The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1898-06-23
GOOD ROADS NOTES.
Instruction in Road-BuildinG.

siOnal work in constructing country
roads, but for permanent positions as
street superintendent and road com
missioners in towns and cities. This
demand is beginning to be recognized,
and preparations made to meet it, by
atfording courses of instruction on the
subject in various institutions, public
exhibitions of the working Of road
machinery, and in other ways.
As Massachusetts, was among the
first to improve her highways, so she
was about the earliest to provide in
struction on the subject of roadbuild-
ing. In the Institute of Technology and
the Lawrence Scientific School, Har-
ward University, complete courses OF
instruction are given; models, draw
ings and photographs are used in the
the lecture rooms, and visits are made
70 works in process of construction.
Anyone may enroll himself in the
course in highway engineering at the
Lawrence Scientific School, by the
payment Of small fee.
But, however good the instruction
furnished TO young men IN lnst!tu-
tions of learning, it will be some years
before their training is completed, and
more years before they acquire the eX-
perience that will make them mCst
valuable. In the meantime, roads
must be built, aud those engaged in
building them, and others who are re-
sponsibe for the care of them, require
practical instruction. To afford this,
in connection with the construction
of the State highways, has always
been feature of the work Of the
Massachusetts Highway Commission.
In the last four years the State has
expended nearly two million dollars
on it's roads. The work has been 10
Gated in 125 different municipalities
scattered throughout the State, out
of total of 353, or over one-third Of
the entire number. Fifty other NUM-
cipalities have built modern roads, or
175 in all; so that almost exactly one
half OF the entire number of towns
and cities have had experience in first
class road-building. As towns are
given the first choice of taking con-
tracts to construct State highways in
their own territory, and many have
undertaken it, there are hundreds of
men scattered over the State who have
had actual experience in building
some of the best roads in the world.
This alone has proved valuable
means of disseminating information.
One result is that good foremen can
now be readily secured where, four
years ago, it was difficult task.
High-class road-building, according
tothe most-approved, scientific meth
ods, and the use of modern machinery,
in so many widely-separated localities,
has afforded town officials, whose duty
it is to look after the roads, opportun
tiles for obtaining information that
they could get in no other way.
These men ordinarily fill other Offices
and are engaged in business, and have
no time to leave home to study road
building theoretically; but, when
roads are constructed near their doors,
under competent supervision, they are
quick to appreciate it.
The Highway Commission employ
about sixty resident engineers, one of
whom is stationed wherever the
State builds road, to instruct the
contractor in the methods to be en-
ployed, and he remains on the ground
from start to finish. These engineers
are, in turn, looked after by five di-
visioral engineers and chief engi-
neer, to secure uniformity. At the
end of the season, all the engineers
are called together, and discuss the
years work in detail The meetings
are lively and interesting, and anyone
who has attended them will appreciate
their value.
Besides this, the Commission holds
a public hearing in each county every
year. Town officials, and all ssothers
interested in the roads, attend them,
and views are freely interchanSed. An
association has also been formed, at
whose meetings experiences are inter-
changed and papers read. BY these
methods the young and inexperienced
man learns both theory and practice,
and the older practical man becomes
acquainted with modern theories. L.
A. ". Bulletin.
Free Delivery Depends on Roads.