The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-08-05
BRICK TRAMWAY ROADS.
Variety of Highway Recommended
for Some Regions.
Country Gentleman.


The tendency of wagon wheels to form
ruts and holes is the principal difficulty to
overcome In road building, and is the one
great obstacle in all forms of roads made
with crushed stone In the stone or brick
track roads or tramways. this difficulty is
effectually overcome by providing a smooth
non-wearing track surface for the wheels
without the slight depreSsions always found
In roads of crushed stone, which will in
variably wear into holes and ruts by the
grinding and pounding action of the wagon
wheels. The softer the crushed stone used
the more rapidly these results take place.
and the greater the amount of dust and
mud that will be formed
While stone track roads at low cost are
favored localities, on account of lack Of
suitable stone. good brick clays are album
dant for making brick tracks, and also for
making burnt clay ballast for use between
and on the sides of the wheel tracks where
suitable stone is wanting or too expensive.
In an article on this subject in the New
York Herald. Mr.. Dodge says:
IF long-term convicts are employed to-
make bricl, and other road materials, and
short-term convicts are employed to make
the roads, as Is recommended by the United
States Office of Public Road Inquiries the
cost of constructing brick trackways for
our country roads should not exceed $500
or 81, 900 a mile, and in many cases could be
made to average less than $500 mile ex-
elusive Of the necessary grading and haul
ing of material. Furthermore, If we'll made
they should last for many years. OF the
s1.6co.OO0 spent in 1902 In New York, mostly
in making stone roads at a cost of about
So, 900 a mile, probably 81 0O0, 600 could have
been saved outright by the use of the brick
track road. The length of the roads built
could have been greatly increased for the
money spent, and probably four times the
load could have been hauled with the same
power, and witt much less wear on the
wagons and much less damage to their con-
tents. Besides, these brick track roads
would require much less expense for re-
pairs"
much that a fair estimate of these items
can only be made for each locality and
road Taking $500 per mile as a fair aver
age with the use of convict labor and
81, 900 per mile. the highest estimate Of Mr..
Dodge, for the necessary cost of construc-
ton, and we have 81 800 per mile for brick
track. as compared with nearly $4,000 per
mile for macadam. which makes a striking
contrast while the brick tramway roads
would likely last ten times as long as the
macadam. with less expense for repairs.
amended by chapter SIG of the laws Of 1896,
commonly known Section SO of the coun-
ty laws, provides:
THAT keepers of county jails shall cause
each prisoner committed to his Jail for i'm
pTisonment under sentence, to be constantly
employed at hard labor when practicable,
during every day except Sunday.
and the boards of supervisors of the several
counties are authorized TO employ convicts
under sentence to confinement In the county
jails. in building and repairing the high
ways In tntiT respective COuilties, OF III pre-
pairing the material for such highways, for
sale to and for the use of such counties or
towns. villages and cities therein.'
Under this law, keepers of county jails are
required, IL practicable. and the boards of
supervisors are authorized, TO employ con-
victs for building roads, etc. IL properly
arranged. there seems to be no reason why
even Mr.. Dodge's estimate OF $500 or $500
per mile of road construction will not
be ample.
II this road work were undertaken by the
State. there Is no reason why the cement.