Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1899-11-22
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rshhlstrtatts Of Lewiston A few months
aga The writer explained in detail in your
paper the reasons why grntel is not so
desirable az crushed rock. Yet after
thirty years Of unsatisfactory use OF that
material; when the citizens are beginning
to be dissatisfied; when spirit OF real
progress is manifested and petition is
now before the council asking for crushed
rock on our Main street, | read i'll your
editorial columns that the gravel bank in
the town holds inexhaustible supplies of
the best paving material in the world.
Gravel has been used in some places.
/ But where satisfactory roads have been
constructed the gravel carries a large
amount Of clay, something the Lewiston
/ gravel lacks, and hence is deficient in
/ binding material. The following clir-
ping from-thc Portland Orcgonian of last
/ Friday may be interesting.
/ The county commissioners have learn
| ell by experience that :he fine gravel they
have been using in improving the base
line and section line roads makes first
class road for time, yet such roads will
! not stand the wear and tear of heavy team
! ing such as loads of az cords of wood
which are hauled into the city over the
roads mentioned. 1t has become neces-
sary to redress four miles of the Section
| Line road in the vicinity of Killgaver,
and the commissioners have had the
lcounty's large rock-crusher set up i'll the
gravel pit near that place, and intend to
crush the great pile of boulders accutnu-
lated there, and to dress the road with
| this crushed rock, which will wear much
longer than fine gravel. This will be the
means of clearing the gravel pit of the
boulders, and will be much more econo-
mical than to haul the crushed rock from
distance. The Base Line road will have
to be dressed up next spring, and for this
purpose the boulders in three gravel pits
along that road will be crushed.
In most of the gravel pits used by the
county, more or less of boulders and
stones too large TO be used on the roads
are found, and it is necessary to employ
men to pick these out of the wagons as
the gravel is thrown in, and throw them
on pile at one side. In some cases
these boulaers have to be hauled away
out of the pit at considerable expense
The commissioners have decided to crush
aud use on the roads all the boulders ac-
cnmulated in the gravel pits, and here
after, when they wish 10 use material
from any of these pits, to run it through
a rock -crusher. The crushing of all the
boulders among the gravel will improve
the quality of it, and the handling of the
boulders will be saved and the pits kept
: clear of distractions.
But few people have any idea of the
, vast amount of heavy traffic which passes
Sandy, and especially over those in the
southern part of the county, which bring
I great traffic from Clackamas county to
, this city, and there is also great mum
; Der of railroad ties hauled from Pleasant
| Home way to Troutdale and Fairview
. Five miles of road travelled by teams haul
ing these railroad ties cost more for re-
) pairs than 20 miles of other country
roads. The commissioners find by ex,
1 perience that it is expensive keeping up
roads subjected to heavy traffic, with fine
= gravel, and will hereafter use crushed
rock as much as is practicable.
Oh I T.
pay large sums of money and learn by
sad experience when the experience OF
others is at hand as guide?
a The contractor as a rule likes gravel
streets. As practical man his opinion
c is given weight. His fondncss for gravel
lies iii the fact that his profits are larger
, than on ,nacadamized streets A gravel
a street can be made 20 look very nice with
! little work, One foot of gravel was
placed Oh . street, under the writer's
control several years ago at an expense
OF two cents a square foot. 1t was rolled
aud finished we'll. At the end of FIVE
years it was found that the annual main
flamenco cost was one cent g square foot.
: \ macadam road, built as such roads are
t often built, cost four cents square foot
and the annual maintenance cost was
Z one cent per square foot but the travel by
| actual observation and count was four
c times as much as on the gravel road.
Later properly constructed macadam
, street was built on an adjoining block
This had no binding but was thoroughly
rolled. 1t cost six cents square foot
and the average annual cost was half a
cent per square foot, yet it had more
traftice than the other and nearly six
times rs much rs the gravelled street.
The contractor kept agitating for
gravelled streets He made profit of
over half a cent per foot on the graveled
street or nearly thirty per cent. On the
cheap macadam he made a profit OF
twenty-five per cent clear, On the first
class road he had narrow squeeze to
come out even. With three adjoining
, blocks to judge by and the maintainance
cost to compare. The people cling to
the best form of macadam, which, while
not equal to brick, wood, Belgian blocks
or asphalt, is nevertheless a good street
material superior to dirt. Yours truly,
ERNEST McCULLouGH.
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