The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-02-26
AUTOS DESTRUCTIVE
 EFFECT ON GOOD ROADS
POINTED OUT IN BIENNIAL RE- PORT OF STATE HIGHWAY
 COMMISSIONER.

adam Roads Are Laid--Highways
 Have shown More Wear the Last
 Two Years Than Tor Any Similar
 Period.
 Hartford, Feb. 25.-The destructive effect automobiling has upon the i'm proved roads of this state forms an interesting chapter in the biennial re- port of Highway Commissioner James H. Macdonald It is pointed out that as a result of the havoc revolution will have to take place wherever mac adam roads are laid, in their construc- tion So as to reduce the expense of care and maintenance. The commissioner reasons that if the use of the high ways by automobiles calls for a better construction when the road Is original ly built chen the introduction of the automobile must be considered public benefaction. The report says:
 Our roads have shown more wear on the surface during the past two years than for any similar period since the commencement of macadam const1uc- tion in the state. In nine out of ten towns artificial moistening of roads is not resortetd to by the officials in towns where our macadam roads have been constructed. The use of the sprinkling cart seems to be lost art, and the only moisture the macadam re- ceives Is from the rain and the dew. except, of court, in wintetr time, when there are occasional snowstorms. For this reason our macadam roads are very dry in summer and become an easy prey to rapidly moving automo- piles. The low hanging machinery of the car restricts the space from the top of the road to narrow opening which the rapidly moving car trans forms into draft the suction from which remove all loose or insecure par ticles from the surface of the road, very much the same as q carpet sweeper operates.
 in the summer time. particularly, when our roads are very popular and are used largely by all kinds of ve- hicles either for business or pleasure the passing of one of these rapidly moving cars removes from the road it's intended protection. Horse drawn ye- hicles that follow are by this stripping process brought into direct contact with the stones that have been uncov- cred by the automobile, These stones are early dislodged from where they were imbedder and fracture is made in the road The stone thus loosened acts as an irritant to the other stones when struck by hoof or wheel, the bond Is thus broken and the road immediate ly demands repair or a, large bill of ex- pense will result. If the road is not at orce taken care of tue influence of ever 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.
 'How roads are injured is apparent not only to the men who make a bus mess of the art of road building, but i is the subject of grave consideration in 1 towns where a macadam system has been laid. All over the state where we have a macadam system officials are ] inquiring how to remedy the evil.
 The vast network of roads that we have in the state of Connecticut-per- haps a larger percentage to the area covered. than any other state In the -precludes the possibility unless the state appropriates millions of dol lars of completing even the 5000 miles of main highways or first class roads, within reasonable period, and, as has been well expressed by large number of our citizens, the people of i the state of Connecticut desire to see something done while they are alive and in the body and have an opportu- nifty to enjoy the use of the roads rath- CT than to leave as a heritage an unful- filled obligation and and unprotected system of highways
 "The highway system of the state is it's show windows through which the people have an opportunity to ob- serve what is contained in the towns. Many would-be purchasers of land, some of whom would locate perma- l l6HllN III the IOWlto ACN6T ndNG dl Op- portunity by reason of the poor sys- tenn of highways that exist there. to learn the advantages that would ac- crue to the possession of land in the town. I do not think this is generally known, but it is fact nevertheless. So So it would seem the part of intelli- gence of every town to improve it's highways sufficiently so that people would be invited to go through its lim- its. Every opportunity should be af- forded by the town to allow an inspec- tion by all. No greater invitation can be extended-and with less expense than to show the natural advantages of every town in this state and this can be lone by the improvement of their highway system
 The progress of the good roads move ment during the past two years is re- vealed by the following figures:
 Of the t6S towns in the state, 97 ap- piled for the maximum apportionment of $9,0O0 while S6 towns asked for amounts ranging from S640 to s1O00 The aggregate amount represented by these applications is s1074,642.
 Excess of applications over amount available under the state appropria- ton $4SS,47O. The states appropriation is $4OS97S.24; towns contribution, $177,- 1S476. Amount of money required for the 167 contracts let, many of which !are nearly finished, $5S6,sl1.SL