Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1907-01-25
ROAD IMPROVEMENT
WHAT HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED IN
RHODE ISLAND.

Zine Highways Have Been Buiit In
Every Section of the state WIN
Good ResuIts-Tbe 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 a
popular demand Of the people OF the
state that there should be built a net
work of thoroughly up to date and sub
xtantIal roads, not extrayagant, not
CHEAP. but system where at a 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 furthcrance Of It's social,
moral and intellectual interests, and
there is not one part Of 1t that has not
felt the rebound.
In describing the work done the
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 Improved
roads, and It Is being answered not in
the spirit of mere enthusiasm, but out
of cold hard sense, for men are coming
TO see the real value Of such roads to
the ordinary business and commercial
life of the day. Surely II Is the best
public policy for the state to keep It's
highways, It's feeders Of life and com
merce, In the best possible state Of
preservation, for the more compact the
life Of the community the more neces
sary do improved, well laid, well 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 IL
one that touches the whole state and
one on which the whole state should be
heard. There Is no question Of the e1
pendlture Of public money which Is
more vital than this, and none where
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, lnas.
much as the future Is to reap as much
II not more Of the harvest OF utility
and Is to receive equal benefit, 1t is on.
ly fair that II should pay a proportion
ate part OF the expenses.
The repair OF the roads Is Of vital i'm
port. II means the saving OF the time,
money and engineering skill which
have already been invested. II is a
question Of waste against that OF
economy. II Is a mistaken Idea that a
macadam road, once laid. needs no fur
ther attention. On the contrary. to
preserve It's fundamental structure II
should be cared for continually. The
value Of macadam road does not lie
In the fact that It Is never going TO
wear out, but In the regulation OF
grade, the hardened roadbed, the char
acter OF drainage that II gives
The engineering force can make the
necessary repairs to better advantage
while at work upon the section being
extended than should they be obliged
TO return to t. Repairs should not be
left to outside control, which at best
would be Irregular, spasmodic and un-
satisfactory. The causes OF disntegra-
ton are not altogether travel and
usage. There are also those OF atmos.
phcrlc and climatic conditions. those
due TO the nature Of the stone OF which
the road was primarily constructed. 4
roadbed viii not wear alike In all
places Were II 80 there would be
needed only the occasional extensive
reconstruction, II breaks In patches.
and the mendng process is therefore
constantly necessary
During the year 1908 contracts were
awarded for the construction OF 22.OS
miles OF macadam road. 10 be built up
on the highways Included In the plan
OF Improvement rs adopted 10y the gen
eral assembly, making a total of nfty
seven miles Of macadam road complet
ed since the present plan OF improve
mcnt
Now that the electors VI the state
have voted to authorize the eXpendl.
ture for this public improvement IL Is
but reasonable To presume that they
desire and expect TO have the use OF
these Improved roads as soon ns they
can be- judiciously and economically
built. We believe. however. that they
would not approve " an undue hast,
In the work, which would result In
roads ~ an inferior quality or " M
unnecessary cost NJ construction. Sci
entiiic road building on the scale now
being done by the state. Ike every
other large building enterprise re
eulrcs adequate time as wcll as money
for Is proper completion
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