Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-07-10
JOHN McADAM.
Famous Scot Who Originated the Mod
ern Macadam Road.

John Loudon McAdams was born in
Ayr. Scotland Sept. 21. 1856. He was the
son of James McAdams a descendant of
Adam McGregor, the first baron Of
Waterhead, and one of the highland
clan of McGregor. When James H. of
Scotland outlawed the McGregors, Adam
settled in the lowlands and changed his
name to McAdam John Loudon Nc
Adams mother was Susan Cochrane,
daughter of John Cochrane of Water
head relative of the Earl of Dun
donald
When John was IA years old his father
died, and he was intrusted to the care
of his uncle. William McAdam. a mer-
chant living in New York city. He re-
ceived his business training with his
uncle and accumulated considerable
fortune during the Revolutionary was
as an agent for the sale of prizes. When
the war was over. McAdam had lost
most of his property. but had enough
left to enable him to return to Scotland
in 1888 and purchase "Sanhrle" an estate
in Ayrshire, where he had lived for 10
years
He was married twice, his first wife
being the daughter of American set
tier named Nichols. his second wife was
also an American by descent, named De
| Lancey. He had seven children, four
sons and three daughters, all by his first
wife
In Ayrshire. MeAdam was magistrate
deputy lieutenant of the county and
[ road trustee. At that time the roads
| throughout Great Britain, especially in
| Scotland. were very bad. and McAdam
interested himself in investigating eondi-
| tions and conducting experiments in road
| building
| "As result of his Investigations and
| experiments. according to Good Roads,
''he arrived at the conclusion that roads
| should be constructed of small broken
| stone. He eontended that the earth
| foundation should be raised slightly
| above the adjacent land. and that suita-
bic bitches should be built at the side to
provide drainage; that the earth founda-
| ton should be covered by series of
| thin layers of hard stone broken into
/ small angular fragments of nearly
| cubical shape and as nearly as possible
/ of the same size, no piece to weigh over
| six ounces The layers of broken stone
We're to be consolidated gradually by the
| traffic and would ultimately form a
/ SfnO0tn, nara crust lfnpeTNI0us 10 water
and durable in proportion to the hardness
of the stone and the density of traffic.
| He laid down this principle that the nat
ural soil really supports the traffic, and
/ that while 1t is preserved in a dry state
IT will sustain any weight without sink
| ing. The two essential requisites there
| fore, were drainage and a waterproof
covering
4 tsT,t.. to-,
| a trench, into which the hard material
| was placed, and was based on the theory
that an artificial foundation was neces-
| sary to uphold the road. McAdam con-
tended that this trench formed a veri-
| table reservoir in which water accumu
lated. softening the foundation in rainy
| seasons and freezing and upheaving in
| winter. McAdam proved that a soft
foundation would sustain properly built
broken stone road.
In 1893 McAdam's business caused him
to take up his residence in Falmouth.
where he continued his experiments.
Here he offered himself to the commits
sioners as encouragement of roads,
and was appointed to that position on
June 16. 1915, at salary of $500 year.
of which $1,000 was for expenses. In this
into actual practice. and soon became
| we'll known as road builder. In 1919
he attracted a great deal of attention to
| his methods by the publication OF "A
Practical Essay on the Scientific Repair
ing and Preservation of Roads" This
/ was followed in 1920 by his present
System of Road Making
In 1920 McAdam presented petition
4 to the house of commons asking for the
| payment of his expenses and such re-
| ward for his services as the House, in
its justice and wisdom should think INT
\ to grant" parliamentary COMMITTEES
| was then considering the state of the
highways and in giving evidence before
this body McAdam stated that between
1893 and 1914 he had travelled over $1,000
| miles of the roads of Great Britain in
order to carry on his Investigations, that
1920 days had been employed in TINS
| work, and that he had expended In 1t
| more than $4,000 AS result of the in
| vestigations of the committee. McAdam
was advanced $4,000 in two installments.
| in part payment of his expenses. and In
| addition Parliament voted him, in B23,
| gratuity of $30,o00 He was also Of
| fered the title of knight, but refused IT,
| In 1927 he was appointed surveyor general
to the commissioners of metropolitan
turnpike roads, and Occupied that position
| until his death, Nov. Is, 1896, at the age
| of S1.-Road Building.
|
ROMANCE OF SALoME MODEL.