The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-07-21
FOR GOOD ROADS.
President w. H. Moore Makes q
Powerful Plea at lola.


of w. H. Moore, president of the Ma
| tionaI Association.
| Mr.. Moore said:
| Roadmaking is a science, a branch of
engineering, the difficulties of which
are not usually appreciated. It is a
| common expression that anyone can
make a road" which merely indicates
| that the average man knows so little
not realize how much there is to
know. If it is true that anyone can
make a road, it is also true that any
one can build a house, a bridge or a
steamship. Anyone can do these
things, but in most cases at a great
waste of money and labor, and with
very inferior results. For centuries in
England it was left for anyone to make
| the roads. 1t was not until McAdam
and Telford appeared, but one century
ago, that the people in England became
convinced that anyone" could not
build road. This work was then
builders and the transformation has
been wonderful.
Present and Modern Methods.
In too many states, counties and
townships statute labor is in vogue.
Statute labor means that once a year
the rate-payers. gather to make roads
under the direction of anyone" They
pillow and scrape the mud and pile on a
ridge of gravel. After violating every
rule and principle laid down by road
engineers, after doing everything Ma
cadam told the people of England not
to do, the result of this labor is called
macadamized road.
Ancient Road Building.
Among the earliest roads OF which
we have definite information were those
built by the Romans chiefly as mill
tary highways, leading east and west to
the remote provinces, from which arose
the proverb, "All roads lead to Rome
So substantially were these roads
built of layer upon layer OF stone and
concrete, three and four feet in thick
ness, that many of them still remain,
and are commonly believed by the peas
antry of Spain and of other countries
of southern Europe to be of supernat-
ural origin.
It is honorable to work 1t is dis
honorable and degrading to Saunter in
idleness. Robert Collyer was a black
smith, Elihu Burritt was a shoemaker,
Paul was a tentmaker and Jesus was
carpenter. 1t is a historical coinci-
dence that the finest roads ever con-
structed in the world, over which to
drive legions of war, and arouse a
slumbering world to Christianity were
completed at the time when Christ
of that period with the new, living,
soul-saving gospel.
Good roads in a farming country
mean civilization. and where the roads
are poorest there the people are the
most illiterate and barbaric. If you
want to be called the banner county of
Kansas by attracting immigration and
capital and keep your sons and daugh-
tiers at home, thus having help in time
of need to harvest crops, build roads.
Road Making a Forgotten Art.
For several centuries after the down
fall of Rome. road-making became
forgotten art.
In France during the eighteenth CEN
fury, under the Engineer TreSauguet,
road construction. was revived, but on
very different principles from those
followed by the Romans The type OF
road built by the French engineer was
that introduced into England by Tel
ford, and consisted of foundation OF
large stones, laid on edge and careful
ly shaped, upon which was placed a
coating of finer broken. stone. Early in
the nineteenth century McAdam advo-
Gated and constructed in England a
still more economical design, in which
the foundation of large stone was omit
ted, but greater care was given to
drainage and roadbed. McAdam's sys-
tenn is that most commonly followed
today with a number of important al
terations consequent upon the intro
duction of roadmaking machinery.
McAdam's Plans the World Standard.
In the time of McAdam the best
method obtainable was to break stone
by hand, which was then placed loose
on the roadway and left for traffic to
ton was slow, during which a consider
able amount of the stone was forced
into and mixed with the earth sub
soil injuring the consistency of the
road Under present methods, by
means of a crusher, stone is broken
umch more cheaply than it could be
done by hand.
Stone dust and chips, (screenings) are
created in the, process of crushing.
stead of waiting for this to be produc-
ed by traffic, or allowing the clay or
loan from beneath to be forced up
the road metal is made thoroughly
compact, forming a strong, waterproof
covering over a firm subsoil The re-
suit is that more perfect work is zone
in a few days and at less cost than the |
methods of McAdamS or Telford would
accomplish in several months. The |
main features of present day road
making, which are of recent introduce
tion are:
First-The use of grading machines
for forming the earth subgrade and
open drains.
Second-The thorough drainage of~the |
soil underlying the road so as to make
a strong foundation.
Third0The use of a roller to CONSOLE
date both the earth foundation ana the
surface layer of stone or gravel:
Fourth-Where broken stone is en- |
ployed, the use of crusher to prepare |
the metal, instead of breaking the stone
by hand.
Fifth-The screening of broken stone
so as to grade it, for application to the
road in layers according to size.
Executive Management and Engineer
ing System Necessary.
1t is only within recent years that
great cities or municipalities are
learning lessons of economy in sewer
ing and paving. AS a proof you may
visit any of the large American cities
or inspect the street paving for |
which London, Liverpool and other
British cities are famous. and you
will find many different kinds of paw
ing in use. These great cities have
been robbed of millions through in
efficient and dishonest Office holders
and by the negligence and duplicity |
of contractors. This is a result too |
often of contractors and manufac-
Of Sr,acial wing ferial