Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1900-12-01
BAD ROADS REMEDY.
HOW TO SECURE IMPROVEMENT
ECONOMICALLY.
Suggestion Thnt Country Highways
BE Divided Into SectiOns-Nn At
tendnnt to Have Constant CHARGE
of Each Division

of Each Division.
lfrom HarPers Wc.H,. Copyright, 1900. BY
Harper q Bruthers.I
Farmers object, and with Justice, to
stone roads costing upward of $1,000
per mile. The farmers of nearly every
state i'll the Union oppose state aid be-
cause of the fear they have that the eX-
traVagance of expensive stone road en-
gincers, who build well and then fail
to maintain, may be saddlrd upon
them. On the other hand, the idea of
constant attendant appeals to the farm
ers as rational method of evolution
toward better system of roads mt the
same time that it trains experts to care
for them.
In order to secure satisfactory and
economical Improvement of our coun-
try roads, therefore, the writer, Daniel
Il. Luten, in IIarper's Weekly, would
advocate system by which the roads
should be divided into sections of from
10 to 20 miles in length and Il man en-
ployed for each section to devote his
entire time and attention to the i'm
provcmcnt of that section. The at
tendant should provide team and wag
on whenever needed. He would re-
quire no assistants. He should be held
to strict attention to duty and to a
strict observance of hours. whether In
wet weather or dry.
RutS wOnld be eradicatcd by filling
with harder material: the surface
could be Slnoothed by scraping with
|
available. Chuck holes would be fill
ed with broken stone or with gravel
or with clay and sand or with the best
quality of material available. Main
tanning smooth surface for the es-
cape of water is all that is necessary
to prevent softcning of the road sur
face, even with earth roads; keeping
the road carefully crowned, smooth
and free from rutS IS more effective in
diSposing of "the greatest enemy of
good roads than the most elaborate
system of foundations and under
drainage, but the necessary smooth
ness can be attained only by continual
watchfulness. Excessive dustincss
could be allayed by an occasional
sprinkling, but the distribution of traf-
tic, made possible by the smooth sur
face, would decrease the wear and also
the necessity for sprinliling. The at
tendant would find time for planning
systematic method of brautifying the
roads of his section. The side bitches
should be cleaned; the roadway should
be cleared of weeds, which too often
are able to appropriate the roadside
as their highway for dissemination.
The expense of constant attendance
on our country roads could be decreaS-
ed to a minimum by decreasing the
number of miles in n section, admit
ting, of course, that the benefits would
be cOrrespondingly decreased. There
can thus be no argument against its
adoption on the ground of expense by
the poorest communities. BY allotting
sections OF from 10 to 20 miles to each
attendant the expense per mile would
not be greater than under the present
system. 1t is remarkable what Il small
amount of material is required for re.
pairs if those repairs be made prompt
ly, and still more remarkable what a
great amount is required when repairs
bul OlCt ii ytdE. lie
part of the cost of road materials is la
Dor i'll preparing, transporting, han
ding and placing. Labor can be far
more economically purchased by em-
ploying one man for long period Of
time than by employing many men for
shorter period. The most of the at
tention needed by a road does not re-
quirc team labor and 1t is this kind of
attention that is most neglected under
the present system, until at the end Of
the year it requires n great deal of ex-
pensive team work to make it good.
The constant attendant system of
maintenance applied to our present
roads would In time develop them into
/ n system OF hard roads that could be
most economically administered by en-
gincering superintendent. For the
present, however, there is no good rea-
son why the officers who at the present
time superintend road affairs in county
or township would not prove satisfac-
tory as superintendents of the road at
tendants. The reason that these Off
GERS are frequently failure under the
present system is because they are call
ed upon to fill position requiring eX-
pert knowledge that they do not pos
sesS. To superntend experts and to
see that they devote full time to Their
duties is more simple matter and
line in which every farmer who en-
ploys hired hands has had experience.
/ The superintendents would, moreover,
have the assistance of every resident
of the section. for the property owners
would now be the employers of the
road attendant instead Of being the
road workers. 1t would be to the in
terest Of every one to report defects TO
the road attendant, who would apply
the remedy without the delays that arc
fatal to road surfaces.
The system thus outlined Is essential.
iy system of maintenance, but whsn
applied to inferior roads 1t becomes
also system of construction by grad
economical way. 1t gives training to
/ focal experts at the same time that
/ it secures to the road what the road
most necds-continual repairs with the
best available material. 1t reduces the
number of votes commanded by the
| patronage of county and township OFF,
GERS. 1t places the responsibility for
the condition of the roads upon one
responsible person. 1t possesses what
the present system lacks-tangibility