Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1911-12-19

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very best of satisfaction, under SCI
we're traffic tests. These concrete
roads have been laid on highways
which are the extensions of the
main thoroughfares Of the city Of
Detroit. These concrete roads are
laid in two courses there is but one
mix of concrete, top to bottom, and
in most cases the concrete Is z" deep
and Is wide. 1t is composed of
mixture of part Portland cement,
LIZ parts OF screened, washed sand,
and 3 parts of pebbles, these last
named well graded from n to
liz. A patent expansion joint is
used made Of soft steel. This con-
sists Of plate 3-16" thick from
which shear members are punched
and these are pulled out, SO that
they project into the concrete at the
end of each section. two plates being
used between sections, and between
plates two thicknesses of asphalt
felt. These plates are first carefully
formed to the curvature Of the road.
The Board OF County Road Com
missioners have their own equip
ment and build their own pave
ment. Some OF the early pavements
were laid on contract. These roads
have cost complete. including drain
age, culverts and gravel shoulders,
from $40 to $50 per 50. yd., the
cost depending to a very great ex-
tent upon the distance between the
scene of operations and the base OF
supplies. Labor charge is rather
high and it is necessary to board the
men at some distance from the city,
in construction camps so you see
that these conditions fully explain
the variable cost figure. A rather
detailed description Of the road
building methods of the Wayne
County Road Commissioners was
published in the October issue OF
Concrete, copy of which was sent
to you
The writer asked County Road
Commissioner Hines this morning
about the number of cracks which
have come in the pavement. In
thirty miles of concrete pavement
laid in Is sections there are about
$500 sections. In little less than
100 Of these sections, small and
rather unimportant cracks have
come. However, If the first three
and q half miles of pavement laid
by Wayne county be eliminated
from this record, because on this
first stretch the methods being not
so carefully thought out as they
are now, the result will show q still
better record. In other words, full
| " * OF the cracks which have come
| are In the first three and halt
miles, leaving less than 40 cracks In
about 5.700 sections, in the pave
ment which has since been put
down. This is about lilo of one
per cent OF cracked sections. We
consider that an approximation OF
perfection which Is worth while.
This is made possible because the
cement Is carefully tested. the best
graded and washed aggregates are
used and there is careful inspec-
ton in every stage OF the operation.
You inquire as to the amount OF
materials required. For mixture
of 1926 you will require Lit bar
rels Of cement, SO Gu. yds sand and
SO Gu. yds of stone. It Is the opin-
ion OF the Wayne County Road Com
missioners that gravel makes a bet
ter wearing pavement than crushed
limestone. and we call your atten-
ton in this connection to the mix
ture used in Wayne county, men
toned above.
| AS to your belief that good con-
/ crete pavement can be laid In your
city for $1.00 to $1.25 per SO. yd.,
we think you are right, because
your materials will cost much less
than they cost In Wayne county,
Michigan. The Board OF County
Road Commissioners have been pay
ing $1.12 for cement. .95 ton for
sand, and .s5 to $1.10 a ton for peb-
bles. We suggest, however, that q
few cents saving in cost be not urg-
ed too strongly in selecting the ma
terials from which concrete is to be
made. A few cents additional ex-
pense at the outset may mean many
dollars In wearing value.
There is no question at all but
concrete gives the cheapest pave
ment in the world, and when we
say cheapest we mean the maximum
OF service for a minimum Of annual
cost. AS the cost must not be con-
sidered without looking ahead, the
| ouuvol cocf ~ tho navemopt Is the