The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-01-07

road loses itself in shallow gutter and
safety is thus assured for passing teams
in turning out
1T has been the aim of the commits
sioner so far as possible to remove the
necessity for turning the water into
the fields of abutting property thus
making them the watershed of the
roadside, destroying their crops and do
ing irreparabe damage without any
compensation, by carrying the water in
the cutters along the road down to,
and into some natural water course.
This has proved to be a more satisfac-
tory arrangement and will result in the
future in similar treatment being &C.
corded to conditions requiring it.
The necessity for longitudinal grade
on the road is being understood and
carried out, as the officials who have to
do with this question recognize its
compensation. No matter how well
built road may be- or the material
used in it's construction 1t will by use
become toe-marked or rutted except
close attention is given to the matter of
repairs. When a road arrives at such
condition the cross slope grade Is I'M
able to assist in carrying off the water,
and If sufficient longitudinal grade is
not given, the water falling into the
ruts and center of the road will remain
and hasten it's destruction, and be a
constant source of expense, but If sufti-
cient grade is given to the road, it will
quickly clear itself of water and add
materially to the life of the road, thus
saving the necessity for a continual
outlay of money in keeping a road in
good condition. In many towns very lit
tie attention has been paid to these i'm
portant points in drainage, but towns
are beginning to fully realize that these
| are vital points in road building.
/ During the past year $97, 80 out of
! the 500, 900 has been apportioned to the
| towns to improve their roads, and the
universal sentiment expressed Is that
! they are entirely pleased with the as
1 sistance given to the towns by the state
and the only regret expressed is that
more money was not available. Seven
ty-four towns have received state aid
this year and during the last year 100
towns have applied for, and received
state aid. The total number of miles
improved during the year, some of
I which required very little to complete
of rock and earth excavation moved in
the making of these improvements was
So, 420. The contract price for which the
work was let was entirely satisfactory
and has materially assisted the towns
in accomplishing a greater number of
miles of improved roads than was an
ticipated and with the prices had in
other states make a favorable compari-
sons"
Speaking of the general preference of
towns to build macadam roads rather
than to grade or lay gravel roads with
the state appropriation and after stat
ing that in a majority of the towns
these macadam roads have been salts
factory the reports says;
There is, however, great danger
owing to the low prices for which the
work was let-that without constant in
spection contractors may yield to the
temptation of sighting the work. In
macadam construction careful atten-
ton must be paid to every detail as it
resents the slightest inattention from
the preparation of the read bed on
which 1t rests to the application of the
bonding and wearing surface on the
lpp VI the nHlSIeu IOdu. Livery part Oh
the work important and necessary
for it's durability and continuance. The
large number of splendidly built and
well-wearing roads that cover many
miles lying In different towns through
out the state are a testimony to the
fact that if properly constructed they
certainly yield good return for the
money invested. The splendid trap rock
which is found in large number of
towns throughout the state afford all
the material that we can ask for in ex-
tending our macadam system at reas-
enable prices. Very satisfactory results
have come from roads built with local
stone other than trap" All towns have
the choice of building with native stone
in macadam treatment if they so desire.
Quite number of towns in which there
are no trap rock have used granite
found in their town and are satisfied
with the results.
Telford pavements are only used /
where the road bed is uncertain and re-
quires a bridging or sustainment. /
These roads are not built generally as Il
continuous system by reason of the eX-
pense, and come under the head of .
special case treatment. The depth of
macadam has not been uniform on all
roads and has been arranged to suit the I
condition or requirement in each par |
ticu1ar case and has varied from four to
seven inches.
Quite a number of towns were the
successful bidders for the work done in
their town during the past year. This
privilege accorded to the towns by the
law is popular and results In many
ways in yielding very satisfactory re-
suits, as towns obtain a practical
of doing work under APP
proved and successfully tested methods,
also it affords employment to the peo-
pie residing in the town and results in
the increased benefits of not only hav-
ing the state pay one-half OF the I'M
made in their town but also
retains all the money available in the
making of the Improvement at home.
The majority of the roads in the state
are too narrow. The width of a road
should be determined by the travel it
is required to accommodate. A. narrow
road will concentrate travel and prove
to be very expensive road in the mat
ter of repairs. l do not think that a
main road between the towns should
l,o tbar tIya feet vida wi N ,