Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1912-12-12
ROAD BUILDING
WITH THE ROLLER
City Courcil Will Try New
Policy.
WILL SAVE MONEY.
The Members of Council Have Great
Faith in the Efficiency and
Economy of Road
Roller.

the purchase by the city of a 9aso-
line road roller with a scarifier and |
other equipment, at an expense of |
$32O0 has been viewed by many at |
different angles, and there are diverse |
opinions regarding the enterprise. |
There are those who have little faith |
in the road roller at all. Others there
are who feel that for gravel work, the
City of Bridgeton has purchased a
too heavy roller and that NOR prac-
tical machine would have been a five
or six ton tandem roller. There are
some others who feel that the gaso-
line engine type of roller has not
been sufficiently developed to be alb
solutely dependable, and urge that it
would have been better buy for
Bridgeton if steam roller had been
secured.
City Council purchased the Austin
Weston road roller, together with its
equipment because the members felt
it was the very best machine the city
could invest its money in. Cocncil did
could invest its money in. Council did
bers of the body spent several days
in going where all types of road rol-
lers were in active use and in addition
to watching the machine in actual op-
GRAFTON, carefully studied the results
of the work of the machines.
The Councilmen found that the
steam roller men were building and
arguing against gasoline engines for
road roller work, and all the time the
builders of steam rollers are endeaV-
oring to develop gasoline engines for
their machines. The steam men will
agree that the gasoline type as the
machine for the future will have
many advantages, but they persist
that as yet. the satisfactory gasoline
roller has not been developed.
City Council felt that it would be
d step backward to secure a steam
roller when in so shont a time they
were to be obsolete. THEY found the
Austin-Weston type to be- working
satisfactorily under all tests, Fand they
safe-garded the interests of the tax
payers here, by requiring the Austin
Weston Company to furnish a bend
guaranteeing the gasoline roller for
number of years, thus obtaining for
Brid2eton the same security that
would have resulted in the purchase
OF steam machine. AS to the weight
of the roller brought here, Brdgeton
councilmen feel that they have chosen
wisely.
The situation then is this: Bridge
ton has the ten ton gasoline roller
and equipment, and it is paid for
The demonstration of its usefulness
and efficiency cannot now be tested
I until spring. The roller has therefore
been housed for the winter season.
In April will begin the test. City
Councilmen propose to provide a gen
uine test at that time. 1t is proposed
to have the road roller do nearly all
of the work of street repairing for
next year. The councilmen who have
given the matter careful thought and
study, are convinced that the long
stretches of roadways upon the prin-
cipal dirt streets. can be put in eX-
cellent condition at cost. much less
than the policy so long followed here
The claim is made that the gravel
wagons have been carting gravel up
on our streets year in and year on
building up and up all the time 1t is
believed that when the gasoline roller
is brought out in the spring, the
streets will be rooted up with wheel
spikes and plows and tons and tons
of excellent road material will be
Of the streets. The plowed streets
will be scarified with the road ma
chine, and then the good gravel, which
will thus be brought upon the surface
will be rolled and re-rOlled, and Sc
curely packed in compact mass, the
grade properly established.
1t is claimed by these councilmen
that the streets thus treated will not
need more gravel and that thousands
of dollars will be saved the city by
dispensing with most of the gravel
hauling teams. 1t is further urged