The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-11-16
steel Plate Highways.

One OF the most interesting expert
ments in road making ever undertaken
in this country. one which, MS experts
believe, may revolution all ordinary
methods Of highway construction, is that
about to be begun by laying fiat steel
plates or rails on several thoroughfares
in this city to make what will be known
as steel highways. These plates. which
will rest on a bed of cement. or of broken
stone, are to be one foot wide, and will
have ridge on either side of their upper
surface about quarter of an inch high
TO act as wheel guide, and also pro-
jections on the under side two and one
half inches deep to keep them in place.
The great advantages claimed for
steel highways over all others were set
forth last March by Gen. Roy STONE,
formerly connected with the Agricult-
ural Bureau at Washington. in an adj
dress before the Automobile Club of
America; and inspired by Gen. STONES
argument, several well-known gentle
men, including President CANTOR Of
the borough Of Manhattan and President
SCHwAB of the United States Steel Cor
poration, conceived the idea of construct
ing such roads for experimental purposes
in New York. Later, this proposition
was submitted to the Board of Aldermen,
with the result that resolution was
passed, about a month ago, allowing
the work to be begun in Murray street
and also in two avenues in the northern
part of the city. Mr.. SCHwAB gener-
ously offered to provide at his own ex-
pense the steel plates needed for this
initial experiment.
That the specimen steel roads to be
built will mark an important step in
highway improvement is believed by all
who are familiar with such matters.
incidentally, il is expected that such
improvement will lead to other changes
and developments Of far-reachng i'm
portance. As was pointed out in re-
cent number of the Electrical Age, prog
ress in the manufacture of automo-
bles and, in fact. vehicles of all kinds.
is necessarily governed to a very large
extent by the progress made in better
ing the highways. If all roads were
smooth, there would be no need of the
cumbersome, high-power automobiles
of to-day. Pleasure vehicles of three
or four horse power would then be as
serviceable as are those of eight or ten
horse power now; and the same prin-
ciple would apply in the case of trucks
and omnibuses and all other horseless
conveyances.
As it is, an automobile must possess
power sufficient to take it over roads that
are good or positively bad, as the case
may be; and when those of the latter
sort are encountered, energy must be
exerted for which there is ordinarily no
| need. Surprise is often expressed that
I an automobile Of from ten to twenty
horse power should ever be rendered help
less by muddy roads; but some pco-
Pile do not consider that the machines
great weight. unavoidable where high
power must be generated, is tho prime
cause of its helplessness. For the same
reason, a railroad locomotive, capable
Of 900 horse power, would be unable
to move itself yard on one of our best
roads. AS every one knows, high speed
and economy of transportation on rail-
roads depend more upon the character
of the roads as regards their smooth
ness than upon anything else. And, SIM