Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1907-03-15
About American Roads.

AADOtAu AAAA~A ANeth AAOA0cs
Chas. ]. Glidden, who has Travelled
over $4,000 miles in a motor car, in
thirty-five countries, says that many
roads of India, China and Java are
far superior to the majority of roads
in New York State.
There is bat one country in the
world of all those through which /
have toured in my car where the
roads are as bad as those travelled
by the Glidden tourists between Buf-
falo and Saratoga" said Mr. Glidden,
land that is in Australia" The high
ways through the sheep-raising coun-
try between Melbourne and Sydney
are perhaps as bad as those in New
York State, but even countries like
Fiji, New Zealand and Afridi are far
ahead of New York in the matter of
good roads.
The governments of Java and Cey-
Ion would consider themselves dis
graced by any such cowpaths as we
have been over in the last two days.
They are not only full of ruts, bumps
and mudholes, but are in many places
so narrow as to be positively danger
Gus. Several miles of the distance
we covered to-day was over roads
where, had we met anything coming
from the opposing direction, we
would have been obliged to back up
until a place wide enough to pass by
could be found.
''As for hills, the method of sur
mounting them most popular in this
State seems to be to select the steep
est point and then construct a road
straight up to the summit without
paying any attention to the grade.
The excuse offered that portions of
the State are mountainous and that
therefore the grade must be excess
i've, is very poor one. Surely no
one will claim that New York State
engineers have problems of grade
more difficult to work out than are
found in Switzerland or Southeastern
France, yet the laws of Switzerland
and France forbid the building of a
road with a grade of over ten per
cent.
"If roads can be constructed
through the Alps on a ten per cent.
maximum grade, it is absurd to claim
that twenty or even heavier grades
are required in New York State. BY
making the roads wind instead of
rushing them up the shortest way,
easy grades could be obtained with
out trouble. The hill we climbed just
before reaching Grenville is, in my
opinion, the worst bit OF road build
ing in the world. 1t was idiotically
planned, wretchedly constructed and
by the way of adding a finishing
touch, was filed at irregular inter-
walls with bumps known as "thank
you marms," which are popularity
supposed to be needed to defect rain
water and also to serve as resting
spots for teams. The thank you
marms' are unknown outside of this
country, and are of no earthly use,
except to tear out the machinery of
low-hanging automobile.
Another fallacy of road builders
in this State is the high crown and
QlbCUCS OA NtlN1 o1AC VI l1lO Oe@0s
The roadside ditch is not found in
any other country where State roads
exist. A low crown, or arch to the
road just sufficient to shed the water,
has long been recognized by all COM
petent road engineers as the only
proper method of construction. Dur
ing our trip from Buffalo we have
passed over a number of State roads.
l am sorry to say that they gave
one the impression that little is
known in New York State about SCI
entifc road construction. AS COM
pared with the splendid State roads
of France or even with those of Mas
. sachusetts, they are very poor high
ways.
81 should certainly advocate that
this State send commission to study
French methods, or even those OF
Massachusetts. Although these roads
have been built only two or three
years ago, they are already commenc-
ing to show unmistakable signs OF
hard wear, and little telltale ruts,
sure signs of rapid deterioration,
have already made their appearance.
This is not right, as a we'll construct
ed road should last for years. In my
judgment, the roads of New York
State, as they are now being built,
will require, in few years, enormous
sums to keep them in anything like
good repair.
$50 far as 1 could judge, the
trouble seems to be in the lack of
proper foundation. The surface ma
terials seem to be continually work
ing loose and washing away, and on
even those roads which are regarded
as the best examples of State con-
struction the tendency to rut is clear
ly manifest. 1t is a shame that a
great State like New York should be
disgraced with such roads. The
scenery along the Mohawk Valley.
through which we have just passed,
is not excelied in Japan except in the
vicinity of Fujiyama. That in order
to enjoy it one must risk life and
limb because of the miserable roads
is, to my mind, crying shame
The Motor Car.
kentucky Roads.
A report from the Office of Public
~ n 49,, r<,z%