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

In this issue the State Roads Com
mission is advertising for sealed
proposals for GRADING, BRIDGING and
DRAINING FIVE and three-tenths miles
OF road between Mechanicsville and
Leonardtown. the work to begin ct
tho Mechanicsville end.
Bids must be filed before IL o'clock,
NJ. 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 bld.bIanks furnish
cd by the Commission for 90, will
give all desired information.
We think the requirement for al.
ing with O bid q certified check for
$500 is likely to prevent many local
bidders from competing, and believe
II would be good thing for the
Commission TO materially reduce
this amount. But there Is no time
now 70 consider that item.
10 will be noted that there Is
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
mo o section Of road. The notice
we are now publishing calls for pro-
pOsals for GRADING, BRIDGING and
DRAINING B and three-te miles
section.
on course the FIRST requisite for
a :. tv.kal1tn.an& ..nA oo.t a :. Al - - Ala
notice is 10 know what grade the
State Road Engineer requires In the
stretch OF road 10 be bid on.
We haye not learned the gradient
determined on by Engineer Crosby
but there are no heavy grades on
the section 10 DO Fixed, and pNflo or
10 bridging IL to be done, the run
d Harrisonburg, near Mechanics
vile being thA<oply stream crossed.
Wn7fre satisfied Il the Commission
VIII modify the advertisement for
proposals & little that there will be
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
d0it. Harry o. Reeder, OF Laurel
Grave, could take q force OF men
and suparintend the grading and
drainage OF this section OF road as
we'll as any contractor Ia the State,
and with such q man contracting
for the work 10 would be we'll 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
bis ability 10 build o good road and
10 do II at q moderate figure. And
there are many In ST. Mary's who
could do our State road work.
The Road Commission can teach
us many things and help our Road
Supervisors great deal. But the
Commission dUosn Z know 10 oil, and
John s. Bean, and maybe others OF
our road supervisors, might give
tho Commission valuable hint now
and then.
We do not know what the Com
mission has determined upon, but
wo think that 10 ought to have our
roads constituted Of the material we
have at hand, The writer knows
OF gravel roads that have been built
In 81. Mary's and have stood the
wear and tear OF over q quarter OF q
century of travel.
We want the State Road Commits.
sion 10 show Us how 10 make the
best possible roads with our county
material. Macadam and Telford
roads are out Of the question here,
for the price and transportation ol
the material 10 build Them is prohi.
bltive. We must DO content with
roads built OF the materials we have
at hand, and the Commission win be
real boneiactors 70 as II Il win show
as how 10 combine gravel, clay and
sand 10 make the most lasting road.
bed.
With our allotment of the State
Road Fund we could build $50 miles
Of gravel roads that will last for
over generation with little or nc
repairs. The Fund will not build
us 10 miles Of MRcaddam road.
There can DO no question oil What
Ia best 10 do and we hope tie Com.
mission viii act busy and do II.
Show us some good roads. Let's
have done with The preliminaries
and Ret down 10 the business Of
making roads that the present gen.
GRAFTON may enjoy. Gravel roads
that we may trot over for the next
a3 years win satisfy the great ma
j0rity Of our people. Make So.
Mary's roads Of St. Mary's mater
iais.