St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1903-08-19
BRICK TRACK ROADS
SOME POINTS ABOUT THEM BY MAR
TIN DODGE.


and Will Last Many Years-How
They Are Constructed.
Hon. Martin Dodge, director Of the
bureau Of public road inquiries, advo
Gates the construction Of brick track
roads with convict labor, says the New
York Herald. In regard to these high.
ways Mr.. Dodge says:
"The important features of brick
track roads are that they can be built
for a fraction Of the cost of stone
road or street, while four to five times
the load can be hauled on them with
the same team force, and they can
probably be maintained for one-tenth
of the repair expense. At the same
time they obviate the formation of the
ruts dust and mud due to the grinding
Of the wagon wheels on stone streets
and the mudholes and dust of our
earth roads.
IF convict labor is properly employed
we can probably build these ideal
roads throughout the whole country in
a few years Of time for the present
needless expense we are now bearing
on account of our deplorable country
roads.
"An ideal road is the stone wheel
track between Albany and Schenecta-
dy, N. Y. In constant use for nearly
sixty years, with very little or no ex-
pense for repairs, it so far shows very
little wear. 1t is probably the Oldest
and most successful road in this coun-
try and now looks as If it might last
another century or two without mate
rial repair expense.
Near the city of Buffalo on upward
OF mile Of brick track road construct
ed adjacent to stone roads built by the
state nearly four times the load can be
hauled with the same team force and
with comparatively little damage to
the contents Of the loads, which are
largely composed of market produce
and fruit.
I'm the brick track road is found a
means for obtaining all Of the advan-
tages Of the old stone track road at an
extremely low cost. This advantage is
made possible for nearly every part of
this country on account of our abun-
dant clays, which are found Of suitable
quality in nearly every section.
"A strong feature In favor of the
brick track road is the plan Of using
our convicts and Migrants in making
the brick and other materials and also
in constructing the roads, by which
means this country could in a few
years time have the finest roads in tbs
world at less cost than the burden and
disadvantage which we are now endur-
ding because Of our present lack Of good
roads.
IF long term convicts are employed
to make brick 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 track ways for our country roads
should not exceed $500 or $1,000 per
mile and in many cases could be made
to average less than 5000 mile, ex-
elusive of any necessary grading and
hauling Of material. Furthermore, If
well made they should last for many
years.
In recent article in the Review of
Reviews the length of the highways of
the United States, outside Of incorpo-
rated cities and villages, Ia estimated
at 100000 miles. At cost Of con-
struction of, say, $500 mile brick
track roads for the entire country
would cost less than four times the
$3.50, 100000 loss which 1t is estimated |
we are now sustaining each year on &C.
count of our bad roads.
In other words, we are now paying
TOR the pleasure of using our present
deplorable roads an annual mud tax
which in less than four years would
build the finest and best roads in the
world throughout the entire country
and which would effect saving there
after over our present conditions of
nearly 81 each year for every man, wo-
man and child in this country, to say
nothing Of the pleasure, the satisfac-
ton and the moral benefits Of driving
over good, hard roads every day of the
year instead Of through series of
or cloud of dust.
1.-THE proper manner Of constructing
the brick track road will vary some
what In different localities, according
to the soil and climatic conditions.
Where the subsoil is naturally drained
and frost does not usually penetrate
1eeply base of two or three inches of
under the brick appears to be
sufficient for ordinary roads. The bricks
ire set on this concrete base.
"In localities where the soil is wet or
4 clayey nature draintiles should be
placed lengthwise under each wheel
rack, with suitable outlets, and where
he subsoil Is very wet and the frost
generates deeply stone or other ballast
should be placed below the bricks,
With the draintile beneath the stone
ballast.
las nearly every form of road is Sc
1ously damaged by the grinding action
T. the wagon wheels it is at first diff
ult to realize that this will not be the
ase with the brick track road, but
When we remember that tha surfana nf