The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1899-10-26


fic construction until the petition of the
property owners has been fled, showing
theiI willingness to pay their one-tenth.
Under this system the most important
thoroughfares are almost immediately
macadamized and the less important
ones fellow along in due course as the
land owners feel inclined The New
York system is similar except that the
state paws one-half while in Massachu-
sets the states share is three-fourths.
Gen. Harrison was inclined to think this
was little too high and recommended
one-half as about the fair proportion.
After answering a few questions from
the audience, he announced the meeting
at the roadside to take place in the af-
ternoon and the meeting adjourned with
out motion.
At about 2 o'clock the spectators be
gan to assemble on the Plank road just
west of its intersection with 18th street.
By 2:30 there were more than d thOus-
sand persons collected watching the
Austin road-Inachine and road-roller do
their work Gen. Harrison appeared and
spoke ut some length from his carriage,
combining himself to discussion of the
proper method of load-construction. He
was attentively listened to, and explain
ed his views clearly. He said the point
of first Importance was to build th' road
so that it would be impel vious to water.
He recommended that grading of the
road bed be done one season, and the
| LAYING of the surface the next, so that
all cuts and fills might have time to settle
properly. He described two or three
methods of laying surface courses, for
either dirt, gravel or macadam road.
Rolling, or better yet, pounding, is very
necessary during the spreading of each
course. so that the small stones or sand
may be pressed closely together, the OBJ
ject being to eliminate so far as possible
all the voids into which water might
penetrate In all cases the lower layer
is to be of the coarse material, the sur
face LAYER of the finer, and the whole
made to slope from the center toward
each side, so that wherever rain might
fall it would have no opportunity to re-
main long enough to soak in and soften
the road Twelve feet was given as a
fair average width. Drainage was men
toned as highly important, but the par
ticular method to be pursued III it de-
ponds so much on local conditions OF
situation and soil that the speaker did
not attempt any thorough discussion of
the point. 1t was expected that at the
close of his address Gen Harrison would
remain and personally supervise the con-
struction of section of road along the
lines he had described, but the arrange
ments We're otherwise. Some disappoint-
ment was expressed at this, and few re-
NAMED to watch the workmen who were
spreading the gravel 1t would seem that
the spectators should have been kept on
the spot and shown exactly the way a
good road could be built. That is what
most of them expected to see, and it
would have undoubtedly been valuable
object lesson.
In the evening the closing session of
the convention WAS held at the Turner
Hall. Thos NJ. Blackstock gave pap
er on the relation of bicyclists to good
roads that was very interesting though
perhaps not having much weight with
the farmers. As a matter Of fact the
agricultural as we'll as the urban portions
of the country are greatly indebted to
the influence Of the bicycle on the road
question. The league of American wheel
men has done much good work in this
line. Fred Schuette explained to the
audience the work done by the execu-
tive committee. The gentlemen of the
committe have earned the hearty thanks
of the community for their painstaking
and of course gratuitous labors. Con-
gresham J. H. Davidson and Judge
Baensch each made short address
touching the matter in hand. The hall
was we'll filed and every one seemed at
tentive,
Gen. Harrison was much pleased with
the interest shown in Manitowoe and
feels that people here are bound to be-
come interested and help the movement
along. 1t is undoubtedly true that many
of the residents of the county have en-
tertained false and mistaken ideas con-
corning this movement for the better
ment of their highways, Many have
felt that it WAS merely a scheme for the
increase of their taxes without any cor
responding benefit accruing to them.
1t is earnestly to be hoped that all sucA
persons have been convinced of the
great value to them in dollars and cents
of first class roads to their market, -
roads that will support the heaviest
loads any day of the year, wet or dry.
When moreover one-half or ne-third