The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1906-07-13
Progress Of State Road Work.

Progress Of State Road Work.
Various causes have prevented the COM
mencement OF as many new road con-
tracts this year, as had been begun at a
corresponding date last year, of the
principal causes being the lack of prop
erly equipped contractors, not at present
busy.
The Highway Division ofthe Maryland
Geological Survey has been actively en-
gagged in making surveys and preparing
plans and estimates for contemplated
road improvements all over the State, and
in supervising large amount of road
improvement now under way. The fol-
lowing stretches of road are now under
construction or are nearing completion :
Allegany county, three miles, Balti-
more county, seven miles, Carroll county,
one and one-half miles, Frederick county,
three miles, Hartford county, six miles,
Howard county, one mile, Montgomery
county. five and one-half miles, Washing
ton county, two miles, Worchester
county, one mile, total of thirty miles.
Exclusive of the Baltimore Washington
highway, surveys have already been made
this year on about forty miles of road, in
response to applications from twenty of
the twenty-three counties in the State,
and detailed plans and estimates have
been furnished on about twenty miles.
In addition, surveys, plans and estimates,
have been made on about ten miles, be-
tween Contee and Waterloo, of the Bal
timore- Washington Road.
Bids are now being asked for the con-
struction of this road, according to the
plans on file in the Office of the Commits
sion. From these plans it is seen that
the work planned for this summer, and
for which the appropriation of $50. 900 for
1905 is available, consists of reducing
present grades, where they are over six
per cent, to maximum of six feet in
hundred; of replacing all bridges and
cu1verts not in good condition, with
modern permanent structure, and the
addition of such further culverts and
bridges as may be found necessary; of
widening the travelled way to at least
twenty-four feet in its narrowest part, and
of the construction of modern water
tight stone surface of crushed trap Mig
gerhead) rock, carefully spread and
thoroughly rolled, making smooth,
even surface, and comparable with the
best results in other States.
1t is estimated that because of the un-
usual difficulties in these first ten miles,
such for example, as the necessity, in
order to secure permanent roadway, of
making heavy fill from the bridge just
north of Laurel, to the town and the in.
stallation in this fill of a good size con-
crete culvert that the average cost of
this work will be approximately $1,000
per mile. 1t is hoped, however, that by
the use of the convicts at the House of
Correction, as provided for by the Act,
to be able to keep the cash expenditures
below these figures.
The roads built under State super
vision, up to this time. have apparently
given the greatest satisfaction. Places
where two winters ago, an empty Dayton
wagon was Stalled" and which were
improved under the, Shoemaker Law"
last year. have succ essfully withstood
even the heaviest hauling through the
winter of 1866, often, to the great sur
prise of the local residents.
Some criticism has, of course, been
made, but it has invariably been proved
to be unfounded, or simply criticisms of
failure of work unaccepted by the State
and still in the contractors hands. and,
consequently, not ready for the strains to
which it was subjected during the winter.
Much of the work in 1905, was begun so
late, that the contractor did not finish it
before the arrival of the winter season,
and this unfinished work suffered more or
less through the winter. Not under
standing the situation, many were in
clined to criticise the work of the State,
as whole, from the results of an inspec-
ton of some unfinished work.
1t is hoped the experience Of the con-
tractors last year, will show them the
advantages of keeping the work better in
hand, and that less unfinished work
may hereafter he left to go through the
winter months.