The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1901-05-23
HIGHWAYS In CANADA.
Need for Improvement Shown by In
creased Demand for Good Roads.


Need for Improvement Shown by In
creased Demand for Good Roads.
What road must be to be good
road should not be misunderstood. A
good road is one best answering, in a
broad sense, the requirements of eco
nomic fitness. Money spent on road
construction is an investment from
which adequate returns are to be eX-
pected. A road the cost of which is
excessively great in proportion to the
use made of it, however smooth, hard,
easily travelled and durable, measured
by the foregoing rule, may be far
from being a good road. On the other
hand, common dirt road may be Il
good road if it is made and main
tanned so as to properly meet the
needs of traffic. In Canada, there
fore, we do not need English, French
Or Roman roads, but we want Cana
dian roads, each mile adapted to local
requirements and conditions, says A.
W. Campbell in paper read before
the Canadian Society of Civil Engi-
neers
1t is impossible to make a fixed
model for road to meet all condi-
tions. There is a tendency on the
part of very many good authorities
on roadmaking to lay down hard and
fast rules based on their own eXper-
fence. This is a very great mistake,
for in no other branch of engineer
ing, perhaps, is there so much oppor-
tunity for the exercise of individual
judgment. There are such infinite
gradations in climate, in character
and extent of travel to be served, the
nature of the soil over which the road
is to pass, the opportunities and need
for drainage, the quality of metal OBJ
tainable, that there is but one way to
skilfully meet these conditions.
1t is to thoroughly understand what
a road consists Of, and the physical
properties of the material which are
to be employed in reaching this end.
A road consists of strong founda-
ton capable of supporting any load
or weight which may pass over it.
This foundation must have d surface
covering which will resist the wear
of the feet of horses and action of
wheels, remaining smooth and hard;
covering which will also prevent
water from passing readily through
to the foundation. In the road, there
| fore, we have a structure consisting
of a foundation, floor and roof.
That the country roads throughout
Canada are in an unfortunate cond j.
tion is now very generally recognized.
This, careful study will disclose. is
not wholly due to the fact that the
expenditure upon them is small. 1t
is rather due, in many districts at
least, to the fact that the expenditure
now made is misls.anaged and misap-
piled, owing to a lack of method and
an ignorance of the principles of road
making on the part of those in charge
of the expenditure.
In Ontario money and statute labor
to combined value of $4,000,000 are
annually placed on the roads and
streets throughout the province.
This is obviously very considerable
amount of energy; it indicates the i'm
portance of the highway as a public
work, and demands a proper system
of direction. That such a proper
system has been utterly wanting re-
quires no other than the proof given
by the roads themselves. Not too
soon can the prevailing opinion be
cleared away that any and every
farmer is competent road engineer.
There is imperative need of an early
introduction of business and scien-
titic principles in the management of
roads.
The principle that all citizens shall
contribute to the cost of roads is al
ready being carried into effect on this
continent, and exists in all European
countries. There does not need to be
any reason why the farmer and rural
population should pay the entire cost
of roadbuildiug any more than they
should meet the entire cost of railway
and canal construction. A system of