The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-02-18
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY is. 1904.
The Massachusetts Way

XII The MASSACHUSETTS, & w dy.
AZ tho Hartford convention OF the
NJ american Roadmakers' Association, MI.
W. p. McClintock, chairman OF the
4 massachusetts, Highway Commission, reau
s a paper In which he discussed the SUD
iect Of roadmaking In Its financial, phy-
,,,nal and social conditions, and described
# fra work as carried on in Massachusetts,
,rhe state is divided into fourteen coun-
ties. and there are 32 towns and 50 cues;
The county road affairs are managed ny
three commissioners in each county, the
rond and street work of cities by superin-
tendents appointed by the Mayors and
confirmed BY the Aldermen, and the town
roads are in charge OF superlntendeht:s
elected by the sclectmcn. With few en- e:S'
#ceptlons all road work Is paid for out OF
general tax levied by boards OF as
SCISSORS, and rarely is any part OF the cost
charged to AUDITING property. NO part OF
the road tax is worked out.
Roadmaking in Massachusetts began
with the building of turnpikcs by private
= II
who passed over the road. But these ven
NJ lures failed to be profitable and the
turnpikes were passed over to the towns
to take care of.
AK The first appropriation by the state
was made in 1896 when 100000 was voted
for roads, This was increased the next
year to 800, 900. and in each succeeding
year further appropriations were made
Il making the aggregate UP toAhe present
time s., 100000. with this money the COM
mission has built 800 miles of good, hard.
smooth road In various parts OF the Com
& monwealth. The first cost Of building
these roads is paid by the State. but one
fourth OF the money so expended is re-
paid by the counties. The roads are main
tanned by the commission out of the state
funds. the towns in which they may lie
paying back to the State sum not ex-
ceeding $50 mile In any one year. The
average cost of maintenance Is about S10o
per mile.
bodybuilding In Massachusetts, IS car
risd on under the supervision of State
commission, consisting Of three men ap-
pointed by the Governor for three years.
The State is divided into five divisions,
each division having local engineer, who
attends to constructing and mainta ming
the state roads All roads built by the
State are upon petitions from the cities
x towns and counties. Five per cent. of any
appropriation made by the Legislature
Is set apart to be used in towns having
valuation Of 100000 or less and an.
Il other reserve OF five per cent. of any
H appropriation may be used In towns ir
which no State road has been built, anc
4 with valuation OF more than 100000.
The Massachusetts, commission builds {
standard road of broken stone. six inchc:
thick after rolling, whenever the traffic
is not over heavy or light, and the sub
grade is composed Of porous material
This thickness under certain condition.
may be Increased to twelve inches. or de
creased to four inches, according to tn
4 demands Whatever the thickness of tn
surface or the nature OF the foundation
the llrSt course Oh uTOkcu StOne III W
cases is spread on carefully prepared
and thoroughly compacted surface. TIL
broken stone is spread In courses an
each course Is rolled separately with
steam roller. The surface OF each cours
Is cvened up with fragments Of rock o
the Same size that make up the respec
tive courses. The State employs ston
crushing machinery at Its quarrtes an
supplies its own material for roadmaklnf
Here It Is again. Massachusetts has
State commission which supervises III
work and that Is what Virginia shout
have by all means. The most popula
Il plan seems to be cooperation betwec
the State and the county. The State al
propriates part OF the money and II
county approprlates the balance The
they work together under State supe
vision. It is also to be noted that in q
such cases the work Is done substantial
nj the beginning. 1t Is better to have
few miles OF first class road than
spend the money In patching UP ma,
miles OF poor road,
IL / .----