The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1906-12-20
@
@ DAD S.
Country Road Building.

1t is a pleasure to ride over our
town since we changed the money
system of road maintenance and
building. We are on the third year,
and the changed condition of roads
and small bridges Is marvellous. The
town own a stone crusher, bins,
traction engine, dump wagons, etc.
The first work of the season is CIV
en- over to smoothing the dirt roads,
picking up loose stone and repairing
small bridges. After this the com
missioner unites what was formerly
two gangs and begins stone crushing
and permanent work.
=. Small bridges of eight to sixteen
feet span have been built of iron l.
beams and cement. When necessary
new foundation walls are put up, and
the concrete filling is put on between
the beams, making a permanent
bridge. Later, no doubt, small
sluices will be made in the same
manner. We have plenty of stone in
walls and heaps for perhaps two or
three years.. Farmers, as a rule, as
sist the commissioner in making an
easy road for these field stones. Oc-
casionally pay is demanded, which is
refused.
An effort was put forth one year
ago to defeat a painstaking, hard
working, conscientious commissioner
for reasons patented for the occasion,
but those most deeply interested in
our road improvement were able to
sustain the commissioner, and he
was reelected by yer 100 majority.
If we can succeed in divorcing the
office from politics a point will have
scored.
l hope the time is not far distant
when officials who act in any techni-
cal or special capacity will be elected
without regard to party emblem.
Would we not make Roadway faster
if all road officers we're under Civil
Service? Has any one suggested this
before? Why not make it competi-
tive and permit merit to win? The
fact of the matter is that our system
and policy in the past have not de-
veloped many very valuable road ex-
perts.
A bill was introduced into u
State Legislature at the 1904-'05 ses-
sion to permit the State University
to give a short curse in road science
and practice, but the Governor vetoed
it. Road interests-and that means
every one-should see to it that a
similar bill is again brought forward.
l firmly believe in State road building
and the educative force of a strong
arm. At the same time, localities
that remain idle, awaiting the State
road, will haul through the mud for
a long time.
Former Mayor Blodget, of Worces-
ter, Mass.-who, by the way, is a ma
tive of our town, and is now stopping
here's the president Of a company
holding patents on methods of con-
structing concrete roadbeds. The
scheme, which is being worked in cit
les only, has, according to his state
ments, great possibilities for country
road construction. A f~ifteen-foot
width can be put down for about
$4,000 a mile. This compares favor
ably with macadam, and would, of
course, be durable.
Macadam roads are suffering fear
fully under automobile travel, under
all kinds of gear. I~nterurban traffic
is made heavier when these roads are
put down, and sc they break under
it. We must have something better
than macadam for hard wear.
Recently l passed over a twenty
mile road running out of Cleveland,
Ohio, which was being laid with
brick. Maybe we are near the era of
concrete roads, as we are in the era
of concrete buildings. Considera-
tions of permanency are fast being
engrafted upon our activities and in
stitutions.-H. E. Cook, Denmark, N.
Y, in the New York Tribune Farmer.