The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-02-16
PROF. VIC. RIDDICk
ON COUNTRY ROADS
Continued from page Nine.)

necessary to put in for short distances
| a Telford subpavement of such stones
as may be found in the adjacent fields.
or perhaps taken out of the road at some
point nearby.
| In the mountain sections of the State,
| the construction OF roads is largely q
Question OF location and grading. To
nrove what may be done here at i COM
paratiysly small cost, 1t is only neccS-
sary to mention The famous Yonahlossee
road from blowing Rock to Linyille. or
the road from Blowing Rock to Boone,
| which were built at cost of about $500
mile. On neither of these was any
surfacing material used except what was
| found Immediately along its line.
| BY the use of improved machinery.
such roads as / have described can be
| built in the eastern portion of our State
at cost OF from 800 to $3.50 mile. In
| the central and western portions the av-
erage cost need not exceed $500 mile, or
| even less where little or no grading is
| done.
l do not claim that these roads will be
perfect in all respects, but they will be
| great Improvement on the present con-
dtions and All the work done has been
| liz the right direction, and after this has
| been done, better surfacing material can
| be put on as fast as we are able, and in
those places where it is shown to be most
needed Ii in connection with this road
| Improvement, some plan can be devised
to make the people use the wide tire,
the value and dura ability of the roads
would be greatly increased. In fact |
know of nc way in which the same
amount Of money can he spent with more
advantage to our roads than by paying
q small extra price fer wide tired wheels
Int we cannot use wide tires until some
| Improvement is made in the roads.
| The United States Government should
collect and give out information on the
subject of road building. The State
should disseminate information of q
practical nature. and furnish general
supervision SO as to secure uniformity
of method, and If the State and United
States can be made to contribute i part
! of the expense, it is all the better, but
We must not wait for them to begin
do not think We should wait for the
State or the United States TO build our
roads. No county should plead poverty
as an excuse for not improving its roads
The poor counties cannot AFFORD 10 be
without better roads. The richer ones
must have them. ] believe the county is
the proper unit to undertake the work
Let tho people Of each county meet and
consider the matter as a business pro-
position. and decide to make a liberal
investment in roads-15. 20, 80 or even
so cents or the 500. Then employ some
body regardless of politics or religion
who knows. or will learn, something
about making roads, so that the money
collected will be used effectively. Buy
such machinery as you are able and can
use tc advantage, but don't be too fast
about buying intricate machinery
Picks, shovels. plows, wheelbarrows
dump carts. mules and conyicts are good
road machines anywhere and at all
times. q coed heavy roller is also a
necessity and ! think steam roller, OF
eight or ten tons weight, is by far the
best, though a heavy horse roller does
very good work Expensive .Hachiues
should not be bought until, yon ~ eI SttFa
yon ooel them and can use them in your
locality.
must confess that for the poorer
counties. with only a million dollars or
even less Of taxable property land about
der this head, it seems rather a hope
less task TO undertake the Improvement
of perhaps 200 miles OF road by taxation
alone. IT seems 10 me that. il the PEG
PIE OF such county are thoroughly in
earnest and determined TO have better
roads, they might adopt. with success,
some such plan as the following:
Sci, $1,000 worth of bonds and with the
tn,,s yoll
Six wide tire dump wagons. ........ $500
Fifteen steel wheelbarrows. Zoe
Ore horse roller. ..................... 500
Picks. shovels, plows, harness, etc.. $50
Portable steel cage for housing con-
SGnorles .''...'..'.'''''''' .''..'''' ~
I.evyNa tax CT 20 cents on the 500. This
will give you aboet $4,000 year, TO be
expended as follows:
Taking care of fifteen conyicts. 81 900
Cnard for same " $50
Road supervisor neutrality-suspicious.. bo0
Leaving for equipment. repairs ani
the purchase OF materials. such as
culv+tt pipe, bridge timber, etc. 100
When the county has made this pre-
paration | believe the people living along
the various roads will be glad TO furnish
the necessary Ateams. in order to get
their roads worked or course. the sue
cess OF this plan defends upon the man
employed as, supervisor. He should be
man of good sense and Judgment, who
has some ideas about road building, and
IS anxious to learn more Don't make
tho mistake OF employing a man who
knows it all, and thinks that every man
who makes speech or writes book on
road building is a wild theorist. aud
Knows nothing practical about The sub
ject.
The above plan is suggested as be-
ginning. and as it proves successful. addi-
tlonal equipment of machinery will be
purchased as needed, and the plan en-