The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1909-02-25

Two OF tnree squads, Cne larger num-
'sr of convicts being used i'm the work
OF grading, the others being used at
the crusber and in hauling and
spreading the macadam, which is put
down now in four layers. The first
layer consists of rock about two
inches in diameter, the second one
inch, the third half an inch and the
top coat or dressing the dust" the
finest product OF the crusher. Near
the city the roads are forty feet wide,
the strip of macadam in the middle
being twelve to eighteen feet v ide and
ten inches thick. A few miles from
the city the macadam strip narrOws
to nine feet and is only nine inches
deep, the travel being lighter as the
distance from the city is greater. The
roads being built now are graded
down to two per cent.
COST OF CONSTRUCTION.
The total cost of the roads being
built by the county Of Mecklenburg
at the present time averages about
$3, 800 a mile. The amount includes
the cost to the county of the con-
victs, pay for the rock used and for
the construction of bridges, the last
in itself being a considerable item.
The rock costsfrom 81 ,5OOto $4,000
mile. according TO the width of the
road. The cost of the labor is about
fifty cents a day, which includes the
rations, clothes and guarding of the
convicts and the supervision Of the
work. The rest of the cost of the
road is made up with material used
in the construction Of bridges, skilled
labor and incidental expenses.
COUNTY HAS ISSUED NO BONDS.
The money used in the building of
roads is provided through a special
road tax of twenty cents on the 500
valuation of property as a general
county road fund. This tax amounts
to approximately $4,000 a year
and is supplemented by appropria-
tions from the general fund by the
county commissioners. The fifteen
townships of the county also levy a
special tax of ten cents on the 500
valuation for roads and Charlotte
building force and outfit, which keeps
the roads just around the city in fine
shape and adds to their mileage as
rapidly as new roads are needed.
Mecklenburg county has never is
sued any bonds for road work. It's
200 miles of roads, worth consider
ably more than half million dol
lars, form an asset There is a de-
"ided sentiment in the county at
present for the issuance of 100000
or 100000 of bonds for a rapid
completion of the road system of the
county, and it is not improbable that
such an issue may be voted within
the next year or so.
SENTIMENT FOR EVEN BETTER
ROADS.
Besides the sentimentin the county
for rapid completion of the road
system through the means of a large
bond issue, in which event all the
grading would be done by contract
and the macadamizing proper by the
convicts, thus enabling the work to
proceed at the rate of fifty or sixty
miles a year, there are many advo-
Gates of better paving in the form of
tarvira, which is macadam with a
top dressing of tar or pitch, some
what similar to bitulithic pavement.
This process would add from $500
to 50. 800 to the original cost of the
road, but the road would last much
longer. besides being practically dust
less, softer and smoother. The ma
cadamized road lasts five to seven
years without needing any repairs;
the tarvira road would last almost
twice as long. A few miles of tariva
is now being constructed in the out
skirts of Greater Charlotte and the
county commissioners are consider
ing usingit extensively in the county.
THEINFLUENCE OF GOOD ROADS
The system of good roads in the
county consists of twelve roads ex-
tending from the city of Charlott e
eight to twelve miles in the coun try in
every direction and the branches
prongs Or tributaries to these 'big"
roads. Running into these of cour sc
are the township roads, which a re
kept in excellent condition by town
! ship forces. A large proportion OF
| the farmers of the county live either
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