Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1904-02-04
STEEL TRACK ROADS GOOD
General Stone on the Advantages
of These Highways.


vance in the art of road building. We
build no better than the ancient Ro-
mans or Peruvians," said General Roy
Stone in an address at the national
good roads convention. 1--WE have in
vented railroads and perfected them,
but 1t has scarcely occurred to us that
the same means of smoothing the
way is open TO us on common roads
and that there is no more reason for
running a wagon over stones and dirt
than a locomotive. Within the last
few years European engineers have
awakened to that fact, and successful
experiments have been made in steel
tracks for wagons in Germany and
even in Spain. In this country, with
our little appropriations foN the gov
ernment road inquiry, we have tried
to experiment in steel, but always with
some cheap makeshift of construction
that gave no result
"A year ago l persuaded the Auto
mobile Club of America to make a
thorough test of steel tracks In city
and country. and, with the liberal aid
of the president of the steel trust, we
are doing so. Special plates twelve
inches wide were rolled, with heavy
downward fange and slight ridge at
each end. These were laid in a New
York street last autumn, merely bedded
in trench of gravel on n shallow
foundation of rough stones, the plates
rlveted together end to end with side
and bottom fish plates and tied occa-
sionally by cross rod. They have not
varied hairs breadth in line or level
under heavy traffic and have so IA
yorably impressed the engineers Of the
city that they have been ordered for
use along the docks, and bids are asked
for extension in streets intended for
heavy trucking. No patent is involved
in this construction, and such improve
ments upon 1t as l have personally de-
vised and patented will be free TO the
public.
"The traction on the plates is found
to be so much easier that the same
power which will pull one ton on a
good stone block pavement will pull
nearly four tons on the steel tracks
This is not he place TO go into details,
but | think can maintain these points:
"First.-That the steel roads will be
cheaper to build than good stone roads
in many places, especially in the Mis-
sissippi valley, where hard rock is alb
sent.
"Second.-That in all places they will
be much cheaper to maintain.
"Third.-That they will reduce the
cost Of hauling TO less than one-third Of
that on the best stone roads, consider
ing both the power required and the
wear and tear of animals and equip
ment.
'The common field stones and bank
gravel will serve for foundation, or
where they cannot be found burned
clay will do equally well. A few inches
Of gravel TO put between the plates can
always be brought by railroad If neces-
sary.
"The government OF the United
States has repeatedly used both its
cash and its credit in promoting all
kinds Of public works. 1t has even
loaned its credit to private corporations
for the public good If it is to give aid
now TO road building the form which
that aid shall take is matter Of expe-
dlency, not of power or precedent. The
only questions TO be settled are what
plan will do the most good and what
are the safeguards offered.
Using governments credit would
give almost unlimited aid. Its guaran-
tee would enable the local communities
to borrow money at 2 per cent and to
postpone payment indefinitely or for
ever. As TO safeguards, the commune
ties which borrow money on such terms
for such a purpose could afford to give
whatever security the government
might demand for its guarantee, and
the investment itself would Hultlply
its own security since every dollar put
into road building adds IS to $40 to
property values in the vicinity.
'The steel construction would offer a
peculiarly good security. Stone roads
have nothing worth removing, but steel
rails and their attachments could be re.
moved and laid elsewhere, although
probably no county would ever allow
its roads 10 be stripped OF their metal
through default in payment Of its in.
terest. And, assuming that the foun-
datlons aud the hauling and laying OF
the plates, all Of which involve only
common labor, are provided for by con
tribution or a labor tax, the loan re.
quired will only be the bare cost OF the
metal, and for this the metal itself
would be fairly good security.
"Agaln, assuming that the cost Of the
steel for a country road In ordinary
times Is, say, $1,000 per mile, the annu
al interest charge viii only be $40 per
mile, no more than the usual cost OF
keeping up an earth road and only q
fraction Of the repairs on a stone road
so that the tax rate need not be in
creased TO secure all the benefits Of the
best road possible. and no default in
payment Of interest ever need be
feared"
smelters' Stag For Country RoRds.
Stag Is TO be used In making road.
in Utah. says the Salt Lake City Trib
une. The Salt Lake county commits
sioners-at q recent meeting decided e