The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1905-02-07
HOW TO BUILD MAcApAM ROADS
Careful Selection Necessary " the
Best Results Are Expected.


No one rock can be said to be a
universally excellent road material.
The climatic conditions Yarv so much
in different localities, and the vol
ume and character of traffic vary SO
much on different roads, that the
properties necessary to meet all the
requirements can be found in no one
rock. If the best macadam road be
desired, that material should be Sc
lected which best meets the condi-
tions of the particular road for which
it is intended.
The movement for better country
roads which has received such an i'm
petus from the bicycle organizations
is still felt, and is gaining force from
the rapid introduction of horseless
vehicles. To this demand, which
comes in a large measure from the
urban population, is to be added that
of the farmer, who is wakening to the
fact that good roads greatly increase
the profits from his farm produce,
and thus materially better his condi-
ton; and to the farmer, indeed, we
must look for any real improvement
in our country roads.
In considering the comparative val
ues of different rocks for road build
ing, it must be taken for granted in
all cases that the road is properly
laid out, constructed, and maintained.
In most cases the selection of ma
terial for road making is determined
more by its cheapness and convent
ence of location than by any prop
critics 1t may possess. But when we
consider the number of roads all over
our country which are bad from ne
glect and from obsolete methods of
maintenance that would be much inn
proved by the use of any rock, too
much care can not be used in select
ing the proper material when good
roads are desired at the lowest cost.
When macadam roads are first intro
duced into a district they are at worst
so far superior to the old earth roads
that the question is rarely asked,
whether, IL another material had been
used, better roads would not have
been obtained, and this at smaller
cost. When mistakes are made they
are not generally discovered until
much time and money have been ex-
pended on inferior roads. Such err
rors can in a great measure be avoid
ed If reasonable care is taken in the
selection of a suitable material.
If road is bad, the exact trouble
must first be ascertained before the
proper remedy can be applied. If the
| surface of macadam road continues
to be too muddy or dusty after the
necessary drainage precautions have
been followed, then the rock of which
1t is constructed lacks sufficient hard
ness or toughness to meet the traffic
| to which it is subjected. If, on the
contrary, the fine binding material of
the surface is carried off by wind and
rain and Is not replaced by the wear
Of the coarser fragments, the surface
stones will soon loosen and allow
water to make its way freely to the
foundation and bring about the de-
struction of the road. Such condi-
tions are brought about by an excess
of hardness or toughness of the rock
for the traffic. Under all conditions a
rock Of high cementing value is de-
sirable; for, other things being equal,
such a rock better resists the wear of
traffic and the action of wind and rain.
In road building the attempt should
be made to get perfectly smooth
SURFACE, not too hard, too slippery, or
too noisy, and as free as possible
from mud and dust.
In selecting road material it is
we'll to consider the agencies of de-
struction to roads that have to be
met. Among the most important are
the wearing action Of wheels and
horses feet, frost, rain, and wind. To
find materials that can best withstand
these agencies under all conditions is
the great problem that confronts tho
road builder.