Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1907-07-17
WIDE AWAKE MADISON
A Tennessee County Building
Many Miles Of Good Roads.
now THE START WAS MADE.

Were Costing Them - NoVaouite
Used In Constructing the Highways. /
How Madison county, Tenn, secured
rood roads Is an interesting story told
iIy writer in Breeders Gazette, Chi
cago, and may offer suggestion 10
other communities burdened with Inn
passable highways. Several years ago
Sam Lancaster. city engineer Of Jack
son. Tenn, turned his attention to the
condition of the streets Of Jackson ana
the roads Of the surrounding country.
He found the county commissioners
thanking some of the roads and began
by showing them that the wood cost
as much as good stone would cost.
IT took a lot of effort to move the au-
thorities, but at last a little beginning
was made and some stone laid down.
There was much opposition, yet the
people liked the road, and the seed
sprouted. the yeast worked. In 1913
the roads In winter became impassaDle.
Men came in for groceries afoot
great meeting was called to discuss
roads and ways and means, Sam Ian
caster back of 1t all. He had Dill
drawn empowering the Issuing OF
bonds for road building to the amount
of $4,000 and put in care OF 1rienu
shrewd in such matters. The meeting
was a warm one, and the discussion
took varied sides. Most of the CON
seryatives" were opposed to pohds'
''Tax and pay as we CO. was their ar
oument That meant nothing doing.
After weary arguments. and no appar-
emf nrogress an old man arose, tlred
old man. splattered with red mud from
head to foot, his boots caked with mud,
his trousers painted with 1t. In
feeble voice and with dcprecating
manner this old man said:
"Mr. Chairman, live out few miles
from town. have little farm ana
little sawmill. | can't come to town
now in any other way than afoot.
come TO this merchants store turning
TO one Of the strongest opponents OF
the bond issue) and bought about so
worth of groceries today. l will carry
them home on my back. 1t Is the only
wav | can take them home. Now,
need more than $50 worth OF things
from his store, and if could get 10
town with my team l could bring
enough stuff that have for sale III
one load TO pay for the store things. l
would like to see q good road before l
die. Mr.. Chairman, l must be going
soon. for 1t is long walk through the
mud to my place"
A silence fell upon the assembly. The
merchant was abashed. Then he him
self arose and offered resolution call
ing for the drafting of a bill to bond
the county. And the committee re-
tired for five minutes, when they came
back, and the spokesman, to Lancas'
ter's establishment, read the draft OF
bill issuing bonds to the amount OF
100000.
The psychological moment had arriv'
ed: he was shrewd enough to know II
and had doubled the agreed upon fig
ures. With no dissenting voice the res
olutlon carried, the bill went to the leg
lslature, the bonds were issued, and the
good roads movement was on.
Next came the matter of materials
Madison county is without stone. Ian
caster hunted for the best and found Il
In Illinois. Freight rates were impossi
bic. He saw" the men who manage
the Illinois Central railway and show
ed them that it would pay them to hau
the stone cheaply and help him to de
yelop the country there. They made
low rate, and work began. This stone
they use Is called novaculite. 1t Is a.
hard as flint and as sharp. 1t bonds
easily and wears exceedingly well.
When the work of road building be
gan Lancaster determined to relocate
much of the old way, that grades
should be made light, that direct
ness could be considered. NATURAL!
he encountered much opposition II
this, but being patient and persisten
} and conciliatOry as well he general.
7 accomplished that point. Many ram
J bling old hill roads were abandoned
and direct lines built in their stead
, The aim was that as one hill deter
mines what load may be drawn t
2 Jackson there should be no hill any
( where. Seldom can one see as gOo'
t grades as he has given these roads
t They balk at neither cut nor NIL Inc
D are like the memorable roads OF th
:, Romans and have the same signif
D canoe.
' Not that there is money wasted; nc
, not penny is wasted, and the utmos
] efficiency is sought from laborers, fror
0 teamsters, from materials They frs
8 make the grade, then they follow an
e make what they call subgrade, q
Y bed for the stone. This Is rolled dow
J. hard with the steam roller. 1t has
: sharp shoulder of "6'' to receive an
/; hold the stone. Next comes the ston'
we'll wetted And as 1t Is laid dow
It and spread it is well rolled down; the
o the road is complete. Where ther
|. are culverts to be put In they are ofte
It built of REINFORCED concrete, wit
d wings Of the same material. II 1s~a
/ good, thorough work.
# They have now finished sixty mile
% of road. The aim was at first to bull
5, all the main roads out from town fC
II a distance Of FIVE miles. There wei
e niue principal roads, which with the
% branches made seventeen miles. Late
<, they will extend these roads to nir
1t miles. Do not imagine that this hf
Y, been done with poorly paid labor. I'll
ct men get $1.25 per day, and the team
Or are paid by the mile, so that the
~ must earn their money, but the bas
is SO per day for man and team.
Preparing Fattenins Food.
Where soft food Is used extensive