Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1909-08-18
The Road Question.

Probably the most serious econon,.
ical question at present is that OF the
public highways, meaning the loads
used by vehicles self-propelled OF
drawn by horses. The Department OF
Agriculture is considering 1t thor-
oughly, by an extensive investigation
of conditions, causes and effects; the
engineering societies have committees
at work, and every municipal guvern-
| ment is discussing and experimenting
with the subject. Out of all this there
will be results, Of course, but they
will come slowly and the cost and the
labor will be enormous, just to set
at the facts.
Certain truths are ascertained. A
railroad must have q smooth roadbed,
of solid construction, with rails of a
weight adapted to the size of the en-
gines and cars; It must have similar
construction at all points, aud It's
grades must be limited to the length
Of trains, or the train length reduced,
or engine-power increased. A trolley
road must be adapted to the size and
weight Of the car, in the same pro-
portionate way, or the roadbed will
suffer, or the cars will be destroyed.
It is less question of comfort or con-
venience in either case than ene OF
getting the best results for your
money. You can not run a f1ve-thou-
sand-dollar trolley car oyer rough
track without destroying the car,
hurting the poor roadbed, and ruin
ing the better tracks. The cheapest
investment for any railroad is a
good track.
The same truths apply to the or
binary highways, but here conditions
vary. There is. well-established
mathematical ration between 6. loco
motive with q freight train aad the
track which carries the burden. But
a public highway has to accommodate
many vehicles of different kinds and
the burden is not upon two tracks.
but upon wide surface, unequally
used. The consequence is that the
highway problem is much more diff
cult than that of railroad or trolley.
The worst feature of the highway
construction question is that the char
acter of the vehicles using it changes
constantly and has changed fraquent-
ly for many years. The burden can
never be exactly estimated, so the
back to bear it can not be precisely
adjusted. A horse and cart with
metal tires need one kind Of road;
widen the tires and another kind
will serve; put rubber on the tires
and sharpen the horses shoes, and a
smooth road is necessary; use the
highway for an automobile and there
should be smoothness without dust.
Put each Of these requirements in a
single highway, and there is perfect
achievement, and that is what re-
mains to be accomplished.
Every art is needed for this vast
task-the engineers, the contractors,
the chemists, the publicist's. Science,
and mechanical skill and cash are all
requisites. And above all, prelim-
mary study. The work is going on
and experiments are constantly being
made, but it will be long and
weary task. Let it be understood as
a problem to be solved, something yet
to be attained, and much will be
gained. Heretofore, the discussion
has been too much on the basis Of
4having known it ALL" It is great
unanswered question; but time, labor,
science and money will make the re-
ply soon, if opportunity be given by
public able to recognize the vast i'm
portance of the issue at stake.-New,
ark Call.