The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1910-06-10
FROM OUR EXCHANGES.
Qarre Ilmes.)

(Barfe lines.
In Hardwick, the village trustees
haveEa discussion whether to build
a permanent road on one Of the
main streets of concrete or macadam.
Take Barre's word for it, that there
is no doubt of the better value OF
macadam over concrete. A strip
of concrete was laid on the main
street of this city some years ago,
and within a short time it was
full of holes and ruts, which rendered
travelling over it a decided discom-
fort. The proposed road material
in Hardwick may not be subjected
to the same pressure as that
brought to bear on the Barre street,
but even so, the likelihood is that
concrete will become filled with
depressions. The concrete pave
ment became so poor in Barre that
the, entire strip had to be torn up
and is now replaced with granite
block pavement; and Hardwick's
experience would probably be some
what similar. Moreover, it is much
more difficult to do a satisfactory Job
of patching concrete than it is
macadam, for tits next
to impossible to get an even surface
without concreting over a wide
section outside the circumference
of the damaged part. That necessi-
tates, of course, a considerable
expense, in addition to the filling
of the holes. On the other hand,
macadam can be easily and cheaply
repaired each year if thought best,
by simply resurfacing and adding
some binding material
Therefore, the task which the
Hardwick trustees have to face
ought to find a ready adjustment,
because of the eXtravagant expert
ences of some other communities.
AS between concrete and macadam
orroad buildingon a much travelled
street, there is no doubt whatever
of the superiority of macadam.
Barre, also, has a problem for
North Main street, but concrete
is not considered at all in the
discussion; and, by the way, the
city council should be taking steps
at once to adopt some policy based
on intelligent observations in other
communities and then by another
spring go to work on the completion
of the much delayed work on North |
Main street. The road is in very
poor shape from the end of the granite
at Depot square northerly |
to Blackwell street; and it is one
of the most prominent and most used |
in the municipality |
at the present time. The street |
opening out from it has been put |
in splendid shape, but the main
artery has been neglected. If the
advocates of granite blocks and
macadam cannot reconcile their
differences, it should be remembered
that there are other materials
for permanent road building. One
of these is asphalt in blocks,
rather expensive, perhaps, but COM
Dining most of the good qualities
Of granite blocks and macadam,
while not having their unsatisfac-
tory qualities. Let there be a
committee chosen to investigate
and report within a reason
able time.
(Brattleboro Reformer.)
Governor Quimby of New Hamp-
shire is doing an excellent bit of
work for his State by
telling outsiders about the trunk
inc highways now under construc-
ion there. New Hampshire appre-
hates the value of the summer
.ourist business and is doing much
20 hold and extend it. According
20 the governors calculation, sum-
ner visitors last year left S14, 00O,O 600
n the State, and he believes that
hey will leave much more this
year, basing his confidence on the
great improvement that has been
and is being made on the main
.horoughfares of pleasure travel.
The fact that New Hampshire
5 spending sl,5O0,OOO on three
runk-lines is an advertisement from
which the State will get immeasur-
IDLE return, and its ability 10 state
his fact has come about through