Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-11-08
GOOD ROADS.
Commissioner Sargent Re-
turns from Convention
Of American Road Builders
Association al Columbus.
Maine Enjoys Natural Advantages
Favoring Road Building.

| Hon. Paul L. Sargent of Machias, State
commissioner of highways, has returned
I from Columbus, Ohio, where as a dele
| gate from Maine he attended the annual
convention of the American Road Build
ers' Association. The convention lasted
| four days and the methods of construct
| ing roads and the materials with which to
build them We're thoroughly discussed
This organization is made up of the high
way commissioners of the various States
and those interested in road work. Com
missioner Sargent gave a short talk on
read building in Maine.
There were delegates present from So
States in the Union, total of $50 dele
gates" said Commissioner Sargent Satur-
day. The government office of public
roads at Washington was represented by
| the director, Logan Wallor Page. Some
delegate from each State gave either an
address or talk outlining highway condi-
tons in his own State, telling what has
been done if anything in the way of
State road building and what their future
aims and plans were. 1t was evident from
all these addresses that the public at large
all over the country are aroused on the
ildtlCi VI iIiploNcu WdyS.
Il am satisfied" continued Mr. Sar-
gent, that the natural conditions in the
State of Maine are more favorable for
road building than in some of the other
States. commissioner from one of the
Southern States told the convention that
he had actually seen horses drowned right
in the highway. After statements of this
kind it certainly seemed as though the
State of Maine enjoys natural advantages
for building improved roads not enjoyed
by some of the other States. 1t was also
learned that practically every State com
mission recognizes that the large prob
lem in connection with improved highways
is how best to improve the vast mileage
of ordinary dirt roads which will in every
commonwealth be largely in excess of
the roads improved by graveing or maca-
1amizins Considerable time of the con-
vertion was devoted to discussion or
this problem.
"One of the most interesting features of
the convention was the inspection of an
experimental road built on the outskirts
of Columbus during the recent summer
under the auspices of the State highway
department of Ohio. The road was about
IA mile and a half in length and is differ
mt forms of construction were used, the
object being to eventually determine the
kind of construction which would best
Withstand present day traffic for the least
expense One section was ordinary wa
ter-bound macadan, another section was
broken stone Portland cement concrete
and another section gravel and Portland
cement concrete. The remaining Is sec
lions were built like an ordinary macadam
road for the bottom course. The specif-
cations of each of 13 companies making
artificial macadam binders were then fol-
lowed one on each of these sections in
finishing the road. At the time of the
convention none of the sections had been
finished more than one month so it was
impossible to draw conclusions, but sue
cessive reports of the Ohio State highway
department will tell just how each of
these sections is wearing, and in this way
the knowledge will be widely disseminated