The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-03-02
: THE VALUE OF GOOD ROADS

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In the issue of The Herald and
News Of February %, an article
by Mr.. H. E. C. Bryant, the Wash
ington correspondent Of the Char
lotte Observer, on "The Value Ct
Good Roads, was continued to this
issue. The remainder OF the article
is as follows):
Automobile Traffic.
1t is probable that the most serious
modern problem that highway engl-
neers have ever been called upon to
face has been created by the advent
Of the automobile. In fact, it was the
introduction Of that machine that
brought about the first international
road congress, which was held IN Par
is in October.
To Tresauget, who was engineer in
chief Of the District Of Limoges IL
1775, and to Telford and MaeAdam
who came after him, the broken
stone, or macadam road, traces. Ire
sauget's report to the council OF
bridges and roads, which was writer:
in ITS, is generally regarded as the
best ever written on that subject.
Since the passing Of those three
great engineers, there have been mod
ifcations and Improvements IN road
building. Though methods Of con-
struction vary today in different
countries and different localities, road
engineers have always had in view
one object-the withstanding Of the
wear of iron-tired vehicles. For a
century these conditions we're success
:ully met, and IL B6ons road did all
that was expected Of it.
But conditions have changed with
in the past decade, for the automobile
has done more to destroy the integ-
rity of these highways than any 9TH
er known influence. It has created a
new and an unlocked for problem, and
has brought this problem up for solu-
tion with such haste that road con-
struction has in no wise kept abreast
of modern traffic conditions or de-
mands. Roads which in former years
easily withstood the wear of horse We
hieles are now quickly stripped OF
their fine surface-binding material
and made to disintegrate.
Under the constant passing Of Wa
gons equipped with iron-tired wheels,
the roads not only lived, but inprov-
ed; the wheels crushing percentage
Of the rock and the dust particles
sitting their way into the interstiees
and forming cemented, bonded, i'm
pervious, water-shedding she'll. When
in it's highest state of perfection, the
rock from which such road is made
must be so suited to the character and
the volume of the traffic which passes
over it, that the amount Of dust form
ed by passing wagons will be only
sufficient to replace that which Is tax
o"-~way by rain and wind.
- Automobiles have done none of the
helpful things done by iron-tired We
hieles. Proceeding, as they usually do,
at high rates Of speed, they have
lifted up this dust-binder and sent it
swirling away, while their soft, rub
ber tires have crushed no rock to sup
ply that which they have stripped
from the highways.
This is menace from more view
points than one. Not only are the
clouds of dust created by the passing
motor cars a distinct loss to the road
itself, but when swept by the wind to
adjacent property they have depre-
ciated the value Of real estate, affect
ed public health and brought down
the price of truck and orchard pro-
Ducts, while adding vastly to the dis
comfort of pedestrians and nearby
residents.
AS automobiles are coming more
and more into general use, this condl-
ton is becoming more and more Sc
rious. The problem is great one,
and it has called forth the best
thought of the leading highway en-
gineers of every civilized country.
There are but two ways to overcome
this unexpected and newly created
condition-to build roads which
create no dust, or to so care for those
already constructed that the dust
which forms the surface binder may
be restrained and not pulled up by
the soft tires of the modern vehicle