The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1904-08-12
ROAD WORK
Cambridge Tries MaCadam Road
Building On Its Streets Ana
Is pleased With Results.
"A POINTER FOR RISING SUN.

n HORE convincing argument
MI is found in favor of the
4V4 expediency of building
first-class roads, in a single practi-
cal example where good results
have been obtained, than in any
amount of discussion where actual
results are often exaggerated, and
by the disappointments which oc-
cur in certain instances, really re-
tard the promotion of model high
ways. The advantages offered to
the counties of Maryland by the re-
Gently enacted law for state aid to
road building, are inclining county
officials and residents to avail them
selves of the offer and the mention
of one object-lesson in the town
| of Cambridge, demonstrating the
greater satisfaction of macadam
road over other materials will be
to allow the opportunity TO secure
these state funds to pass unappre-
ciated.
et-building and repairing in
Cambridge had become a more ex-
pensive item every year, until
finally the lately retired Board of
Commissioners after considering
many plans of street building, de.
cided to put down a macadam road
on the most frequented street Of
the town. They considered that to
meet the situation in this way
would mean greater, initial ex-
pense but would be cheaper in the
end, besides giving much greater
satisfaction to traffic. The results
have fully justified their determi-
nation. In this work the commits.
|sioners received free of cost the
assistance of Mr.. A. N. John
son, highway engineer of the Mary
land Geological Survey and were
able to put down road which so
far has met every requirement and
is a great improvement over the
shell road which it replaced.
There is now about six feet more of
carriage room than in the old street,
the road drains perfectly, it has q
firmer resisting surface, it dries out
more quickly after rain, and it is
less expensive when its lasting
qualities are considered. In speak
ing of the great improvement made
by the road, the Democrat and
News of Cambridge says:
.The Board decided to build q
macadam road although each men,
ber knew there was some opposi-
tion to the new method. It's ex-
pense was pointed out: its lasting
qualities were doubted. Fortu-
nately, the Board did not allow
this opposition, which was by no
means insignificant, to deter it from
going to the bottom of the plan and
now the town is better off by reason
of the courage of the old board.
The street building and repair
ing Vas becoming a more expensive
item every year, and the Board de-
cided to try to meet the situation
in a method more expensive in the
first cost, bit cheaper in the end.
All of which goes to show that the
first step made by the Board
in the direction of modern
road building was a step in the
right direction, and further pro-
gress in this direction will result in
the betterment of the streets of the
town and a decrease in the expense
of building and repairing streets.
1t is we'll to remark here, how
ever, that the work could have
been done better if the county bad
been equipped with steam-roller
to pack the material. AS it turn
ed out, it had to be left to passing
teams to pack the road and in
order to hold the material in place,
a great deal of fine stuff had to be
put on, rendering the road dustier
than would have been necessary if
a steam roller had been available.
In the course of time, however the
fine stuff will pack and disappear
as the road becomes more and more
used. 1t is also said that the cest
of the road need not have been as
great as it proved, as certain items
of expense which may be curtailed
in the future were unnecessarily
undergone"
Will probdted.