The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1908-12-02
OF inspection,
Value of a Day Spent With {
Estate Highway Commissioner.
RoADMAKINe POINTS GAINED

Right Way to Sprinkle a Maeadam
Roadway Three Wise Drainage
RuIes-Formins a suberade-o Gravel
and Telford Road Construction.
1--WE start every morning at exactly
half past z O'clock" said State High
way Commissioner James II. Macdon'
aid of Connecticut on recent evening
when the writer was arranging for a
days trip In the official automobile
over the highways which have made
that state famous for its good roads
1t was then 0 o'clock or later, and the
commissioner had just returned home,
so we anticipated strenuous tomor-
row. Promptly at the hour appointed
nll were ready for the start.
The improved roads over which we
Travelled have moderate grades and
smooth surfaces. Though some OF
them were built dozen years ago and
have never been treated with oil or
tar or any special preparation, they
were In perfect condition except for
some few spots where the autos are
doing their destructive work, and the
need of little trap rock dust to pro
tect the second course of stone Is APP
parent.
One of the first points noticed on
this trip was that the state roads out
side of the villages were smoother than
those connecting with them that are
Under the care of the municipalities,
says Charles s. Long in the Good
Roads Magazine. Within one town the
commissioner called attention to a
sprinkling wagon that was forcing the
water down on the macadam and flush
ing the fine dust to the cutters instead
of spraying 1t gently and leaving It to
form binder to the road. That kind
of sprlnlling tends to ruin a macadam
roadway by removing the surtacing
material, just rs the motor car and
The wind remove It,
Speaking of stretch of road that
extended like ribbon of asphalt until
tho perspective brought 1t to point at
the farthest limit of vision, the com,
missioner explained that 1t was con-
Btructed OF gravel and had been sur
faced with trap rock dust. Many OF
the dirt and gravel roads OF the state
nre being treated In this way, They
are graded and rolled and then, after
n year or so, are given surfacing of
trap rock splinters and dust which
abound in the state. The state fur
nishes annually certain amount of
broken stone or screenings to each
town, and along the sides of the roads
are to be seen piles of this material
surmounted by signboards bearing the
Awords Estate Property"
Nyhen road of whatever kind OF
con6truction Is to be built with state
aid IN Connecticut the plans are drawn
IN ithe commissioners office In the cap.
itol building at Hartford. An engineer
Is then sent to establish the grades
along the proposed road. These grades
are verified from time to time by the
engineer, and stakes which may have
been displaced in the prosecution of
the work by the contractor are reset,
so that the finished road shall conform
exactly to the original specifications.
DRAINAGE is attended to first on the
principle Of the commissioners famous
three "keeps"-viz. keep the water
off the road. keep 1t out of the road,
keep it from under the road" This
having been attended to, the neces'
sary bridges and culverts are arranged
for. These are being constructed OF
concrete as fast rs possible.
Then comes the forming of the sub
grade. The contractor is required In
building any kind of road to remove
all loan, roots and vegetable matter
from the proposed travel way OF the
road and also everything of spongy
nature. If there is not material enough
to bring the subgrade to the height
required the contractor must supply
the deficiency. If there is an overplus
from cuts It must be disposed of ac-
cOrding to directions. The subgrade
is rolled thoroughly with ten ton
steam roller and brought to the exact
of the finished road surface.
u is laid upon the manner of
houlder. In fact, impor-
~ every step In the
bction, for tho COM
there are no "litue
king, and the con-
to extend the shout
les on to the travel
lghly roll or ram the
4 NH to the established
grh1 ~ then cut 1t back to the line.
Thls renders 1t firm and unyielding to
the metallng. I.s.
In the construction of gravel road
1T is specified that "the first course
shall consist of good. clean gravel, not
less than so per. cent Of gravel, the
balance material that will bind. No
loan will be allowed.
"The gravel shall range from pea
stone to three inches at It's longest d.
ameter. Care must be taken to have
the gravel as near uniform in quality
ms possible, avoiding sand, the small
sizes TO predominant. The gravel
shall be spread ON uniformly and roll
ed down, after which sprinkler shall
be used and this course wet down and
then rolled again and continue rolling
until 1t is firm and thoroughly COM
pacted. This course shall be three
inches in depth when complete after
rolling.
after the first course the second
course shall be put on, and the same
method shall be pursued in It's treat
ment in every particular ms described