Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1904-11-26
GENERAL.
Frank Cooper. of Wellersburg, Pa,
on ROad-MakinS.

on Misunderstanding.
A new State law has been enacted
governing the repairs of country roads,
and is now up before the various coun-
ties for acceptance. Practical examples,
however, are needed to show clearly the
direct benefit of placing such repairs
under the management of competent
professional engineer, coupled if possible
with Il comparative estimate of cost
when done by this method, and when
done by the present method of working
out the taxes.
The latter phase of the subject is too
complicated to consider at the present
time, data not yet being attainable. At
tention, however, is called to some work
now being done i'll Allegany county,
Maryland. under their new law, that
promises to prove boom to travellers,
and much needed object lesson to her
neighbOr, Pennsylvania.
The first work done in Allegany
county under the law, we believe, was
to favor this State-done on the "old
plank road" leading from Wellersburg
to Bakerville-from the Mason and
Dixon line in southerly direction.
This road has been for two wears past
i'll condition that the scope of the
English language can scarcely adequate
ly express. 1t might have been labeled
"a Terror to Travellers" 1.-The High
wayman's Aide" or The Buggy
Breaker" In fact, it was all of these,
composed, like many of our highways,
of large stones, varying in size from the
fist to the head, embedded in mud or
dust.
Please note, the sequel will show, this
condition was due. not to any lack of
providential provision of material for
the making of good roads, but to causes
within the power of the road makers to
remedy. First-bad laws regulating
their repair; and, second. certain
dense conservatism, similar to that
which causes the Hindoo to mutilate
himself by reason of an ancient custom
The mutilatiOn being, III this case, the
casting out of the cutters onto the road,
Ot stones, gravel, sand, mud and wash
able materials, as well as sticks, weeds,
grass and the accumulated filth. The
ancient reason being not so much to
make good road but, to "work out
the taxes"
Under the new law of Maryland a
Road Commission is created, who are
empowered to employ competent en-
glneer and assistants.
The base of this particular road is
good, for it is the old stage route from
Cumberland to Pittsburg, well known
as the Wellersburg and West Newton
Plank Road. 1t remains so even across
the mountains, all the way to Somerset,
however rough it is of stone, now packed
solid after years of use.
On this the engineer built up the
road; nor was it far to obtain materials
In respect to roadmaking, those who
live i'll the Devonian Geological meas
ure, that is, directly east of the ALLIE
gheny escarpment, have their roads,
from the nature of the soil, nearly all
shale and gravel.
This particular portion of the plank
road is, however, in our own carbOnif-
erous measures, and to these measures
must We turn for supply of materials.
Fortunately, they are furnished in the
greatest variety and in unlimited guam
tity by beds of shale thar, when proper
ly distributed, make fine road
These benches of shale, or of sand, sha lie
and lime, occur at SO many elevations
in the geological column, and in so many
favorable localities that the loading
can often be done downward onto the
carts, thus cheapening to some extent the
cost of movement to site.
In those places where the road has
become washed out it is necessary to
fill i'll with broken stones, care being
taken to reduce to suitable size.
The shale is the topping, and is placed
on the base, from two to four inches
thick, according to the Judgment of the
engineer.
Instead, however, of attempting to
make road thirty feet wide, narrow
track is first laid-a single track it
might be termed-about ten feet wide.
This is all that is necessary on thou
sands of miles of onr highways. To
attempt more is not only useless but
vicious waste of the taxpayers money
Great credit is due to the Road Com
missioners of Allegany county-Messrs.
ID. f. McMullen. ID. p. Miller, Eliza
Nave and James Findley; TO Mr.. G.. q.
Townsend, engineer, for the Commits
sioners. and to Mr.. Lloyd Sturtz,
citizen of Wellersburg. all of whom
have so successfully conspired in this
revolution in road-making, for the great
and lasting benefit of our people, Mr..
Sturtz being the active man, that is, the
contractor.
This mile and half of road is a small
affair in itself, but, as an example,
something that will bear copying, not
pnly over the whole nf this cnuntv hnt