The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1905-11-23

what is contemplated in road con-
struction under the new state law.
The Letter of Mr.. Crosby was in an
swer TO certain inquiries that had
been made by Mr.. B. Howard Hannah.
A stretch of road in Allegany county
that has been constructed in con
fOrmity with the stipulation of the
Shoemaker law, and which has been
practically completed, is used by the
State Engineer to illustrate the cost
of roadbuilding under the provided
system.
1t is shown that the ballastiug of
the Toadbed is the main item of cost.
The total cost per mile of construction
of the Alleganv road was So, 342.
Though Allegany is section where
rock abOunds, the delivery along the
route of the 1900 tons Iof broken stone
necessary to the foundation of the
bed of the road, which was II feet
wide and laid 6 inches deep, cost $1.25
per ton, or in total, 1872, $50. Thus it
will be seen that the cost of the bal
last material delivered involved more
than half the entire cost of the com.
pleted road. The other principal
item of cost involved in the Allegany
road construction was $1,000 per
mile for grading. This item of grad
ing, as pertaining to AIlegany coun-
tY, most likely indicates a higher cost
than the general average of the cost
Of road grading that will be neces-
sary throughout the state, in compli-
ance with the Shoemaker law. be-
cause it seems that in Allegany it was
necessary to reduce some steep hill
grades.
The total cost per mile of macada-
MIXING this Alleganv road - feet wide
and inches thick, including rolling,
was $3.50. Deducting the cost of
the stone delivered, which as has be-
fore been explained, was 50, $50, it will
be seen that the contractor received
just 5000 per mile for doing the work.
That certainly does not seem an eX-
travagant figure, especially when it
is remembered that the contract in
volyed only short sections of two or
three miles. 1t Is to be remembered
that the contractor is held to rigid
compliance with the conditions-he
must build the road according to
the specifications. If the section of
road to be constructed were 20 or 80
miles in extent instead of two or
three, there would undoubtedly be
induced a much lower average cost
of construction per mile. The net
surplus realized by the contractor
from building a short section of road
Is not sufficient 10 bring about com
petitiye bidding. 1t is generally I'M
deTstoOd that one OF the serious diff
ticulties in connection with road
building under the Shoemaker law is
the bidding of competent contractors
willing to undertake the work.
Doubtless there has been a more
or less prevalent opinion in some of
the counties, as intimated in Mr..
Crosby's letter, that good enough
roads ought to be built for 81 900 per
mile" A good enough road to last
for ninety days, or even from the first
of April to the middle OF December,
might be constructed for much less
than $1,000 per mile. No road should
be good enough, however. to satisfy
the people in any county of Maryland
that must be made over again at
least once in each year. Permanence,
as well as solidity and smoothness, is
aimed at under the State Road Law,
and no permanent road. it will be
readily conceded, can be made by
the cheap process of sloping the sides
and piling the dirt in the middle.