Macon beacon., 1903-01-31
Good Roads Again.


satute the greatest hin3rsnce 80 rural
| life and relatively effect the resident ot
/ the town and city, is now a1i5usae,
/ hence itisa WINDY exercise - to long
er discuss the bsuefts q good roads.
Does Noxubes County want g7ot
roads II so. then ''the ways sui
means is waat must next receive ST.
tention The cost Of road building is
dependent upon cost Of material. labor
machinery etc, and these things ara
subject TO such a wide range in different
states. that TO figure without close in-
yestigation with any degree Of accuracy
would be impossible. To utilize the
material most aysilable-alwsys giving
preference to a particular hard stone sni
a special kind Of gravel, which we will
notice further-seems to have been the
method adopted by the " good roads
train " in giving object lessons, stree
at Montgomery, Ala. were used for
surfacing chelt and gravel at Birming
ham Stag and ebert, at Ashvills crushed
stone Macadam roads { getting the
name from John l. McAdam the inveH-
tori properly speaking, are made Of
broken stone Of uniform SIZE one and q
half to two inches, with jagged edges,
so that when placed upon road bed and
rolled knit together forming almost sol
id surface Custom however seems to
have extended its meaning, and any
road is called macadamiz5d, whether
the surface be Of stone THAT used by the
inventor gravel or ebert, 50 as to ren.
der smooth, hard and compact.
The ledge Of rock running through
eastern portion Of county should be test.
ed, or examined by competent judges
before aiop.inglt as proper material, as
very unsatisfactory results have been ez-
periencei in the use Of improper mate
rial, since some stone scales of under
the constant grind Of loaded wagons, and
powder. and is blown of or soon forms
a paste on road bed. It has been found
that some stone crumbles or ii,iu.e-
CRATES by exposure to atmosphere and
rain. There have been found also oh.
jections to some gravel, and it has been
wholly discarded a, proper material for
road building, notably that found along
the beach and IN RIVER BEDS The rea.
son for this is, being worn smooth by
the water they slide easily against each
other, failing to bind together, having
no rough projected edges, making it
possible to knit together and becoming
firm. Excuse details, but wish to call
attention to the necessity of investiga
ton, that we may proceed intelligently
and not blunder along, utterly Needless
Of that systematic forethonght and cal
culation, so necessary in the conduct Of
enterprises to happy conclusion.
The suggestions above are the ideas
furnished by expert load builders and
published by the government for tho
benefit Of the public.
We haYe a very satisfactory road law
in this state in some features which, II
If it included what seems good features
OF other states, would be admirable -
| The present law permits a special tax by
the Board, not exceeding one mill l an
informed for road building, on commu.
mites desiring to improve the highways,
and this tax is restricted TO those com,
munities, where the work is done in {
large measure, and is not a general tal
upon the people Of the county. Now
can we not get an appropriation from
the state out of the general fund, sup
Elemental to this county or township
fund, its division based on some equita
BILE mauner Of distribution to the coun
ties, thereby tightening the immediate
tax and increasing our resources, bette
insuring first class roads. Mississippi
finances were never in much better con
dltion than at the present time, to assis
in a project that would be so far reach
ing in its benefits to all classes. Sh
aud other states have contributed thei
thousands to building RAILROADS, thel
why not show sCme degree Of liberalit.
to her citizens in building interior roads
New York has a law appropriating 81
per cent, out Of general fund, the coun
ty paying 35 per cent. and the township
10 per cent. for road building purposes
In the Commercial Appeal of the 1Stl
inst, you Il notice the Southern RR
has agreed to furnish gravel for road
and streets of some towns, asking in re
: turn only prompt and speedy unload