The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1910-02-26

wat read by County Commissioner w
II. Holverstott before the Marion
County Farmers Institute Thursday
morning in the Y. NJ. c. A. auditor
ium.
Inasmuch as the paper deals almost
wholly with conditions in Marion
county It is Of unusual interest to
Marion county people interested in
road building.
"The question of good roads, how to
build them and how to maintain them
is Of very great Importance. The re &.
pair OF the improved roads of this
county presents the greatest one prob
lem which we have to solve.
when one stops to consider that
We have upwards of 700 miles Of i'm
proved roads. built at an original cost
OF over two million dollars, we be-
gin to realize the Importance of the
maintenance of these roads. Particu-
larly so when at the present time we
have upwards OF ore hundred miles
which needs resurfacing and to do
this work In proper way would re-
quire an amount so much in excess of
the amount available that I will not
make any estimate whatever.
THE average cost of repairing q
mile of pike is move than generally
supposed. To give you an idea of the
amount necessary to resurface a mile
/ refer you to the estimate Of the
cost of seven miles and 142 feet as
being $14,229.60. This work will in all
probability sell below the estimate but
hardly enough to make any material
difference, in the comparison / wish
to make.
The amount available for repair
work for each year at the present
rate Of taxation including the state
aid is a trifle less than $42,00O.0O
From this amount we must deduct
for minor repairs something like &c.,
600. to $4,000, leaving for actual
resurfacing about $4,000. From these
figures you can readily see that If
teen miles is about the limit for eacn
year. Consequently 1t requires thirty
or more years TO get back to the
starting point. But remember this very
important fact, that some of our main
roads require resurfacing every seven
or eight years, whicn adds greatly
to the difficulty
For fear some may consider this
cost excessive, wish to state that all
work is let by competitive bids to the
lowest bidder who is able to givA
q good and sufficient bond for the
faithful performance of the contract.
"The very important question no v
arises. ere we getting thc results OBJ
tainable from our present method of
repairing our highways? In many
cases, yet, others no. There fore, It be-
comes our duty to correct these faults
in our road building and find a So
luton for the problem. For instance
a road which is not heavily travelled
the present method is undoubtedly |
as satisfactory cost considered, as
can be found.
"A careful study of stone roads
where traffic is heavy and the auto
mobile common, has shown that tn.
ordinary stone road has not the last.
ing qualities to stand the traffic OF
heavy and rapidly moving automo-
biles As a consequence the roadway
soon becomes filled with holes and
ruts which are enlarged as traffic goes
over the road in dry weather and also
by mud holes after each rain.
ION our main roads it has
become absolutely imperative that we
find a better method of repairing than
the present one. But what shall II be?
very frankly confess that I do noL
know. However do say this, that
you can not build a good road with
out using a filler or binder or some
kind, nor can you get the best results
the most for the money by using a
small sized stone for the top layer
or course.
"This Is contrary to popular opin-
ion but in the near future, hope this
win be demonstrated to your satisfac-
tion. The opinion of practical road
builders is that you will get better
results when using stone dust as a
filled or binder by using stone two
to four Inches In size. BY doing so
the road will wear longer, less likely
TO cut and not so easily ground to
pieces and dust to re blown away bv
the wind
Unless the material of a road Is
held solidly together the wear and
tear is very much greater than other
wise. The use of brick is becoming d
large factor in road building in some
parts of the state, but not until re.
Gently have I been able 10 learn the
cost per mile Of brick. on December
2S at Woodsfield. o.. one mile sold for
N,625. In Morrow county from the .
south corporation line Of Mt. Gilead, a
water bound macadam pike is being
built, at a cost of nearly 81 200 per
1-2 miles. I mention thds so you
may know what is being done else /
where.
october last I had the pleasure Of
viewing the experimental road at CO. .
lumbus built under the supervision of
the state highway commission for the
purpose Of determining the wearing
qualities as compared with the cost
OF the various methods used in roai
construction. All kinds Of bit-uminous
material was used, tar oil, as well as
cement and a section OF what Is know1
as water bound maeadam. This roa1
was built in sections a section being