Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-03-24

ton farm and road-wagon, his expert
ments being made IN meadows, pastures,
stubble land, corn ground, plough ID
ground, and roads from dry, hard, and
firm to very wet and soft. A wagon with
a 1-2-inch tire draws 40 per cent. heavier
than one with q 3-inch tire. Experiments
at the Ohio State University showed that
with 3-inch tires two horses easily hauled
4.iSO pounds and the wagon over an ordi-
nary dirt road I'm good condition, WHO
with the 1-2-inch tire 2,2i0 pounds was a
full load for the two horses.
AT the Atlanta Exposition, in 1885, Off
GERS Of the United States Department or
Agriculture made this test: Two wagons
loaded. both weighing the same, were
drawn over a piece OF wet cray fo1u'
one wagon having 2-inch tires, the other
having finch tires, and the rear wheels
farther apart than the front wheels, so
as not to run in the same track. The
tractometer showed that twice as mucn
power was required to haul the Pinch
tired wagon as the one with finch tires.
The part of the road used by the narrow
tired wagon was cut and rutted 10
depth Of several inches. while the VIDE
tires Of the other wagon rolled the ROAD
into a smooth and hard surface.
The first step in the direction Of good
roads In Virginia, then. is road law re-
curing wide tires. Too expensive Tor
the farmers 70 buy new wheels? In the
first place. they won't have TO buy new
wheels: they can buy wide tires to clamp
on their old wheels. Secondly set OF
wide tires will more than pay for Itself
in a few weeks when hauling IS 10 DC
done, because from 25 10 100 per cent.
more load can be hauled on the wide
tires.
THE next step. assuming that we are
10 continue TO use dirt roads in Virginia
Tor some years, Is to hire competent men,
with at least a teaspOOnful OF common
sense 10 work the roads, or superintend
the working Of them. At present IL -
not the roads but the people who are
worked" Stop putting boobies IN charge
Of road Improvement. Get men VINO can
understand that water never runs UP NH
I'm America that II the road-bed Is lower
than the sides Of the road, the water
will run in the middle OF the road; that
uncovered bitches should not be mace
across a road; that few wagon-loads as
stones as big as a mans head dumped
into clay Is not "macadam"; that putting
brush in "A soft spot is not an improve
nent and is dangerous for horses, tndt
holes should not be filed with grass ana
leaves and weeds; and that there are CIR
cumstances when hump In ROAD snoulu
be cut down. Moreover, when Drldged
ditch il placed across the road, the bridge
should be wider than the road. Up In
this county the road destroyer cuts
ditch 10 Improve one mudhole, and the
result Is four mudholes, one on each slae
the ditch, and one at each end.
our country roads are, as ruie' lar
TOO wide. Fifteen feet Is ample. Our
roads are 30 feet in summer and 90 yards
wide i'm winter, unless there Is DarDeu-
Wire fence on each side OF the road. Inc
mnst accurate and comprehensive descrip-
! lion that can give OF Virginia country
road I'm winter is this: No one VIII stay
| I'm The road II he can get out OF IT.
As for good road-beds, who Is 10 pay
| for them? The farmers2 First. farmers
ara not the only citizens who use Inc
roads: second. the farms OF the tnitsa
| States. are less than one-iourth OF the
whole property OF the country. OBVIOUS
IL. one man should not be made 10 pay
| for roads for four men. state taxes
| should be levied for road purposes. such
| a tax Is levied on all property and on all
| classes OF people, on city and country
nopuIation. In washington and Massa-
chusetis certain highways are selected as
| State roads, and improved at State ex-
pense. state road taxes are becoming
popular as a part OF system or state
| aid 10 roads Connecticut. Rhode Island.
| New York, Pennsylvania. and New Jer-
| sey have a system OF State aid Tor puoic
! roads. Under the New Jersey system the