Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-07-10
COO d.
S.IIIl!IIY!EE|!'lAAE1
How Autos Injure Roads.

Do motor cars wear out a road
faster than horse-drawn vehicles? This
question is answered in the affirmative
by James H. Macdonald, highway COM
missioner Of the State of Connecticut
who asserts that automobile owners In
his part Of the country generally agree
with this conclusion. The public-spir-
tied owner Of a motor car should be
willing, he thinks, to contribute to-
ward the extraordinary repair expenses
entailed by the use Of his class Of We
hicleS, and most owners are ready TO
do so, he believes, provided they can
be assured that the money will be used
solely for road repairs. But how do
the automobiles injure the roads? Says
Mr.. Macdonald in a report republished
in part In the Good Roads Magazine:
I'm nine out Of ten Of our towns
where macadam roads have been con-
structed, artificial moistening Of roads
Is not resorted to by the officials. The
use Of the sprinkling cart seems to be
a lost art, and the only moisture the
macadam receives is from the rain and
the dew, except, Of course, in winter,
when there are occasional snowstorms,
For that reason only macadam roads
are very dry in summer and become
an easy prey for rapidly moving auto
mobiles. The low-hanging machinery
Of the car restricts the space from the
top Of the road to a narrow opening
which the rapidly moving cars trans
form into a draft, the suction from
which removes all loose or insecure
particles from the surface Of the road,
very much as the carpet sweeper OPP
crates.
1.-THE screenings top has two use
full purposes. One is to form a cush-
ION to protect the second course Of
stone, which is the course of the stone
Immediately under the screenings or
finishing surface of the road. This
cushion protects the underlying stone
from direct contact with the shoe Of
the horse and the tire Of the wagon.
It's second office Is to retain moisture
in the summer time, thus preserving
the cementlng properties Of the screen
ings, and in winter furnishing a cover
ing that lessons the entrance Of frost
into the road, and also removes the
possibility of disintergation and heav-
ing Of the road screenings. 1t also op
crates to prevent autumn rains from
penetrating into the courses Of stone,
thus inviting frosts and leaving the
road, when the frost departs, green
and very susceptible and responsive to
travel.
"In the summer time, particularly
when our roads are very popular and
are used largely by all kinds Of vehicles
either for business or pleasure, the
passing Of one Of these rapidly NOV
ing cars removes from the road it's In
tended protection. Horse-drawn We
hicles that follow are by this stripping
process brought into direct contact with
the stones that have been uncovered by
the automobile. These stones are early
dislodged from where they were i'm
bedded, and a fracture Is made In the
road. The stones thus loosened act as
III W luC OIACI SlOACS WhOA
struck by hoof or wheel, the bond is
thus broken, and the road Immediately
demands repair, or a large bill Of ex-
pense will result. If the road is not at
once taken care of, the influence Of
even a slight fracture Is far-reaching.
This destructive force has been at work
for some time, but Its effects have
been more noticeable during the past
year than ever before.
"This way in which roads are In
jured is apparent not only to the men
who make a business Of the art of road
building, but Is the subject Of grave
consideration In towns where macadam
has been laid. All over the State where
we have macadam, officials are inquir-
Ing how to remedy the evil"
Mr.. Macdonald recommends the mix
ture Of coal tar or crude oil with the
top layer Of screenings, and he advo-
Gates assessing the additional expense
upon the owners of motor vehicles.