Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1904-10-29

ROndwnys Gravel Most Suitable
For SurfacinE.
The report of Carlos Avery, chair
man OF the special committee of the
Minnesota Municipal and Commercial
league, on streets and boul"varts
Interested in town Improvement. In
this report Mr.. Avery says:
The field of effort to which the COM
mittee on streets and hOulcvnrds Is
confined might seem unImportant in
comparison with that OF some of the
others, such ns the committees on rail
road rates, municipal charters, public
service corporations. etc. yet could the
amount of money which Is annually
wasted in unsystematiC. senSel"SS. eN-
travagant methods of street work be
accurately estimated the figures would
be startling.
In many otherwise progressive and
modern towns the most primitive
methods of street making still prevail.
There is no conception OF what Is re
Qulred to make a beautiful residence
street, and. worse than all. there seem
to be great deal of apathy and indlf-
ference. The average village street in
this state compared with that In New
England for example. Is disgrace
and reproach upon our western clvili-
zntion Wide GraGcs extending from
sidewalk to sidewalk which grew up
to weeds catchin" dust. litter and dis
ease producing =. are tie general
rule. Parking or huuicvarding OF resi-
dence streets Is all but unknown ms
yet.
There are Of course executions to the
general rule. but til" ordinary con-
dition calls for education and agitation.
Our people are alert ana capahie OF
civic pride Once their interest Il arouS-
ed and some one points the way. II
transformation can be accomplished.
We have become so accustomed to
rough and dirty streets. broken side
walks. i'll kept lawns. neglected GENE
teries. school grounds and public prop
erty, to the dumping Of ashes. tin cans
and all manner of garbage In the pub
lie streets. that we have grown indlf-
ferent. What we need Is n revival In
civic price.
The first essential In providing for
permanent street work *, Of course
the arrangement and establishment OF
street grades. This should be done In
every growing town or city before lEe
erection OF costly buildings renders tho
establishment of correct grades diff
cult matter. In laying permanent
walks, constructing sewers or PAWN,
streets the question of grade Is forced
to the front. and wise Is the cOminuni-
ty which hns provided against the fu-
ture by having IL system of grades
carefully worked out by n competent
engineer and profles made and re
corded The work should not be done
pieccmeal for Il few blocks or street
or two ut Il time. merely to tide over
the difficulty for the time being. but
should be carefully done for the whole
corporation ut one time. insurinE sys-
TEN that will provide good drainage nS
we'll as beauty Of streets and abuttIng
property.
This committee has made some In
Quiry along the line of street grading.
particularly as to the width of road
way. and the Information collected only
goes to show that practically all towns
are making their roadways too wide.
This matter of width of roadway has
received considerable attention I'm the
past year or two, and the sentiment in
favor of the narrower width with wild
or parking space on the sides has be-
come ve:y favorable. and great many
towns are already taking up the re-
form.
While no definite figures can be here
given, 1t is, without much question. Il
fact that thirty foot roadway can be
built for about One-thrd the cost Of
one sixty feet wide and Is ample for
all traffic on all except principal bust
ness streets.
An interview by gentleman we'll
Informed In such matters recently pub
liShed gives the arguments very we'll
He says: 1T seems to be the tendency
at the present time In towns and cities
with the most advanced ideas to mar
row the portion of the public street
which is used for the passing Of vehi
Giles. The advantages are many-first,
In the Item of first cost; second. cost
Of maintenance; third, better lighted
streets. as the street lamps are brought
ont from under the shadow Of the trees
and placed at the outer edge of the
curbing; fourth, no occasion for tear
Ing up paving when necessary to
electric light cOnduits, as these will be
placed inside of the curbing; fifth, 1t
practically deepcns the residence lot
the number of feet that the paving Is
reduced; sixth, for sanitary reasons 1t
needs no argument to show that every
foot of pavement which is reduced and
added to the greensward of the town
tends to better sanitary conditions"
The material most suitable for sur
facing streets in small towns is gravel,
when obtainable. of course. and 1t will.
with occasional repairs, answer for ull
ordinary traffic. For the larger town
crushed stone surfacing or brick paw
Ing becomes necessary on streets bear
ing the heaviest traffic.
This committee recommends that lit
erature should be prepared and distrib-
uted to municipal authorities. CONNER
cial bodies and to the press throughout
tho n iIluSt tinO md SpttiDp forth