The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1908-01-30

La thin deposit OF SrdVel, u6eQ IN Todu
building, is exposed in the ditch on the
left.l
example, our area is within 300 square
miles of equaling that of all the other
New England states. Our population
is about so per cent more than that of
the city of Boston and our valuation
about one-tenth that of Massachusetts,.
In the matter Of valuations l might
say that we have only sixty three cities
and towns in the state which have
valuation of S1,O0O,OOO We have ODD
towns with valuation less than $780,
600 each, and three-fourths of all our
towns are less than $5OO,OOO in valua
ton In many of our towns, especially
the smaller ones, highway taxes alone
run from 1 to cents, so you see when
these towns make appropriations for
good roads they are really struggling
to improve their condition.
We have, however, made a start in
the matter of state road building and
are making progress every year In
1901 q state road law was passed
which was general in it's application
that is, it provided that every town III
the state might have state aid in COM
plying with certain conditions. The
amount which any town could expend
under this original law was only $500
per year, and the maximum state aid
allowed on account of such expendi-
ture was $780, Succeeding legislatures
raised the amount until at present 5000
is the maximum amount town may
expend and be reimbursed by the state
for half it's expenditure.
The first year of the law only twelve
towns took advantage of its provisions.
while last year, the sixth year of its
operation, 322 towns built their state
roads and received state aid. This
year 356 towns are building sections
Of state road.
Our law provides that when town
makes appropriation and declares its
intention to build state road the county
| commissioners shall designate in that
| town the main Travelled thoroughfare.
/ which shall thereafter be known as the
state road, and that said appropriation
shall be expended in improving some
section Of this road. Under this pro
vision for designating state roads
about 2,4OO miles of road have already
been laid out.
Up to the close of last year about
$45O.OOO had been expended by the
towns and the state in this reconstruc
tion work, and nearly 300 miles OF
road had been worked upon. The
work consists mainly in cutting dowr
excessive grades. raising roads il
| swamps and low places. Strengthening
crooked roads, taking out sharp curves
and undertaking quagmires
In general our surfacing materia
consists Of gravel. but In many cases
only the natural soil is used for thi
purpose, especially if gravel cannot b.
obtained within two miles Of the loca
ton of the work. Probably in fort.
towns in the state the surfacing mate
rial is crushed stone.
. The work up to the present time ha
been under the direct supervision o
the various boards of county commits
sioners. AS the law provides for in
spection of the work after it is CON
pleted and the commissioners have nc
in general insisted On one standard Q
work, there have been quite goo
many variations in the complete
roads. but progress is being made eac
year, and we are gradually approach
ing something in the line of uniform
ity. The standard which we ask
have maintained is for road twent!
, one feet wide which shall have {
least twelve feet of hardened tract
/. with earth shoulders to make up ii
remaining width.
!: Our general specification is for su
!: facing material to be eight inches thie
! in the center and six inches thick G
the shoulders, to be screened into sizt
!: and deposited in layers and role
! wherever possible We find that sue
!: work where it is carefully and we
(: done averages in cost from 30 to
] cents per lineal foot.