The Washington herald., 1907-08-05

By FREDERIC J. HASKlN.

The first settler who built a road fol-
lowed the most convenient Indian trail
except he must needs blaze a mark on
tree trunks to guide the next traveller.
The Indian needed no mark of the kind,
the bark on the tree. the bend Of the
leaves, the tilt Of grass blades, being suf-
ficient sign for him. The first road maker
was too anxious TO get to the promised
land beyond the hills to take much pains
with the new sthoroughfare. He built
temporary bridges. zig-zagged across the
plains. threw down a corduroy founda-
tion where the marshes hindered him, and
plunged on. The next wagon cut the
roads deeper When the settlements
sprang up along this route the old road
became d public thoroughfare over which
produce must be taken to market ana
supplies brought home. When the road
became impossible, there was problem
10 be met. Road building soon rose
from a matter of neighborhood interest
TO one of national Importance.
A good or bad road determines the price
of farm products, and the values or farms
have fluctuated in many States with the
condition Of the roads. The rapid growth
Of cities and the consequent depopulation
of rural communities can be traced di-
rectly or indirectly TO the country roads
that have prevented intercourse with the
world. IN New York the shrinkage IN
value Of farm property in 1900 was esti-
mated TO be SIS, 900, COO, and in connection
with this il may be stated that this state
has only per cent Of her country roads
improved By surface dressings and proper
grading In Maryland the shrinkage in
farm values is estimated at S300,00o year,
ana Maryland has only 9 per cent OF her
roads improved. The nations bill for
wagoning farm produce is at least a bill
lion dollars a year; $600,00o000 Of this is a
useless waste and is attributable to bad
roads North Carolina alone is said TO
lose SIC, 0,000, 900 a year in this fashion
America. had many thousands Of years
OF historic road-making back Of her when
she started TO build her own thorough
fares, and IN some belated instances,
pronted by them. To-day one may travel
on Roman roads from Northern Scotland
TO Malatia, near the Euphrates, dis
tance of nearly 1000 miles, exclusivesof the
water crossings. These roads were built
in the time of Rome's greatness, when
commercial power. order, and law were 10
be kept supreme, and she knew that roads
were her best civilizers. She spent from
$4,000 10 100000 a mile on these roads,
and the bed is from three to seven feet
deep. Our most costly American roads
have cost from $4,000 to $1,000 a mile.
The greatness Of old Peru IS tale Of long
ago. yet the massive stone highways Of
the Incas to-day defy time and dynasty,
and death, and stand as a memorial TO the
people who built them under so much
discomfort centuries before the coming
Of Pizarro. The decay Of China is said
to be In a great measure due to her lack
OF good roads.
When the Western migratiOns began.
and the newly-made States realized that
dirt roads could not bear heavy travel at
all seasons Of the year, the study of road
making became a serious matter. one
John L. Macadam. OF England, had demon
strated the efficiency of a gravel dressing
on d leveled clay surface. IN 1872 this
was tried in the United States for the
first time on the pike running from Ian
caster to Philadelphia, sixty-two miles
being completed in two years. at a cost
of s465, ,0O0 Toll-gates were set along the
way, and the era OF good roads in Amer
lea had dawned. II was a slow and ex-
pensive process, however, for the gravel
was not always available in all the States
and the only method Of transportation
was by wagon. New York turned her ex-
periments in another line, and In 1897 built
the first plank roads in this country. This
idea took readily and spread ike wildfire
Timber in those days was not only plen-
tiful. but an annoying superluity. and
rOad-making seemed a good way in which
10 use it up. In fifteen years New York
had 1900 miles Of plank roads, and other
States were building them as fast as they
could. The cost was usually about 5000
a mile, and the farmers and merchants
were saved more than that in the long
run. However, plank wore out rapidly,
and timber ceased 10 be a nuisance.
Then attention was turned to macadam
and telford. In the past quarter cen
tury the government took a hand in the
road building question and established a
bureau OF road inquiry with the late Roy
Stone as director. Realizing that indiffer-
ence TO improvement and ignorance of
the fundamental principles Of road-build-
ing caused most Of the bad roads in the
country, the government set about giving
object lessons in the proper structure of
thorOughfares. Six years ago the first
+ train-load Of machinery for experimental
stations was sent out from Washington.
1t passed from State TO State, stopping
wherever there was an expressed desire
rom the citizens to learn how TO improve
heir roads. In the short time that has
tapsed a general Improvement IN country
highways has been marked. Last year
seventeen roads were built In this fashion
Ia eleven different States, and demon
stated to the people Of each section the
Possibilities in the nearest road-building
mFerials and the advantage Of straight
Fosis, more gradual slopes, and careful
attntIon to drainage. The materials used
wen widely varied ranging from lime
stoIa. granite, ebert, and schlst, to Stag.
clan and oyster shells, gravel and sand
clay In California much announcement
is gyen the use of petroleum on clay
and land roads, a treatment that results
in a surface like asphalt.
The problem Is greatest in the Alissis-
sippi Valley, where the alluvial soil is ap-
parenfy bottomless in the winter months.
and here is no available building ma
terial within reasonable transporting dis
tanee. Corduroy roads have been the last
resort flr years. but the expense of build
ing and repairing them has been great.
Now, through careful experiment, it has
been demonstrated that the roadbed and
nearby fields may furnish the materials
for the Necessary surface dressing. Buck
shot mud and 'gumbo" clay can be con-
verted into clinkers of sufficient hardness
10 bear the weight Of loaded vehicles and
20 Withstand the action of water. and
r,nnrenuar this ht1rrlrr car h H. -.