Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1908-11-25
TOUR OF INSPECTION.
Value of a Day Spent With a
State Highway Commissioners.
RoADMAKlNG POINTS GAINED.
Right Way 10 Sprinkle a Maoadam
Roadway - Three Wise Drainage
Rules-Formins a Suberade-Gravei
and Telford Road Construction.

! Rules-Forming Subgrade-GraVei
and Telford Road Construction.
1--WE start every morning at exactly
half past o'clock" said State High
way Commissioner James H. MacdOn.
aid of Connecticut on recent evening
when the writer was arranging for Il
days trip in the official automobile
over the highways which have made
that state famous for it's good roads.
1t was then o'clock or later and the
commissioners had just returned home.
so we anticipated n strenuous tomor-
row. Promptly at the hour appointed
all were ready for the start.
The improved roads over which we
travelled have moderate grades ana
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 I'm perfect condition except for
some few spots where the autos are
doing their destructive work. and the
need OF n 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
sprlnkllng wagon that was forcing the
Ns,,.
ing the fine dust TO the cutters instead
Of spraying 1t Pcr.ly and leaving 1t to
form binder to the road. That kind
Of sprinkling tends to ruin n macadam
roadway by removing the surfacing
material, just as the motor car and
the wind remove it,
Speaking OF a stretch OF road that
extended like ribbon Of asphalt until
the perspective brought it to point at
the farthest limit OF vision, the com.
missioner explained that 1t was con
structed Of gravel and had been sur
faced with trap rock dust. Many OF
the dirt and gravel roads of the state
are being treated in this way. They
are graded and rolled and then, after
a year or so, are given a surfaclng OF
trap rock splinters and dust, which
abound in the state. The state fur
nishes annually n certain amount Of
broken stone or screenings to each
town, aud along the sides Of the roads
are to be seen piles of this material
surmounted by signboards bearing the
words State Property"
When a road OF whatever kind OF
construction Is to be built with state
aid In Connecticut the plans are drawn
in the 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 "kecps'-yiz, Keep the water
off the road, keep it out of the road.
keep 1t from under the road" This
having been attended to- the neccs.
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 n 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-
cOrdng to directions The subgrade
is rolled thoroughly with ten ton
steam roller and brought to the exact
contour Of the finished road surface
Importance is laid upon the manner of
building the shoulder. In fact. impor-
lance is laid upon every step I'm the
progress Of construction, for the com
missioner says that there are no little
things" I'm rOadmaking. and the con
tractor Is required to extend the shout
der several inches on to the travel
way and thoroughly roll or ram the
material down TO the established
grade and then cut It back to the line.
This renders it firm and unyleldlng to
the metallng.
In the construction OF a gravel road
It Is specified that "thc 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
"Jhe gravel shall range from pea
stone TO three inches at fits longest d.
amcter Care must be taken TO have
the gravel as near uniform I'm quality
as possible, avoiding sand. the small
sizes to predominant. The gravel
rhall be spread ON uniformly and roll
cd down, after which a sprinkler shall
Doc used and This course wet down and
then rolled again and continue rolling
until it is firm aud thoroughly COIN
pactcd. This course shall be three
inches in depth WHOM complete after
foiing.
After the FIRST course the second
course shall be put on ana the same
method shall Doe pursued in Sos treat
mcnt fro every particular as described
for the FIRST course except That The
size Of the gravel shall not be larger
than Will go through n two inch
screen This course shom be three