The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-05-10
MAKING GOOD ROADS.
a Movement 10 Interest students
in AEricuIturaI CoIIrEr-

in Agricultural Colleges.
With view 10 promoting and increasing
the interest in good roads the once Of Pub
lie Road Inquiries of the United States De-
partment Of Agriculture has recently inau-
gurated movement 70 interest the au-
thoriues and students Of the agricultural
and mechanical colleges in the subject Of
road improvement To this end object
lesson road work has been done at the Ag-
ricultural College OF New Jersey. New
Brunswick. at the Agricultural College OF
Rhode Island. Kingston; at the University
Of Tennessee. Knoxville; and at Clemson
I College, Calhoun, sc. II is believed that
the work done at Clemson College has been
the most successful. John C. Calhoun was
one of the pioneers in the good roads
movement in the United States. and Glen
son College is situsted on his old home
stead.
Calhoun, the nearest railway station. is
one mile from the college. The road was
Of stih clay. which. during wet weather
/ became so soft and spongy that il was rem
} dered almost impossible. The grades were
/ very irregular. and the hauling OF coal and
heavy freight over II was a source Of cor
/ siderable expense to the college.
/ The Office OF Public Road Enquiries sent
a special agent TO the college to supervise
/ the improvement Of this road and al the
same time to promote among the college
\ authorities and students an increased In
/ terest in road improvement 4 series OF
/ illustrated lectures on road making were
I given. and the lectures were supplemented
I with practical demonstrations Of how good
/ roads ought and ought not TO be built
/ The road leading from the college 10 Ca;-
! hOun was macadamiZed to a depth of nine
( inches and TO a width OF nine feet In or
} der TO test the various Sinds OF materials
/ found ~ South Carolina and 10 teach the
I students how TO utilize these materials TO
1 the best advantage, the following expert
! ments were made: First. gneiss surface o.
I telfOrd foundation; second. quartz on tel
1 ford foundation: third. gneiss on macadam
/ foundation: fourth, quartz on macadam
I foundation; fifth. gravel On mseadam
( foundation; sixth. coat OF sand on clay
/ foundation Experiments l. ?. >. and
were the most successful. The surface Of
! samples and 4 have not Yet been con-
/ sOlidat-d and il is believed that much o..
the material will be crushed by the wheels
! Of vehicles and washed away before a
1 smooth. hard surface can be obtained
I Smooth, hard. and durable roads are the
results Of l. 3. and ;
These practical experiments. BY showing
! what can be done with the materials which
/ abound in that State. but which have not
I heretofore been effectively used. IL is be
I lieved viii result in a more general use
Z OF stone. gravel. sand. and clay. as well as
I the employment Of modern labor saving
machinery il the construction Of improved
. roads. The students took remarkable in
teTest in the work. and many OF them were
led TO realize that there Is a large field
/ open 20 them. and that they can. with
I profit to themselves and benefit 10 the
| state. very properly devote much Of their
! time and attention 10 this subject.
experimenting the class work many OF
I the students who took this course have
/ submitted essays on subjects relating 10
/ road building Some Of the titles Of these
Z papers are as follows. The Missionary
I Feature Of Road Improvement. 80 The Ben
( ef1s OF Good Roads -Road Improve
/ ment." Road Construction. General
I Construction OF Roads. 90 Improvement OF
I Country Roads 90 Notes on the Construc-
/ tiOn and Repair Of Earth Roads % Road
! Drainage" and The Need OF Improved
/ Roads in South Carolina and How They
! Can BE Obtained 20
! Many Of the essays are well written and
. show the great interest taken in the sub
lect by the writers II is hoped that this
| Work by the students OF Clemson College
I VIII have a beneficial effect not alone in
/ South Carolina. but in the States from
! which the students come. also. that il VIII
have the effect OF inducing other fnstitu-
/ tions OF a similar character 10 take IN and
teach theoretical and practical road build
! ing