The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1907-01-24
ROAD IMPROVEMENT
WHAT HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED IN
RHODE ISLAND.

RHODE ISLAND.
Fine Highways Have Been Built In
Every Section of the State With
Good Results-The Repair and Care
Of Roads.
Much has been done in Rhode Island
to improve the highways during the
past four years, and there has been Il
popular demand of the people Of the
state that there should be built Il net
work of thoroughly up to date and sub
stantial roads, not extravagant, not
cheap, but system where at mini
mum of expenditure, yet conserving
every qualification of utility and wear
ing quality, there should be a service
for every part Of the state. Roads
have been built in every section Of the
state to the furtherance Of its social,
moral and intellectual interests. and
there is not one part of it that has not
felt the rebound
fourth annual report of the state board
of public roads of Rhode Island says:
From every side there goes up the
plea for better highways and improyed
roads, and it is being answered not in
the spirit of mere enthusiasm, but ont
of cold hard sense, for me-. are coming
to see the real value of such roads to
| the ordinary business and commercial
life of the day. Surely it is the best
| public policy for the state to keep its
highways, its feeders of life and COM
merce, in the hest possible state of
preservation, for the more compact the
life of the community the more neces-
sary do improved, well laid, we'll kept
roads become.
The popular movement for good
roads, according to the very nature of
/ the problem, cannot be localized. There
fore the question of bond issue is
one that touches the whole state and
one on which the whole state should be
heard. There is no question of the eX-
penditure of public money which is
more vital than this, and none where
a greater number are benefited Roads
cannot in any sense be considered sec
tional or built for the accommodation
Of the few. On the other hand. mas.
much as the future is to reap as much
| IL not more of the harvest of utility
and is to receive equal benefit. it is on.
| ~ fair that it should pay a proportions
ate part of the expenses.
The repair of the roads is of vital i'm
port. 1t means the saving of the time
money and engineering skill which
have already been invested. 1t is q
question of waste against that OF
economy 1t is mistaken idea that {
macadam road, once laid, needs no fur
ther attention On the contrary, t.
preserve its fundamental structure I
should be cared for continually. Th'
value Of a macadam road does not Ii,
in the fact that it is never going t.
wear out, but in the regulation o
grade. the hardened roadbed. the char
acter of drainage that it gives.
The engineering force can make tn
necessary repairs to better advantag,
while ut work upon the section beins
extended than should they be obliget
to return to it. Repairs should not b
left to outside control, which at bes
would be Irregular, spasmodic and un
satisfactory. The causes of disintegra
. ton are not altogether travel ant
| usage. There are also those of atmos
pheric and climatic conditions, thos
due to the nature of the stone of whicl
the road was primarily constructed.
roadbed will not wear alike in al
places. Were it SO there would b
, needed only the occasional extensiv
! reconstruction 1t breaks in patche.
. and the mending process is therefor
! constantly necessary.
During the year 1905 contracts wer
awarded for the construction of 22.0
miles Of macadam road, to be built vi
on the highways included in the pla
Of improvement as adopted by the gel
eral assembly. making a total OF fift!
, seven miles Of macadam road compile
+ ed since the present plan Of improve
: ment
, Now that the electors of the stat
. have voted to authorize the expend
. ture for this public Improvement it
: but reasonable to presume that the
! desire and expect to have the use /
these improved roads as soon as the
; can be judiciously and economical
: built. We believe, however, that the
: would not approve Of an undue has
In the work, which would result
roads Of an inferior quality or Of q
unnecessary cost Of construction. Sc
!, entific road building on the scale no
. being done by the state. like evel
: other large building enterprise, +
. quires adequate time as well as none
: for its proper completion.