The Democrat-sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1906-1935, 1906-09-20
ROAD IMPROVEMENT
WHAT HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED IN
RHODE ISLAND

Fine Highways Have neen 9uilt In
Every section OF tie state with
Good RcsuIts--Thc Repair md care
of Roads.
Much has been done In Rhode Island
to improve the highways during the
/ past four years and there has been Il
popular demand of the people of the
state that there should be built net.
work of thoroughly up 10 date and sub.
stantia roads, not extravaganza not
cheap, but system where at mini.
mum of expenditure, yet conserving
every qualification of utility and wear
ing quality, there should be service
for every part of the state. Roads
have been built in every section OF the
state to the furtherance of It's social,
moral and intellectual interests. and
there is not one part of it that has not
felt the rebound.
In describing the work done the
fourth annual report of the state board
of public roads of Rhode 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
to see the real value of such roads to
the ordinary business and commercial
life of the day. Surely it is the best
public policy for the state to keep its
highways, its feeders of life and com
merce, in the best possible state of
preservation for the more compact the
life of the community the more neces-
sary do improved, well laid. well kept
roads become.
The popular movement for good
roads, according to the very nature of
the problem, 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 ex-
penditure of public money which is
more vital than this, and none where
greater number are benefited Roads
cannot in any sense be considered sec
tional or built for the accommodate ton
of the few On the other hand mas.
much as the future is to reap as much
If not more of the harvest 6f utility
and is to receive equal benefit. it is on
ly fair that it should pay proportion.
ate part of the expenses.
The repair of the roads is of vital i'm.
port. 1t means the saving of the time,
money and engineering skill which |
have already been invested 1t is |
question of waste against that of |
economy. 1t is mistaken idea that
macadam road, once laid, needs no fur
ther attention. On the contrary, to |
preserve its fundamental structure il |
should be cared for continually. The
value of macadam road does not lie
In the fact that 1t Is never going to
wear out, but in the regulation of
grade, the hardened rOadbed the char
acter Of drainage that it gives.
The engineering force can make the
necessary repairs to better advantage
while at work upon the section being
extended than should they be obliged
to return to 1t. Repairs should not be
left to outside control, which at best
would be irregular, spasmodc and un.
The causes of disintegra
usage. There are also those of atmos :
pheric and climatic conditions, those
1ue to the nature of the stone of which
the road was primarily constructed. A
roadbed will not wear alike in all
places. Were 1T so there would be
reconstruction. 1t breaks in patches,
md the mendlng process is therefore
necessary
During the year 1905 contracts were
awarded for the construction of 22OS
miles of macadam road, to he built up.
'n the highways included in the plan
1f improvement as adopted by the gen,
eral assembly, making a total of fifty.
seven miles of macadam road complet.
I'd since the present plan of improve.
nent.
Now that the electors of the state
nave voted to authorize the expendi.
-ure for this public Improvement it is
)ut reasonable to presume that they
iesire and expect to have the use OF
hese improved roads as soon as they
AN be judiciously and economically
,uilt. We believe, however, that they
would not approve of an undue haste
n the work, which would result in
oads of an inferior quality or of an
Unnecessary cost of construction. Sci
ntifc road building on the scale now
'elng done by the state, like every
'ther large building enterprise, re
Iuires adequate time as well as money
or its proper completion.