Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1909-01-27
GOOD ROAD MATERIAL
Best In the World Scattered
Throughout United States.
is DUSTLEsS AND DURABLE.

posits of Asphaltum Rock Give
Country Great Improvement Chance.
The people of the United States have
ready at their hand the best roadmak-
ing material in the world. Deposits
Of It are scattered throughout the coun-
! try so that 1t cannot be "cornered,
and its use will bring Il 'dustless era,
romblned with safety for horses and
automobiles.
These are some Of the co.. 'sfOns Of
Howard H. Gross, one g. ne four
United States commissioners to the
international good roads congress at
Paris, who recently returned. Mr..
Gross is an enthusiast on roads and Is
preparing to put his observations to
good use In acquainting the American
people with the results Of experiments
abroad and the opportunities which
lie at their own doors.
II have found while abroad that we
have more to learn Of Great Britain
than Of France regarding the building
Of modern roads" said Mr. Gross TO
representative of the Chicago Post.
'"France has enjoyed Il reputation In
the past for having the best roads in
the world, but they are wearing out
under the strain Of automobile traffic,
and comparatively little new work Is
being done. In Great Britain, how
ever, they are taking up the task with
modern, up to date methods and are
conducting experiments which will be
Of value to every country
! everywhere the difficulty is the
same-the automobile riddles the pave
mpnt, the tires lifting out the fine par
ticles which compose the surface of
the macadam road, leaving the rough
stone Therefore the English have
adopted the new plan Of increasing the
size OF the crushed stone In the top Of
the pavement just before the top dress
ing, or binder, as 1t is called. Is added.
Instead of having the stone an inch
or an inch and half In diameter the
size Is increased to two or two and a
half inches and sometimes three.
There are three methods Of top dress
ing. One IS to apply the coal tar prod
ucts in heated condition; Il better one
Is the use Of an asphaltum mixture,
and the third and best IS the use Of
natural granulated asphaltum rock.
1.-THE asphaltum rock Is crushed and
spread over the surface. being rolled
until It fills the spaces between the
stones and the inequalities Of the sur
face. The stone shows on the surface,
making q gritty hold for horses shoes
In slippery weather and eliminating to
a large extent the skiddlng Of automo-
blles. 1t does not crumble into dust
like the ordinary macadam pavement
and is more durable than any other
road material.
"In the United States we have large
deposits Of rock containing from to 9
per cent Of asphaltum-in Tennessee.
Kentucky, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and
California. Thus the material Is
spread all over the country. 1t Is not
controlled by any patent and would be
a hard thing to corner. A road built
on this plan would last for years. 1t
would cost probably 20 cents square
yard more than macadam, but would
more than make up for the initial ex-
pense In the cheapness of maintenance.
The dustless feature alone Is worth
the difference in cost"
Studying the practical aspects Of
road building abroad Mr.. Gross has
found that government aid has been
the plan generally adopted in Europe
He has found also what he considers
ample reasons for the United States
! government doing the same thing,
with a measure of assistance from
the states themselves. Furthermore.
he holds that the conditions of the
countrys roads Is matter OF uni
versal concern and should be left en-
tirely to the farmers Of each locality
when payment of the initial cost Is
provided for.
"The country roads are part of the
nations mighty system Of transporta-
tlon," he declared "When the roads
are bad every one feels the results in
the cost of the articles on his table
and practically everything else he
uses. II
"The tax on the individual purse,
both rural and urban, extends to the
cost Of running the national govern
ment. The postal department uses 40
per cent Of the roads Of the country
for rural delivery. 1t has been stated
semiofTicially that the expense Of this
service is augmented 20 per cent by
the state of the highways. Now the
postoffice department expends every
year $35,OO0,000 on rural delivery;
Twenty per cent of this is $7OOOOOo
all waste, which would go long way
in paying the interest on an issue OF
low interest government bonds issued
for road building" ......
A clearing house for Information
will be established In Chicago, where
every one interested In good .roads
can secure the latest and best intor-
nation regarding experiments and ex-
perience both in the United States
and abroad. 1t is likely that good
roads bill will be submitted to the
general assembly this winter proVid-
ing for state aid. and Mr.. Gross be-
iieves that the farmers OF the state
n. 4. 49, HNI