Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-02-20
WITH
STEEL ROADS.
[From the New York Timesl

FROM the New OTh i lIiSS.1
| A radical change in methods of road
making thruout the world appears now
to be probable, and it would seem
quite time that some change should
be made. The whole Christian era,
with all it's advancement of arts and
sciences, has been no improvement IN
| this particular art. The best stone
roads of today are no better than the
ancient Roman ways or the prehistoric
Peruvian roads; not so good, in fact,
for while their surface is the same,
their foundations are inferior. 1t may
be said, therefore, that in concern
so vital to the general we'll being oil
the human race as its primary means
of communication, the world has prac-
tically stood still for twenty centuries.
This fact challenges the Intelligence
of this progressive age, and it is not
surprising that the nations are waking
UP TO it, and that some of the talent
heretofore employed in the perfection
Of rail and water ways is now devoting
itself to the improvement of the COM
mon highway.
The demand for better methods is
widespread, and the logic of that de-
mand is clear; there is no more reason
for running a wagon over stones ana
dirt that there would be locomotive
when the same means are available to
smooth the way of both. Naturally,
therefore, the engineer and inventor
take up the application of steel to
wagon ways and many experiments
are being made in that direction. Ger
many, which country leads in this
field at present, had over fifty miles OF
steel roads in various forms as to rail
and foundation laid in 1901, and these
roads are reported as being "in great
favor among drivers" while official
tests show that from three to five
times as great load can be moved
thereon as with the same effort on a
stone pavement.
The desirability Of these roads has
been questioned but Spain has had
u short steel road in successful oper-
alton for ten or twelve years, running
from the city of Valencia to its sea-
port, and, under a travel of 5000 We
hicles daily, careful measurement
shows only small fraction of wear
in that period, while tin plates laid
across bridge in Canada have stood
tour times as long under heavy traf-
fic.
Schwab's Experimental Road.
Some experiments have been made in
the United States on small scale and
With insufficient means, and have re-
suited in nothing determinate, but upon
the recommendation of the writer, and
with the cooperation of Mr.. Schwab of
the United States Steel Corporation,
the Automobile Club of America is now
making thorough test Of steel ways
sor various kinds of vehicles.
The steel wheelway in Murray street,
he first practical essay of the club In
The improvement of street conditions,
has been favorably received and Is
bearing constant testimony to the eX-
.ellence of it's method. Many drivers,
not informed of it's character, still avoid
the steel plates, thinking they may COW
ar some electric or other conduit, but
those who use them pronounce them
perfect The time is ripe therefore, to
consider the question where and how
he method can be applied in the city,
having in view the three great objects
o be attained-first, the ease of freight
movement: second, the relief of car
mage lfaVel, anu liC SASeNio "a
way for the street cars.
The Murray street line is formed of
parallel 12-inch plates, four and half
'eet apart, with downward fianges rest
ing in broken stone, and very Slightly
raised edges as guides for the wheels;
the stone pavement is laid little high
or than these guides, and about an inch
above the general surface of the plates.
but sloping toward them. so that wag-
ons drift naturally into the wheelway.
BUT turn out of it without any difficulty.
This specimen road is already at
racting much official attention. The
highway department of the city is con-
sidering its application to various lines
where heavy trucking exists, or where
it could be drawn from other streets to
he relief of streets and avenues now
congested.
The United States government, thru
its road bureau, is asking to have steel
sor a road in the District of Columbia.
Commissioner Budd of New Jersey ia
vors steel road across the Hackensack
Meadows; and over the sea comes an