The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1901-03-29
GOOD ROADS AND BAD
WHAT is BEING DONE FOR THE I'M
PROvEMENT OF HIGHWAYS.

Ten States Have Road Exhibits at
the Paris ExhibitIon-Wcrk OF the
National Govcrnment-ISxpcr
with the Trnckometcr.
The good road question is today the
subject OF vast agitation, begun first
by whcclmen, taken up by the govern
ncnt and now matter OF Legislative
consideration the country over. AS Il
result, ten states have exhibits at the
present universal exposition in Paris
illustrating how perfect roads ought TO
be built This from country that still
has, in part, the worst roads in tho
world Is rather daring. but it is also an
Indication of what is being done. Tho
ten states in question know what they
are talking about. They had the worst
roads, and now they have (or, at least.
they are constructing the best. The
first AMONG these is Massachusetts;
the second, New Jersey.
II will be 4 matter OF news to many
to learn that the United States govern
mCnt has ::Cne into the road question
in the E.oSt energetic and thor
Ou%h manner aginablc. and having.
through The department Of agriculture.
studied what constitutes 4 good road
and why good roads are needed. las
gone 10 N'Cf': to spread The information
ana teach tie people. II has expert
mCnt stations il cvCrT state in the
Union. where lessons in roadm!aiing
are taught. Hundreds OF pamphlets
showing just how Il coed read j.; con.
Structed anG how it may be preserved
have been published by the govern
mcnt and Iaay he had for the asking.
Object lessons III road huiIin- are
given annually i'll every state in the
Union, Wncn il some worst sections
quarter or half or even Il mile OF cX-
Ccllc!.t roadway is constructed, and
the people shown how and why 1t
CcCcLt To be done. These object les.
sons, begun III 1891, have done more
than anything else to start the great
movement which is now furthcving the
construction of perfect roads the land
ovC".
Tie government in tEcS" exhibitions
ordinarily constructs three specimen
rcaG.i-0 lAcdcrn macada!n q sand and
an culinary tiirt read. When these
READS are completed. Il heavy farm
wagon, lcahcl with produce. Is drawn
over each of them. and the amount of
fore" rcluir2d to haul Il is determined
by The u" &C Il t;'acl;oHCtcr. This in.
St.Url"Et - - C&u&tvIi"',G as to accu.
rat;!T register every pound the horses
pUi AZ every S.a::2 of The haUl in plain
view CT those III lis vicinity. 1t is
made ci>ur hy these experiments that
| tcalH larn2sscd in ta2 cr!!aary way
| IS Si:hiCct. under the best conditions
to Il continuous jerking molten. which
must, On even the sm0othcSt country
road. greatly increase its fatigue. On
dirt road In bad condition this jerk.
ing becomes succession OF heavy
blows transmitted to the team hy
means of the collar. They are cruelty
painful. h"uiSing the shoulders. har:ss.
Ing AZ! tcrtUring the animals. con.
StantY !2%%cmnS their value rs well
lis directly decreasing the a:gCEnt Of
Il" Lead tl!"t 1t is possible to I.aul.
E:r,l'% @" f these experiments u
t,Hl ct :.::';tll m;.!"s readily drew -
bales & -";:2N Cn Il heavy s;tUdebatc.
wa."a ';p Il 10 per cent grade of the
n.a":;,lal& read. the trackomctcT indi-
":'ting u ru, &C LEGO pounds. The
sane tCHm v."S stalled completely in
$50 - w. -. al - lf'l cent SIGtt Ol tllp
SAID r@u:! &ftc" pulling the indicator to
l.h:3 pounds. Nine bales Of cotton
wc"r removed hrfoTc the load could be
lGu.a i"t in motion. Tic driver ro-
!""cd u rcn;"rc Mt all upon the dirt
rC&l Wiz. tA" - bale lead.
In addition to this lesson. there are
maay others regularly administered
Thus tic government has photographs
taken showing the exact process of
proper read building, which it exhibits
at fairs. cXpoSitionS and meetings of
all Kinds where good roads can hc
properly talked over. Indeed. the agIi.
cultural department is n great believer
in photographs. and no opportunity is
lost to fash convincing picture be.
fore the eyes of the unbclicver. Tie
picture Of Il road before and after i.
has been improved is one of the most
common kind That Of q horse una,!"
TO pi:il even light load on 4 bad ;.o;.s.
yet drawing Il heavy one On EraI
road, is also common. Thus Tie great
work is furthcred.
Another part OF this goverumcm:
movement, says writer in PcarsOa's
Magazine. is that Of advocating the
building of steel track wagon rOaIs
which is all entirely new scheme, bat
which has proved wonderful high
way idea. Briefly, 1t is a system OF
laying wide steel rails upon ordinary
highways. The road thus laid consists
of two parallel lines CT steel plates or
rails, eight inches wide, laid ut Sufh-
cicnt distance apart 10 receive the
wheels OF vehicles of standard gauge
These plates, or tracks, have slightly
upward projecting tlange Oh I've inner