Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1909-01-01
h0UR OF INSPECTION
| ROADMAKING POINTS
kalue of Day Spent With State
Highway Commissioner-
Points Gained.

1--WE start every morning at exactly
[balf past o'clock" said State High,
lRay Commissioner James II. Macdon.
laid Of Connecticut on recent evening
when the writer was arranging for a
days trip in the official automobile
4 I}over the highways which have made
that state famous for its good roads.
1t was then 8 O'Clock or later, and the
commissioner had just returned home,
so we anticipated a strenuous tomor.
row. Promptly at the hour appointed
all were ready for the start.
The improved roads over which we
travelled have moderate grades and
smooth surfaces. Though some of
them were built dozen years ago and
have never been treated with oil or
1tar or any special preparation, they
were In perfect condition except for
some few spots where the autos are
doing their destructive work, and the
need Of little trap rock dust to pro-
tect the second course Of stone Ia ap-
parent.
One Of the first points noticed on
this trip was that the state roads out
side of the villages were smoother than
those connecting with them that are
under the care Of the municipalities
says Charles 8. Long In the Good
Roads Magazine. Within one town the
commissioner called attention to a
sprinkllng wagon that was forcing the
water down on the macadam and flush
Ing the fine dust to the cutters instead
of spraying 1t gently and leaving 1t to
form binder to the road. That kind
Of sprinkling tends to ruin a macadam
roadway by removing the surfacing
material. just Us the motor car and
the wind remove It
Speaking Of a stretch Of road that
extended like a ribbon Of asphalt until
the perspective brought it to point at
the farthest limit Of vision, the com,
missioner explained that 1t was con-
structed OF gravel and had been sur.
faced with trap rock dust. Many of
the dirt and gravel roads Of the state
are being treated In this way. They
are graded and rolled and then, after
a year or SO, are given a surfacing Of
trap rock splinters and dust, which
abound In the state. The state fur.
nishes annually a certain amount OF
broken stone or screenings to each
town. and along the sides Of the roads
are to be seen piles Of this material
surmounted by signboaris bearing the
words state Property"
When 4 road of whatever kind of
construction Is to be built with state
aid in Connecticut the plans are drawn
In the commissioners Office In the cap
itol building at Hartford. An engineer
is then sent to establish the grades
along the proposed road. These grades
are verified from time to time by the
,engineer, and stakes which may have
been displaced In the prosecution of
! the work by the contractor are reset,
80 that the finished road shall conform
exactly to the original specifications.
u Drainage Is attended to first on the
principle Of the commissioners famous
three "keeps"-viz. Keep the water
off the road. keep 1t out Of the road.
keep it from under the road" This
having been attended to. the neces.
sary bridges and culverts are arranged
for. These are being constructed Of
concrete as fast as possible.
Then comes the forming of the sub
grade. The contractor is required in
building any kind of road to remove
all loan, roots and vegetable matter
from the proposed travel way Of the
road and also everything Of spongy
nature. II there Is not material enough
to bring the subgrade to the height
required the contractor must supply
the deficiency. II there is an overplus
from cuts It must be disposed Of ac-
cordlng to directions. The subgrade
is rolled thoroughly with ten ton