Daily Kennebec journal., 1906-02-24

no gravel in The town; 90 are doubtful
while the remainder make no answer
Best Surfacing Material-In answer
to this question. 1S3 towns report the
use of SIavel, and "a others, gravel
mixed with other Materials This
gravel includes all varieties as-beach
g'avel on the SeacOast stream or
river gravel inland. pin gravel, and
gravel from hOrsebacks.
f'iftythrce towns report the use of
the dirt bv the roadside for surfacing.
OF the other Surfacing materials the
reports show the following: "a towns
,isr gravel and clay: 20 use gravel and
inam: ! uses clay with coat of gravel,
gravel OF sand over. swamp: 3 use
gray rl ana crushed rocks;A2 use gravel
and sand; us" beach gravel and clam
Shci!S: 10 lisn crushed rocks; use
loan; uSe hard nan:" !, use coal
ashes: , use lcan and clay; 9 use rot
ton stone; 4 use clay on sand and sand
On clay; :! use saind TAIL they have in
town.; 1 uses harl: 2 use slate chips;
and usn,. f ,dspar chips.
Road MachinnS.-FOur hundred and
ffty-iiv" towns own their road ma
chimes. while ten others hire or borrow
from III" county commissioners of their
counties.
The total number of road machines
reported in use is 552. representing a
total investment of $96. 1887. The sew
cral makes, number of each in use,
with highest and lowest price paid is
as follows:
American Champion. 321, from SIPS to
$313: Western Reversible Al, from $40
to $3.50; AustinW Western. 5, from 5000 to
$3.50: Austin. y, from S2l0 to $5aO; eli
max. 81, from $125 to $275: Victor. 16.
from $l30 To $3.50; Acme. 10, from 500 to
$3.50; Indiana Reversible of Fort
Wayne. 4. from $1G5 tn $50: National
Reversible. 4. from 500 To $205; Buck
eye. >, $40 each: Aurora, 2. from $40
to So; Eureka. |. $3.50; Great Western.
|, 500; Mccormick. l. $3.50; Penrock, /.
$50. Fatt-n. |. SEQ; Machines no name
reported, 6i; one town reports price
cor r.itiential."
In view of above. We would suggest
tnat towns, before purchasing addi-
tinnal equipment or machinery of any
description. max" Il thorough investi-
cation of prices. ana relative. merits of
all equipment ar machinery of the class
To DE- purchased. before placing an
"rucr. some of the above low prices
may be on account of turning in old
machines as part payment for new
ones. Again the price of raw material
vaiies from time 10 time.
What is the Cost of Operation Per
IlN? Replies to the abOv" question
speak for themselves and are valuable
for purposes of comparison ana for the
average which they show. We under
stand Of course the great variety of ele-
meats that have To be considered in
making any Sucn comparison the diff
artcr of wo!k done, etc, but we feel
that when the individual replies to this
question are carefully looked over in
connection with the corresponding re
plies to the next. miles turnpiked per
day" and other questions governed by
it. some valuable points will be learned.
The replies vary from s.. 100 per day to
$500. and an average of the replies OBJ
tainel is $l0i2
Miles Turnpiked Per Day. Replies
vary from one-twellth of 4 mile, to
four miles. while the methods vary
from the thorough making over of the
road to the mere smoothing up of the
old surface.
Three hundred and Seventy-three
definite replies We're received while 81
could not estimate; the average of the
former is .S42 of Il mile
When We consider this figure-the
average of 313 estimated averages in
in ,,.it hn
day for operation. $lO.42. which is the
average of 420 replies. it would seem
that these figures should mean some
thing
Durability of Turnpiking. To this
question 3S5 replies We're received.
Three hundred and forty-seven answers
gave the time in years that turnpiking
would last; this time ranging from 20
years to until fall rains" the average
of all replies being four years and eight
months.
The other 3S show more or less eau
ton by qualifying their answers as
follows: Many years if built right"
two years if not graveled:" depends
on soil:" short time roads too mar
row. 'unanswerable," etc.
OF course our idea was to obtain an
estimate of the average durability.
Does Use Of Road Machine Have
Tendency to Make Roads Narrower
In answer to the above question, 431
replies were received. of which 20i
answered simply yes" while 35 quail
fled their replies as follows: YES.
formerly" yes but need not" "yes.
on cross roads" too much So" yes.
unless bushes are cut" One hundred
and thirty-seven replied no" while 81
qualified their replies as follows: mo
4 narrow man makes a narrow road.
machine not to blame mo, human
nature to blame, not machine" mot if
properly handled" mo. depends on
commissioner" mo, road widened;'
mo depends on driver" mot now. 90
to back of ditch:' mot if commissioner
does his duty" etc.
Taking the replies all together. go
town officials Indicate that in their ex-
rerience the tendency was towards mar
rowing and 19i Others testify to the CON
trary. while five express themselves az
in doubt.
Do you use road machine to smooth