, for work necessary in roadbuild-
ing free Of any cost or recompense
whatever.
he nj