The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1910-09-02
STREET IMPROVEMENT.
EAST MAIN STREET NOW OPEN FOE
TRAVEL TO C0URT STREET.
Tar IS 200 Degrees Before Being
Applied 10 Street Fine Road
When Completed.

4 month ago Westminster started
TO repair Main street Since then thg
work has been progressing rapidly.
except for unavoidable delays. caused
by the failure Of contractors 70 live u
to their agreements The first tank
car Of the tar, not having the proper
consistency and not being N accord
with specifications. vas rejected and
since then the large size stone has
not arrived. IN some cases. as rapidly
as promised.
The work being done Is under the
direct supervision Of Engineers OF the
Office of Public Roads. branch OF The
U. :. Department o. Agriculture. For
about twenty years The Government
has been endeayorIng 10 teach The
public how % build roads. and the
work Il has done and the information
gathered, which Is distributed in :
bulletin form. Il OF Inealculahle value
The road being built here l. the bezI
that science and experience knows nf
to-day and Westminster should have.
when finished. the best road hat car
be constructed for the money IN
Maryland
IN performing this work, The grade
fixed Tor the streets 81 the town by tn
GoldHborouKH Survey. years ago, I
followed. Although IN man places
the cutters are on grade. thIH fact i
ignored aud he road Is mad. true Il
the established iiuea= This CAUSES ~
abfuninesB IL appear here md there
owing 10 The fact that the CUTTERS
form 10 shoulder for The road bed, an
will neeesaiIaIe the CUTTERS later Be.
Ing nui on grade
The first part of he work consists
Of digging ~ so much OF tie aurfaea
Of he street = is required II Eat II o.
grade. This i done = HpikinH wiih thz
steam roller and then having meI
with picks de TO The grade. One o
the rollers giving out the rad ploH
has alBce been employed. but Il IL no
30 satisfactory as'it goes always 20 :
uniform depth. and hence sometimes
more stones are torn up Ihan :
/ necessary.
AfIer the stones are looeened in on
/ OF these waxH they re aoHHHned oT
/ the streets = ~ - remove Ill Dir
and aaat. HHieh Il 9afted aHay anl
employed In ne repair OF Hlds street.
and alleys The stones afs left II
row on tnH street md immadiateI5
+ spread uniformly or the surface
/ Wooden peEH are then driven ever
/ 70 an 20 feaI across the street. n.
f top Of which represent tha DronaI
+ grade. and ~ atuaaH spread on ii.
old ne height necessary 10 bring II 4
the contour Ixed !. he psgH II.
street is then rolled HIlghtly.
] AIIaf this work Is done ths tar fal
j Low. The preparation used Il a b.
i product OF lHa United Gas md In
pruTHment Company Of PHILADELPHIA
and = consistency i greater tia
! thai employed By lhs State aI MARY
/ land n Is YORK. = franIo on on
street II So heavy tat specification
were made f9f IL d. chemists OF tn
Government Tho @ street sprinkler
/ is used in spraying MS material, tt.
+ tar IIrHl being heated 10 q IsmpeHa
i ture Of about go degrees. THIa heat
+ ing : done while i Is in he tan
cars IN which It Is shipped. which ar.
+ equipped vii steam pipes IhrouKI
j which steam = pumped from N ord
mar engine.
/ T. the street sprinkler Il ATTACHED
two pieces aI large hose with a fan
/ shaped nozzzI. two men hold eaeI
hose and as he steam roller pulls II
] sprinkler slowly over the street III
men spread he tar over The surface
OF the road Led
ImmediateI. behind the stree
sprinkler follows waEons with smal
/ stones which are spread 0x9r tn
! tarra1 surface. These are then rolled
and another thin coat Of tar applied
which Is called painting" After thiI
another layer Of small chips Of stone
called the sHquegees course. is an
piled which i also rolled, The stree
| rs then opened 10 traffic.
! Main street i now finished from tn
! Washington Road to Court street am
| the next tank of tar should eompletl
/ IL beyond the Westminster Hotel Tn
work progresses rapidly and weather
conditions being favorable and no miH.
hapa occurring. the month Of septem.
| ber should see the work OF repairing
Main street, Tor distance Of ovei
5000 feet lonE and % feet wide. com.
pleted The town I'll then have !
piece Of work that VII not only be 9
credit to II, but an object lesson of al
road builders.