Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1909-06-24

In this issue the State Roads Com
mission is advertising for sealed
proposals for GRADING, BRID0TEo and
DRAINING FIVE and three-tenths miles
OF road between Mechanicsvilie and
Leonardtown, the work TO begin at
the Mechanicsyille end.
Bids must be filed before IL o clock.
ii. on June Both. instant.
The advertisement does not give
any particulars to aid prospective
bidders in making their proposals,
but we presume, though we do not
know, that the bid blanks furnish.
ed by the Commission for 81, will
give all desired information.
We think the requirement. for al
ing with bid certified check for
$500 Is likely TO prevent many local
bidders from competing, and believe
IL would be q good thing for the
Commission TO materially reduce
this amount. But there Is no time
now TO consider tia. item.
Il will be noted that there Is q
material difference between the pre-
sent notice and the one published
in our issue OF May Goth, ultimo.
The FIRST notice asked bids for BUILD
ING section Of road The notice
we are now publishing calls for pro-
pQsals for GRADING. BRIDGING and
DRAINING q 5 and three-tenth miles
section.
OF course the first requisite for
40 intelligent understanding Of the
notice Is TO know what grade the
State Road Engineer requires in the
stretclof road to be bid on.
We have not learned the gradient
determined on by Engineer Crosby
but there are no heavy grades on
the section to be fixed. and little or
no bridging Is to be done, the run
al Harrisonburg, near Mechanics
Yilla heiuR thas onlN. stEaaEIpp Is GEn sssa esSt
proposals little that there will bu
several local bids presented. We
have competent engineers In the
county and we know Of many men
who could take q squad of hands
and do this work as well as anyone can
do ii. Harry O. Reeder, Oh Laurel
Grove, could take q force Of men
and 6uperinsend the grading and
drainage Of this section Of road as
well as any contractor In the State.
and with such o man contracting
for the work Il would be well and
quickly done and ST. Mary's coun.
" In many ways benefited. Man.
ming Russell. Of Loveville, Is anoth-
or local man who has demonstrated
his ability 10 build q good road and
70 do IL ct moderate figure. And
there are many In st. Mary's who
could do our State road work.
The Road Commission can teach
as many things and help our Road
Supervisors great deal. But the
Commission dOesn know 1t all. and
John s. Bean, and maybe Others OF
our road supervisors, might give
the Commission q valuable hint now
and then.
We do not know what the Com.
mission has determined upon, but
we think that II ought to have our
roads constituted OF the material we
have at hand. The writer knows
OF gravel roads that have been built
In ST. Mary's and have stood the
wear and tear o. over quarter OF a
century Of travel.
We want the State Road Commits.
sion to show us how to make the
best possible roads with our county
material. Macadam and Telford
roads are out Of tho question here,
ior,-,av price and Transportation 81
the material to build them Is prohi.
bitive. We must be content with
roads built Of the materials we have
at hand, and the Commission will be
real benefactOrs to us II twill show
us how TO combine gravel, clay and
sand 70 make the most lasting road.
bed.
With our allotment OF the State
Road Fund we could build 1850 miles
OF gravel roads that will last for
over generation with little Or 40
repairs. The Fund will not build
us 10 miles of Macaddam road.
There can be no question OF what
is best to do and we hope tie Com.
mission will get busy and do It.
Show us some good roads. Lets
have done with the preliminaries
and get down 10 the business az
making roads that the present gen.
GRAFTON may enjoy, Gravel roads
that we may trot over for the next
33 years will satisfy che great ma
1ority OF our people. Make st.
Mary 8 roads Of st. Mary's mater
ials.