Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1899-12-08
INDIANA GOOD ROADS.
THEIRiMPORTANCE IN THE DEVELOP
EENT OF The STATE.

work of Improycd Highwnys-Gov-
ernOr Mount to MAKE Display at
the Paris ENposItion.
Governor Mounts determination 10
make Il p.,icniious display Of In
diana roads at the Paris exposition
AMI the work which he has already
begun in collecting pictures from ev-
cry section OF the state have occasion
ed great deal of comment OF an ad-
verse nature from the people OF his
own and Of adjoining states. They
take the ground that the display will
not only subject Indiana to adverse
criticism. but will give the skilled road
builders of European countries poor
opinion of the Mississippi valley sec
tiOn.
The display which Governor Mount
is arranging under his own personal
direction will however, be interesting
not only TO the expert road builders Of
European countries, but of special In
terest at present to the people of In
diana and surrounding states. 1t ID
not Governor Mounts intentions TO
give the European countries new
wrinkles" in road construction. tut
rather show them what a community
can do with swampy, boggy, wild
territory in a short space of less than
century. He will show the old wood.
en- bridges and the old miller going to
market on his horse, which sank belly
deep many times. He Will show how
less than half century ago, doctors
had to carry saddlebags and the mail
was transported on horseback for the
reason that that was the only way OF
reaching points located In bogs. With
these pictures as an Introduction he
can show some stretches Of lndiana's
10000 miles OF graded and gravel high
way and S.GS3 miles Of pike. which
will compare favorably with the roads
Of southern France and Italy and eX-
Gel those Of some European countries.
The whole central section OF Indiana
Is now covered by network Of free
pixies and graded gravel roads. The
farmers can reach their markets any
season Of the year. Northern Indiana
has made wonderful strides In the last
few years In building graded and
gravel roads. The eastern section Is
practically free OF poor roads. In
Wayne county alone there are over
$50 miles Of as good roads as can be
found In the Mississippi section. The
most notable pike In the nation, the
great National road running from
Washington to St. Louis, passes the
entire width OF the state and divides
the Hoosier community into two equal
parts 1t IL apropos that the display
be made In 1900 for 1t marks the close
of about 100 years Of Indiana's devel-
opment, in which roads have been the
greatest factor.
The men who laid the foundation for
Indiana 10y blazing their way through
forests and brambles, who felled logs
across the streams and made the first
temporary crossings, who pushed their
horses to bogs and then threw brush
over the deepest holes that their ami.
mails might not sink beyond the con
troll of their legs, had little TO work
with while they were laying this foun-
dation. That, however, for the most
part. was a great deal less than cen
fury ago. After making these first
blazings, bridges and foundations they
found that they must have more per
manent roads, and this necessity was
the mother OF the old plank road
regime.
While these plank roads lasted they
were good, but they were found to be
defective because Of their short life.
Gravel had been found IN the mean.
time. and the building Of gravel roads
began. Finding this load too great,
the landowners turned the highways
over TO road companies" and they
inaugurated the toll road system. The
state recently passed laws which en-
ablcd the counties TO purchase these
toll systems, and today there are less
than 200 Of total Of 500O0of Indiana 8
graded and gravel roads that are IN
der levy Of tollgates. \ fraction over
lO- Of these 200 miles are In one roun-
ty- Fountain. The tOilgate In Indiana,
except In this one county and few
eonmUu.ties is 4 faint outline OF the
past.
IN connection with Indiana roads.
Lake county, lying adjacent TO Chica-
20, made some experiments last sum
mer which VIII attract attention or sci
entiEr road builders. In their construc-
tiun drliutile Is made one CT the most
important " the materials. The coun-
~ Is building l25 miles OF these high
ways at q cost OF Sl,400 per mile. Ihey
are probably the only roads OF the Kind
in the world. They have 80 foot
right of way. The road proper hoW-
ever ls hut 10 feet wide. Three feet
under the regular grade and nine feet
each side Of the center OF the road are
run two lines Of inch dralntile Over
them the road proper Is built.
The road proper ia II feet IN width
and is boxed. There is foot or crush
ed stone in This boxed section. and On
top Of II Is inch surfacln2 or
screenings. which, In fact, makes q
nacadalnIzed road. Rounded from the
d,tchea Mt the extreme Of the right or
way Ia a bank Of clay, we'll banked to
the screenings. The clay Is baked by
the sun. 1t joins the screenings hash.
thus making widened roadbtd or
probably IL feet. The grade Is well
pitched. so all water drains readily 10
The bitches. Al that goes down
through the nac0dam is carried away
uy the tile, ,Lad the tile also serve TO
Keep the surfacing dry and compact
Should the bitches fail TO carry Off the
water it also drains 70 the tile. II Is
claimed this viii make road tLGt VII
stand and will be great step toward
perfection. These roads will Join
q xsJ4lk