The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-04-16
SATURDAY, APRIL Is, 1904.
SOMETHING NEW IN ROADS.


 Few people among ordinary newspaper readers, we imagine, have given any thought to the probability, or even the possibility, of having the common roads of the country equipped with steel rails for the use of wagons and other vehicles. A great deal has been said and printed of late on the subject of good roads, and it would really be difficult to over-esti- mate the importance of good highways, The improved roads leading from Mont gomery have proven an object lesson that no one can misunderstood, and it is so plain that there can be no prejudice against. the expenditure of the money necessary to build such roads.
 All this is conceded, but that roads can be fitted with steel tracks, for use of ordinary wagons, which will be as superior to the best gravelled road as the latter Is superior to the ordinary sand or mud highway will doubtless be a matter of surprise. Yet it is not so strange when the facts are all known. A recent Issue of The Scientific American has a graphic Illustration of the power requir- ed to draw a given load over different kinds of roads, The load illustrated is 6,27o pounds. and the tests show that on q loose sand and mud road 1t would re- quire ten horses on a good gravel road two horses. while on the steel-ralls only one-sixth of a horse would be needed In other words 1t would require sixty horses to draw a load over the worst roads which one horse would draw over the steel road.
 In the same issue of The Scientific American there is an editorial giving some detailed information on the subject which is interesting. It further states what we were not previously aware of that road of this kind two miles in length has been in operation in Germany for i've years giving a practical demon- stration of the efficiency as well as the economy of this kind of road. The steel rails are eight inches broad with flange on the inside edge and are laid without crossties or other wood and are fitted into the roadway in such manner that re- pairs and renewals require but a trife AA NNAAPaA ASch NANh NAfO SAHNhSS OA hSCb- ing up macadamized roads nor is the first cost a serious bar, when all the ad- vantages of such road are considered.
 There is one consideration in connection with this new plan that is worthy of note. When all motive power was the horse there was little thought of anything but the common roads for them to travel over, but when steam began to supercede animal power then it was found that special wagons must be used and for them there must be specially prepared tracks. That was the beginning of rail- roads with metal rails. So, when we had no wagons, carriages, etc. except such as were drawn by animals, a good road was all that was thought to be required, Now, however, there is such a tendency to the use of self-propelled vehicles like automobiles that soon there will be demand for suitable tracks, and this may result in steel-railed roads for all vehicles. Such roads would prove an Immense saving. not only in motive power. but also in the wear and tear of both horses and vehicles. Like all im- provements it may be slow in coming but 1t will come eventually.