The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-01-13
WASTE IN BRIDGE BUILDING.
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country type-costly in the extreme
from the constant half patching, anu
nearly impossible from mud IN wet
weather and for some days after long
rains. The suburban feeders are IN
some instances paved with brick or
macadamized.
Through the limestone districts OF
Pennsylvania, particularly between
Pittsburg and Lancaster, several rock
crushing plants were observed. Tnese
were of compact and efficient types.
and the country roads were IN excel
lent shape, and farming interests evil
IDENTIFY prosperous. No rock-crushing
plant was observed either In Pennsyl-
vania or elsewhere of the size ana ca
pacity of the State rock-crusher at
Folsom. Road building in those parts
of the state traversed has been greatly
advanced in late years.
OBSERVATIONS IN FRANCE.
The roads about Havre are in excel
lent condition, and have the general
features described in texts and treat
tses. The main highway extending
eastwardly through Greville was trav-
ersed for some ten miles. The princi-
pies of location, drainage and surfaclng
are very correctly carried out; the
roadbed is macadamiZed with the
hardest rocks, particularly ebert, ba-
salt or trap, mixed with limestone or
chalk. This latter grinds and cements
.tha whole into hard and impermeable
surface. AS is the almost universal
custom, on west European roads BRO
ken rock is piled along the sides of the
road for repairs, and as soon as a de-
preston occurs it is promptly repaired,
AROUND ROUEN.
Around Rouen, some 200 miles above
Havre, and at the head Of deep-water
navigation on the Seine, the roads are
of the same type. These same feat
ures are characteristic of the roads of
northern France, reaching their great
est perfection around Paris.
In France the location Of the road
upon easy grades is considered of the
highest Importance. Thorough drain
age is never neglected, and is accom-
plished: (a) by side drains. CO. sloping
the sub-grade to the side and rolling 1t,
(c) nder-drains through the center II
necessary.
Makeshift methods are never al
lowed; thus expensive repairs are
avoided. Thorough, permanent work
is found cheapest. The road surface
is made of the hardest rocks available;
particularly boulders and cobble scat
tered over fields, are broken and mixed
with softer rocks to form a binding
material The horse-rollers weigh about
seven tons, and the steam rollers
double this weight Thorough sprink-
ling during rolling and the free use OF
the roller are considered essential.
Prompt repairs are never neglected.
Engineering supervision and control In
location. construction and maintenance
AS a general thing the roads of France
are of five classes: National highways,
department highways, important roads,
neighborhood roads, interfarm roads.
OF these the highways are maintained
at national and departmental expense,
the roads by the districts in which they
lie. Cross sections, photographs and
slides are presented.
CONCERNING GERMAN ROADS.
The roads observed in Germany were
those in the regions around KOln and
Berlin and the intervening country.
They presented no special feature be-
yond the thoroughness in location, con-
struction and maintenance characters
tic of German people. The rolling and
sandy country permits of good drain
age. The excellent plan of restricting
the width Of paved roadway to the
actual needs of the locality is
marked feature of German roads, the
usual width being from fourteen to
eighteen feet for main roads, and eight
feet for small district or farm roads
Principal highways were from eighteen
to twenty-four feet.
In repairing the roads the usual Con-
tinental system is observed, and the
macadam surface is renewed at from
twelve to twenty years. dependent upon
the amount of traffic and the durability
of stone. Tree planting is systematic
ally done. Deciduous forest and fruit
trees are invariably selected.
THE ROADS IN RUSSIA.
In the wide expanse Of Russia in
Europe every variety and type of road
exists. In the neighborhood Of towns
and villages the roads are frequently
paved with broken stones or small cob
bles. Most of the crossings on rail-
roads are similarly paved; now and
then important highways are graded
and macadamized. The great roads
leading into Siberia traverse such
enormous distances that it was possible
to travel or cross them only at widely
separated intervals. The most import
ant road in Russia, and the one pre-
senting most points of interest to Cali
fornians, is the military road travers-
ing Darial Pass in the Caucasus.
IN THE FAIR LAND OF POLAND.
In Poland, around Warsaw, the coun-
try is fiat and badly drained, but we'll
constructed macadam roads are not
uncommon; the bitches are of
ample section in order to give good
drainage. Piles of rock are distributed
along the sides, and the roads frequent
ly bordered with white guard stones
standing on either side about fifteen
are two feet high.
The stones used for macadam are
very variable in composition and ap-
pearance, being selected from the mis-
cellaneous glacial debris scattered over
the country. Much of the road between
Moscow and Mini Novgorod is paved
with broken rock we'll fitted together
and laid fiat.
There is rough curb of large stone
on the side and broad shoulder of
earth between the road and the ditch
The rock used is mostly from glacial
drift and is, hence, variable in char
acter. One of the Trans-Ural roads
into Siberia was trayersed for some
miles near KychkyEa. This road is not
well located, but is graded like many
.H1 l.,