The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1907-08-07
To Create Good Rnnds.

In all parts of the country. The agi-
| tation of the question in the past
| has been almost entirely of a public
character, and so general in its nature
| that necessarily it has not been pos
| sible to make much specific advance
| ment. In consequence the engineer
ing firm of Layman C Layman, of
| Chicago, has perfected plans for i'm
proved roads and highways,
The Commercial Highway Com
pany purposes to undertake the con-
struction of public highways in vari-
| GUS parts of the country in a busi-
nesslike and commercial way. 4 The
principles which will underlie the
operations of the company will re-
suit in the roads being turned over
to the public after they have been
paid for and fair return made upon
the capital invested The plans of
the Commercial Highway Company
through which the roads run shall
be taxed to pay for them, but, on
the contrary, the company purposes
tc make them pay for themselves.
The essential feature in this p.an
is that the company shall acquire by
purchase not only It's right of way,
but, in addition, such real estate as
may adjoin or be affected in any way
by the construction Of the road. The
company will be empowered to issue
bonds based upon its real estate and
other holdings. The increased value
of the real estate after the construc-
tion of the road will, it is expected,
not only pay for the road itself, but
leave fair profit for the stockhold-
ers of the company. In addition to
this the roads are expected to earn
considerable themselves in the way
of tolls for traffic over them.
The plans under which the COM
pany will built its roads offer many
novel features. They are designed to
be 120 feet in width, divided into
eight sections. On four of these Sec
tions traffic will run in one direction
and on the other four in the opposite
direction. On the outer edge of the
road there is to be a four-foot path
for pedestrians; next comes a fifteen
foot roadway open daily to vehicles
drawn by animals; then comes a
twenty-four-foot roadway for gem
eral automobile traffic, and then a
siXteen-fOot roadway for commercial
automobiles. The different parts OF
the road are curbed from one another
and fence is set above the curb.
No traffic will be allowed both WAYS
In the same section, nor will animals
be allowed in the automobile or
power sections. Necessarily the yari-
GUS kinds of traffic will have to cross
the different sections in running to
the proper roadway and in leaving
it, but protection in this respect is
provided for by gateways at the en-
frances and exits, which will be made
at cross roads or other suitable
points. Overhead crossings of all
existing thoroughfares will be a fea-
ture.
The construction of the roads will
be along the latest and most APP
proved specifications under the SUI
pervision of trustworthy builders,
and the character will be largely de-
termined by the nature of the traffic
to be catered to and the climate con-
ditions in the territory through which
the roads run. The finishing of the
roads is designed to be ornamental
in character, and in addition to their
strictly commercial uses and the
beneficial effects they will have upon
the districts through which they run
they will be neat boulevards in ap-
pearance.
The footpath will be paved, the
free public road section open to ami
NAL traffic finished with a first-class
hard surface and the automobile Sec
tions in the best form to meet the
requirements of traffic. The curbs
in the automobile sections will be
used. as conduits for electrical power,
which will afford a means for re-
charging electrical machines.
The company will seek to associate
with its work the leading good roads
advocates of the country and promi-
nent citizens in the regions in which
it operates as officers, directors and
trustees to represent the bondholders
and advisory committees. When a
highway has been finished in any part
of the country and earnings from
tolls and the sale of real estate have
been sufficient to meet all obligations.
it is purposed to pay off the bonds
issued against the roadway, liquidate
all obligations of the company and
turn the roadway over to the State,
with no other obligation on the part
of the commonwealth than an agree
ment to maintain the road in first
class condition for public use at all
times and at reasonable figures in
the toll sections.
The bylaws of the company pro-
vide for complete monthly, quarterly,
remi-annual and annual reports from
all agents and officers, the same to be
published quarterly for the benefit of
stockholders and bondholders and
the public generally in the districts
through which the roads may run.
OF the real estate holdings that will
remain the property of the company