Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1906-09-26
DUsTLEss COUNTRY ROADS
Asphalt Used In Place of Macadam
on New Jersey Hf0hways

Asphalt Used In Place of Macadam
on New Jersey Highways.
If the experiments to be conducted
by State Road Commissioner q. G.
Hutchinson of New Jersey turn out
successfully, as he predicts they will
the day of the dustless country road is
at hand, and automobillng will be
given boom in New Jersey surpass-
ing even that which its unexcelled
macadam road system has given 1t,
says a dispatch from Trenton, N. J.
Commissioner Hutchinson will during
the summer experiment with the use
Of asphalt instead of macadam for
building country roads. The roads
built of this material in the rural dis
tricts will not be like the smooth sur
faced street pavement of the city
streets, but will resemble the macadam
roads in that they will have small
broken stones for their principal COM
ponent, and these will be bound solidly
together by asphalt This Gill present
hard surface from which there will
be no wearing Of small particles to be
whirled in clouds of dust In the faces
Of travellers and In the homes of Dor
dering residents
Commissioner HutchinsOn's expert
ments have attracted the attention Of
road builders all over the United
States, who are watching the result
with the deepest interest Mr.. Hutch
lnson asserts that the asphalt country
road will cost no more than the mac
adam, and that its wearing qualities
will surpass those Of the material at
present commonly used.
Within the last few months Commits
sioner Hutchinson has been bobbing up
most Unexpectedly at the scenes of
new road operations In different parts
of the state. This Is the result Of the
recent acquisition by his department
of an automobile, which enables the
commissioner to keep his eye on new
road work much more readily than he
could before Contractors and inspect
ors receive no notice of the commits |
sioner's approach, and consequently |
any shortcomings Of which they may
be guilty In the construction are
quickly exposed to the gaze Of the Off
cial who has the say in the distribu- |
ton of the states road appropriations.
In several counties Commissioner |
Hutchinson has bounced down upon
derelict contractors and inspectors, and
be has not hesitated to call the atten-
ton of boards of freehoIders to the |
conditions that he found, and In some
Instances he has exercised his authority
Of Withholding the states money until
The work was properly done.
Commissioner Hutchinson is at pres
emit paying particular attention to APP
DlicatiOnS presented to him for new
roads, He insists that only the most
travelled roads be improved, and In this
way instead Of building roads that will
benefit only small section he Is ac-
the joining of the chain Of
nacadam roads crossing the state in
II directions. This encourages auto
lobiling, and in consequence the state
Is enriched the more by the
Increase of the receipts of it's auto
Mobile department. The day of the
arrow macadam road, ten and twelve
eet in width, has passed, and Com
Missioner Hutchinson now enfOrces
trictly the rule that he laid down
7hen he entered upon his office-that
o road less than sixteen feet in width
e built in New Jersey.