Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-09-27
Good Roads Men Tell How High
ways Of Chittenden Country
Be Improved.
PERMANENT ORGANIZATION
Hessrs. NOoroe and I.oucks speak Fnv.
prably of BurltngtOn's Streets and
Explain How They and the
Country Roads May Bc
Improved Permanently.

Shortly aften ten o'clock Friday
morning the good roads convention began
is fourth session at the City Hall. Tho |
meeting was called to order by Mayor
Burke, and the Invocation was by the Rev.
DR. Brown.
An address on tho practical consideration |
bf roads, streets and bridges was delivered
by Colonel Moore president Of the ma
ional association. Colonel Moore prefncod
his remarks with appeal to the press
o champion the cause of good roads, ana
oppressed his gratitude to the Free Press
or the enthusiasm which 1t has aroused
throughout the State upon this important 3
subject.
His lecture explained the system of
roads in Europe. and the method OF con
etruction which should be adopted in the
State of Vermont. In Europe there are
hree classes of highways; Governmental. !
canton and auxiliary roads. The first !
class are the main highways leading
through the countries most Of which Were |
built for military purposes. The canton |
roads correspond to roads connecting diff |
ferent county seats, and the auxiliary |
toads include those Of the least import |
hnce. France has IS. oo0 miles Of govern |
nent roads; England. So 900 and Ger |
many 5000, The speaker expressed the
hope and belief that our national govern
ment would again take UP the building Of
highways as It did prior 20 1891 in view
pr the fact that IS per cent of the initial
transportation in commerce is upon the
highway.
Turning his attention to the State os
Vermont, Colonel Moore showed that
abundance OF good material for road con-
etruction lying within our reach, AMI
Enormously advocated the scientific CON
ktruction of earth roads, saying that such
construction was absolutely necessary,
wen though It might afterwards become
feasible to place n gravel or macadamizcd
center upon such a road bed. He estma, !
ri the cost per mile Of properly construct
sd earth roads to he between one hundred
pnd fifty dollars and five hundred dollars.
Dr possibly seven hundred, In case mucn !
longitudinal thing should be necessary be-
Pause Of swamps. The ditchng was CON ,
sidered of the highest Importance by the
speaker He said that n road must by J
al means be kept dry or any amount ofl
plng up of rock and gravel would be OF
no avail. To successfully accomplish this
slope of tlree-quarters of an inch to the
foot from ditch to center Is necessary. The
center gradually sinks a little from use,
and this should be considered In regard
90 draining the ditch water under the road. |
Colonel Moore said that the thing should |
slant 33 per cent, instead of being laid |
perpendicular, and that a two ana one |
half per cent incline should be adopted. |
Laid thus n Pinch tile has the emptying
capacity of a 24-inch tile put In perpendic-
(ulary to the ditch.
A concrete curbng for streets was urged
49,, tbn, col
fifty per cent. saving in cost with as
practical a result The speaker encourage
ed the park system. which is the planting
of suitable trees between road and side
walk, recommending elm trees as the
most practical. He also said that atten-
tion should be paid to the slauting Of the
curbing away from the street to prevent
wear and tear upon both vehicles and
curbing. The angle should measure about
Zen degrees. Mr.. Moore again commented
upon the eTcroachmcnt upon the high
way by adjacent owners and urged lcgis-
alton to prevent this, He also dwelt fOrci-
bly, upon the necessity OF preventing
traction companies from graspiDg the
sides OF tho road, recommending that
they spend a little Of their own money TO
make the road bed for their tracks and
not take the road belonging to the in
Aividual citizen.
The construction of gravel and macadam
roads was explained To build properly
a gravel road ten or twelve inches of
gravel should be placed upon the center
portion OF the properly graded and drained
earth road bed, and then rolled by an
eight or ten ten steam roller. roller
drawn by horses usually leaves a wavy
road, 1t is far prefera BILE to lay the
gravel in two grades, the smaller on top.
In the construction of the macadamized
road, the foundation of proper earth
road bed is the first requisite Upon the
ccUter portion of this II layer of stone
cracked to the size of about six and a
half inches is to be placed to a thickness
of SIX and half inches Above this there
should be a four inch layer of stone
measuring an inch In diameter. An inch
of screenings forms the cover AS each
layer is placed 1t must be thoroughly
rolled from ditch toward the road center.
Water is used upon the two upper layers,
and the covering screenings must be
carefully raked.
PROF. PERKINS On ROAD MATERI-
AIS.
After few question: were answered
BY Colonel Moore Prof. G. H. Perkins
discussed the subject of road materials.
he spoke of the shists and shale found in
the Green mountains as not durable for
purposes of road building, citing as an
Example the wearing away of the for
merly famous roads of Grand Isle. Basal
tic rock, of which we have little he con-
sidered tho finest material but he said
that very good rock for road construction
can be found throughout the county
Limestone, composed Of lime and silica
is exceptionally good for its properties
combined with water and compressed
make a firm cement. lie explained how
nature formed this rock by simply moist
ening it's elements and squeezing them to-