Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1906-12-08
ROAD IMP 0| NMENT
WHAT HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED IN
RHODE ISLAND


Fine Highways HGNc Been Buiit II
Every section of the state with
Good RcsuIts-Thc Repair and Care
of Roads.
Much has been ,.Dlr il Rh ode Island
t. improve the highways during the
past four years. and th2.c has bccn Il
popular demand of the people of the
state that there should he built II net
work of thoroughly ny t. date and sub
Stantial roads, not c-.,rlya-ant not
cheap, but a system where at mini
mum of expenditure. yet conserving
every qualification of utility and wear
Ing quality. there should be a service
for every part of the state. Roads
have been built in every section of the
state to the furtherancc Of its social,
moral and intellectual interests, and
there is not one part of it that has not
fC.t the rebound.
In describing the work done the
fourth annual report of the state board
OF public roads of Rhole Island says
From every side there goes up the
Plea for better highways and improved
roads, and it is being answered not in
the spirit of mere enthusiasm. but out
of cold hard sense for men are coming
to see the real value of such roads to
the ordinary business and commercial
life of the day. Surely it is the best
pubic policy for the state to keep its
highways its feeders of life and com
mcrce, in the Lest possible state of
preservation, for the more compact the
life of the community the more neccS-
S"ry d. improved. we'll laid, we'll kept
roalS become.
The popular movement for good
roads. according to the very nature of
the roblcm, cannot be localized. There
fore the question of bond issue is
one that toucheS the whole state and
one on which the whole state should be
heard. There is no question of the cX-
pen liture of public money which is
more vital than this, and none where
Il greater number are benefited Roads
cannot in any sense be considered sec
tional or built for the accoMm pdation
of the few. on the other hand. mas
much as the future is to reap as much
if not more of the harvest of utility
AMI is to receive equal benefit. it is on,
ly fair that it should pay proportion
ate part of the expenses
Tie repair of the roads is of vital i'm
port 1t means the saving of the time.
uon"y AMI engIncerin., skill which
have already been invested. 1t Is Il
question OF waste against that of
economy. 1t is Il mistaken idea that Il
racadam road. once laid nHcl' 10 fur
the" attention. ON the contrary, to
preserve its fundamental structure it
should l'e cared for continually The
value of n mucaNam road does not lie
in the fact that 1t is never going to
wear out. but IN the regulation of
grade. tho hardened roadhcd, the char
nctCr of drainage that It gives
Tn" engineering force can make the
necessary repairs TO better advantage
cytcnded than should they be Obliged
to return to it. Repairs should not be
lcrt to outside control, which at best
would lie irregular, Soasmodic and un-
satisfactory The causes OF disintcgra-
tion are not altogether travel and
USAGE. There are also those of atmOS-
phCric and climatic conditions. those
due to the nature Of the Stolr Of which
tn" road was primarily constructed. \
rOadbel will not wear alike in all
places. We're it so there would he
needed OILY the occasional extensive
reconstruction 1t breaks in patches,
and the mcndin% process is therefore
constantly necessary.
Daring the year 1908 contracts were
awarded for the construction of o2OS
milri Of macaGam road, II be built up
on the highways included in the plan
pH Improvement rs adopted by the gem
go assembly. making n total of fifty
="vrn miles Of macadam road complct-
rl since the present plan of improve
ct.
NV that the electors of the state
AHvc vote t. authorize the cXpcndl-
tic for this public Improvement it is
h"t REASONABLE le to presume that they
i"e and expect II have the use of
h"Sc improved roads rs soon as they
can be iudiciouSly ana economically
hC.lt. We believe. however. that the"
WOl;ll not approve of an undue haste
n I've work, which woNll result in