Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1900-05-25
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B GOOD ROADS NOTES, !
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Anew Road Scheme.
~ URING the last few years the
Federal Department OF Agri,
culture has largely increased
its usefulness and EXTENDED
the scope of it's operations. 1t has
MAIDS it's methods more practlcal anu
has adapted them more closely 10 'ne
needs of the country.
1t was once an adage that the SEED
sent out by the Agricultural Depar!,
ment never came up. Of course this
was libel on the department, but II
is fact that the quality OF the seeu
distributed by the Government mas
been so greatly improved that no
superior seed can be found anywhere.
The Agricultural Department. mas
many other important functions De
sides the distribution OF seed. one
of its most useful bureaus Is tina.
which is devoted to the science Oh
road building. Its directors ana
supelintendents are men VINO are wen
versed both in the theoretical and the
practical science of road building,
The monographs and reports sent Out
Inv this bureau contain many valuable
suggestions concerning the construc'
tion protection and repair OF roads:
Practical tests of various theories and
methods of road building are made by
the bureau and the results are re-
ported fully.
The work of construction, specimen
sketches of roadway, was begun III
1884 and has been carried on with
marked success. These sample roads
have been inspected by officials aud
other visitors from all parts OF the
country and the suggestions which
thew offer bave been in many IN
stances embodied in practical results.
The bureau now proposes the con-
struction of steel track wagon ROADS.
Such roads may be built MUCH
cheaper than either macadam OF chert
highways, and while they are not as
desirable as either are vast improve.
mont ON the ordinary dirt roads and
are bv reason of their smaller cost
within the reach of communities VINO
are not able to construct the pes'
styles OF road.
The general plan of the proposed
road is to lay two wide steel rails or
ordinary highways. The road as thus
constructed consists of two parallel
lines of steel plates or rails, eacL
eight inches wide, laid at sufficlen'
distance apart to receive the wheels
Of all vehicles OF standard gauge.
The steel plates or rails have sigh
Aange on each side, which is deeme(
sufficient to prevent the wagon wnee,'
from leaving the tracks easily, WINE
not interfering with turning out wlel
the driver desires to do in order &c
mass another team or for any othei
purpose. If one imagines to himsei
q street car track with the depresslo;
. on the rail that accommodates th'
wagon wheel eight inches wide, an
the rails set at such distance apar
l as TO receive both wheels OF the ordi
rory vehicle, he will have very goo.
, idea of the road in question. L
i, goes without saying that on roa
Constructed in this manner very iarg
, loads can be hauled with great ease
l Experiments have shown that tn
e steel rail road will wear well ana nc
: oct out of order easily. The loa
q which q horse can pull on such roa
! in bad weather is several times .
! great as that which he could pun o
!. dirt road. The cost OF repairs
e very small. -, !,
Z A first class steel rail road may D
: constructed for $500 mile and pref
r arations for building such highway
o are going on in several States.-A
!, lanta Journal.