The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1908-06-26


trunk, together with length, width
or diameter, distance from top OF road
or bridge to bottom of stream or
ditch. it's condition and what it could
be replaced with when necessary to
renew. To each of these openings an
arbitrary number was assigned, cor
responding to the number, on the ROAD
map. These have been found to be
of decided advantage, especially Wnen
any bridge or opening was reported
to be in bad shape or needed reDuaid-
ing. 1t has been possible to tell at
glance what was necessary to replace
the defective part without requiring
the time and expense involved In max
ing a long trip to decide on what TO
nut in. AS soon as the majority of
the small bridges are replaced by
mines. it is proposed to reminder the
large openings and to erect number
boards at each large bridge on the
same principle as that used in rail-
road work. Numbers may then be
used instead of local names, which
often are numerous and varied for
the same bridge or culvert.
The actual working season starts
on or about April 1, when the teams
sent into the different sections of the
county. Each outfit has a portable
house eight feet by twenty feet on
wheels, which is fitted up with hunks,
kitchen utensils, etc., and in which
the men live while away from head
quarters. These houses are SO ar
ranged with feed boxes and hay racks
on the sides and roofs of heavy can
vas tarpaulins hooking under caves,
that If necessary one can stable four
mules on each side or them. Quite
frequently stable room can be found
with the different farmers through
out the county. The object gained
by having regular camps is the great
saving in time and labor in going to
and from work, and the saving OF the
team.
The work consists principally in
blowing from the center, since large
percentage of our roads are worn
out, after having been scraped over
for years. BY blowing from the CEN
ter with burrows from Is to 20 inches
deep, it isd possible to turn the old
worn out material under and turn up
fresh material, from which to shape
up a fairly good road. In scraping
strong, the amount of slope depending
altogether on the material worked. At
the present, it is costing the county
more per mile to work the roads than
it did under the old system. This is
due to the widening of all roads to a
minimum width of 26 feet, the grub
bling up of all stump roots, ETC.,
which should have been done when
a. IND
the old system the major portion of
the scraping was practically about 16
feet in width, and very little or no at
tention was paid to the removal of
stumps and similar distractions.
After the roads have been put in
good condition in this way, it is the
plan to keep them IN good order by
running over them with log drags
DIETER known as the King Drag,
which will keep the ruts filled up.
The County Engineer is also work
ing with view to eliminating all the
small bridges, and has already used
% carloads of terra Gotta and iron
pipe, varying from 8 to u inches in
diameter.
Whether or not the present sys-
tenn is an improvement over the old,
both as to results and economy, may
be inferred from the following ex-
cerpts taken from the Annual Reports
of the County Auditor and Grand
Jury:
I'VE have inserted into this report
statement of interest to the tax
peayers, the annual report of Coun-
ty Roads Engineer Uhler to the
County Commissioners, giving in de-
tail, the cost of material and labor
in each district of the county, showing
the comparative costs of the old and
new system. The improved condi-
ton of the roads, at less cost, to our
minds, is sufficiently convincing that
any tampering or change for the
present should be closely guarded by
the taxpayers. Auditors Report |
for 1905.
THE annual report of Roads En-
gineer Uhler to the County Commits
sioners is again inserted, giving in
detail itemized expense for material
and road work. We still believe the
present system much preferable to
the old, and that Engineer Uhler is
giving the County energetic and in
telligent supervision. "-Auditors Re-
port for 1906.
THE annual report of the Roads
Engineer to the Commissioners is
complete in detail, showing cost of
work and material for the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1907, to be 11,654.9S.
The Auditors Report for 1904 shows |
the cost of the roads under the |
old system to be $13,617.4S,
we think very creditable showing
for the new system considering the
very greatly improved condition of
the roads at 100000 less cost"
Auditors Report for 1907.
AS to public highways the Grand
Jury said
Having eliminated the patronage
system of working the county roads,
with good results of better roads
and at less cost, we advise against
any tinkering by amendments or
otherwise to the present County road
law; that the taxpayers and the
County Commissioners give encour-
agement and aid to the county road
engineer to help develop the present
system"
'The members of the grand Jury
heartily concur in the opinion that the
roads and bridges of the county
show marked improvement under
the new system of management and
would commend the alertness and
industry of the county road engineer.
We believe that the change in the
local road system promises the most
satisfactory results, and have unani-
mously agreed to recommend a |
thorough trial of this departure to
the people of the County IT apnears |