The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1907-12-02
TOUR OF Inspection,
Value of a Day Spent With a
/ State Highway Commissioners.
RoADMAKlNG POINTS GAINED.

Right Way to Sprinkle a Maeadam
Roadway Three Wise Drainage
Rules-Forming a subsrado-eravsI
and Telford Road Construction.
1--WE start every morning at exactly
half past 4 o'clock" said State High
way Commissioner James q. Maedon-
aid of Connecticut on a recent evening
when the writer was arranging for
days trip in the official automobile
over the highways which have made
that state famous for its good roads.
1t was then o'clock or later, and the
commissioner had just returned home,
so We anticipated a strenuous tomor-
row. Promptly at the hour appointed
all were ready for the start.
The improved roads over which we
Travelled have moderate grades and
smooth surfaces Though some of
them were built dozen years ago and
have never been treated with oil or
tar or any special preparation, they
were in perfect condition except for
some few spots where the autos are
doing their destructive work, and the
need of little trap rock dust to pro-
tect the second course Of stone Is ap-
parent.
One Of the first points noticed on
this trip was that the state roads out
side Of the villages were smoother than
those connecting with them that are
under the care Of the municipalities,
says Charles S. Long In the Good
Roads Magazine. Within one town the
commissioner called attention to a
sprinkling wagon that was forcing the
water down on the macadam and flush
ing the fine dust to the cutters instead
Of spraying 1t gently and leaving 1t to
form binder to the road. That kind
Of sprinkling tends to ruin a macadam
roadway by removing the surfacIng
material, just as the motor car and
the wind remove it.
Speaking of q stretch Of road that
extended like a ribbon of asphalt until
the perspective brought it to point at
the farthest limit of vision, the com.
missioner explained that 1t was con-
structed of gravel and had been sur
faced with trap rock dust Many Of
the dirt and gravel roads of the state
are being treated in this way. They
are graded and rolled and then, after
q year or so, are given a surfacing Of
trap rock splinters and dust, which
abound in the state. The state fur
nishes annually q certain amount Of
broken stone or screenings to each
town, and along the sides of the roads
are to be seen piles of this material
surmounted by signboards bearing the
words state Property"
When a road of whatever kind Of
construction is to be built with state
aid in Connecticut the plans are drawn
In the commissioners Office In the cap
itol building at Hartford An engineer
is then sent to establish the grades
along the proposed road. These grades
are verified from time to time by the
engineer, and stakes which may have
been displaced in the prosecution of
the work by the contractor are reset,
so that the finished road shall conform
exactly to the original specifications
Drainage Is attended to first on the
principle of the commissioners famous
three "keeps"-viz, Keep the water
of the road, keep it out of the road,
keep it from under the road" This
having been attended to, the neces-
sary bridges and crlverts are arranged
for. These are being constructed Of
concrete as fast as possible.
Then comes the forming Of the sub
grade. The contractor is required in
building any kind of road to remove
all LEAN, roots and vegetable matter
from the proposed travel way Of the
road and also everything of spongy
nature. If there is not material enough
to bring the subgrade to the height
required the contractor must supply
the deficiency. If there is an overplus
from cuts It must be disposed Of ac-
cording to directions. The subgrade
Is rolled thoroughly with a ten ton
steam roller and brought to the exact
contour of the finished road surface
Importance is laid upon the manner of
building the shoulder. In fact, impor-
lance is laid upon every step In the
progress of construction, for the COM
missioner says that there are no little
things in roadmaking, and the con-
tractor is required to extend the Shout
!. der several inches on to the travel
way and thoroughly roll or ram the
material down to the established
grade and then cut 1t back to. the line.
This renders it firm and uuyielding to
the metaling.
In the construction of a gravel road
it is specified that "the first course
shall consist of good, clean gravel, not
less than. so per cent of gravel, the
balance material that will bind. No
loan will be allowed.
1.-THE gravel shall range from pea
stone TO three inches at its longest d.
ameter. Care must be taken to have
the gravel as near uniform In quality
as possible, avoiding sand, the small
sizes to predominant The gravel
shall be spread ON uniformly and roll
ed down, after which a sprinkler shall
be used and this course wet down and
then rolled again and continue rolling
until 1t is firm and thoroughly COM
pacted. This course shall be three
inches in depth when complete after
rolling.
AFTER the first course the second
course shall be put on, and the same
method shall be pursued in its treat
ment in every particular as described
for the first course. except that the
size of the gravel shall not be larger
than will go through a two incl