The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-01-13

In locating these roads true grade lines
were fitted to the ground, and as far
as possible, on the sunny side OF the
valleys; the roadbeds are we'll graded
and soNdly built, generally on sys-
tenn resembling the more modern Tel
| ford system. The elder roads were
eight to twelve feet wide, and the mod
ern roads from twelve to twenty four
feet, according to the class.
The reason of the durability Of both
the Roman and the modern Swiss roads
is the solidity of the former and the
thorough drainage of the latter. The
surface of the roadbed is made of the
most durable rock-the main principles
being to construct a well drained
foundation and sub-structures, and,
second, to utilize the best and most
available material for road surfacing.
THE ITALIAN ROADS.
| So much has been written and is
available about the ancient and modern
roads of Italy, that it is not necessary
to more than outline the results of the
short examination which the writer was
able to make.
The old Roman roads served the place
of the railroads of to-day, and extend
ed from Jerusalem, in Asia Minor,
through all the countries of Southern
Europe into Germany and Scotland.
Hence, the main lines Of travel in these
countries show the results Of Roman
Engineering work The one most par
ticularly referred to is the Via Apia,
extending from Rome to Brindisi, in the
southeast end of Italy.
1t is probable that this road was not
used by the Romans in the condition
we now find it-paved with rough
stones. and too irregular and hard to
nave been used by unshod horses Mod
ern Roman engineers are of the opinion
that the ancient roads were covered
with fine broken rock and what we see
is the massive foundation of this road
surface. There are many facts SUBJ
stimulating this opinion
| THE VIA LATINA
is another example of the massiveness
OF early Roman construction OF typi-
cal roads and streets of italian cities
1t may be said that the perfection of
basalt-block pavement is found in
modern Rome. The blocks are about
four inches square on the face and six
inches deep, pyramidal in form, and
very regular in shape. These are
closely laid on packed sand and
rammed until in perfect shape They
AFFORD pavement Of unexcelled dura-
bility, thoroughly smooth and clean,
but noisy under traffic.
Macadam is largely used in streets;
where cObble-stones are used broad
fiat stones are laid for the wheels Of
vehicles, as in Ferrara. The most in
structive example of oad-building in
northern and Central Italy is the Via
Apia Nuevo, which has replaced the
old Via Apia. This new road is better
located, and is a modern macadamized
road, in which good drainage and sur
facing replace the massive and expens-
i've foundation Of the old Roman roads.
| Roads of Italy are divided into four
classes, but the divisions between the
two lower classes are so slight as to
really leave only International, pro-
vincial and neighborhood or district.
Zach class Is cared for, as the nomen-
clature indicates, by national, provin-
cial or district authorities, and in
some of the poorer provinces the roads
are in bad condition. Whenever a
railroad parallels a national highway
highway, and is turned over to the au-
thorities caring for such class.
| ENGLISH ROADS
| The subject of bodybuilding revived
in England during the days Of Mac
adam and Telford. The road literature
of that and subsequent periods is abun-
dant and accessible, but it may be well
| to call attention to the few Isolated
features which catch the engineers
eye, and which are not generally cited
I in fvoo dc
Around Bristol many examples of Ro-
man road construction exist which pre-
sent features somewhat different from
Roman roads elsewhere observed
First, the skillful fitting of the road to
the ground is lacking in many
instances. This indicates that either
unskillful engineers were sent to that
remote province, or that the early stu
dents Of Roman methods were not ac-
curate in their application Of first prin-
ciples. This error, once started, was
followed for centuries, and not entirely
corrected since the days Of Macadam.
THROUGHOUT WALES
And Southwestern England excellent
macadam roads are maintained. The
materials selected are basalt, trap and
the siliceous rocks. Around Yorkshire
! the excellence Of the roads is due in a
| large part to the thoroughness of
drainage, which, in the moist climate
of England, is as essential as it is in
the wet season of California. An i'm
portant lesson for our home road build
ers to learn, and one which cannot too
often be brought to their attention, is
that thorough drainage is Of the most
vital Importance. In Northeastern
England, around Newcastle Tyne,
old Roman roads exist, but have been
so thoroughly replaced by railroads
and modern highways that they are
more objects of antiquity than service
able highways.
IMPORTANT LESSONS
In street construction and maintenance
are learned in the great cities of Eng
land, and it would well repay our
young and growing cities of Cali
! fornia to select thoroughly trained
engineer and send him to study their
lessons for six months or a year, and
then keep him applying them at home.
Asphaltum and bitumen, for instance,
are never 'stewed" or steamed" to
soften them, but are slowly heated. and
all matter volatile below 215 or 300 de-
grees Fahrenheit is driven off. The
thoroughly refined material is well
mixed with dried and heated sand and
limestone, and laid not more than one
and one-quarter inches thick.
| Such pavement was intact after
five years of the heaviest traffic In
| London, while in San Francisco bet
ter native material, laid three inches
| thick, was entirely gone, under the
lightest traffic, in short time. This
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