Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1912-02-16
Paper Read By Mr.. b. r. COdwise At
The Farmers Convention,
Sandy Spring.
AND THE ACTION Or The CONVENTION
THEREON.

The word system, as defined by Webster.
is a complete whole, Of objects related
for a common end, forming one thing.
The very definition Of the word precluded
the idea Of working into complete whole
the various units known. in Montgomery.
as road supervisors an ever-shifting body,
to keep which fully recruited frequently
necessitates employing those who are not
preferred and often lack both interest in
and the skill to perform the work required.
The maintenance Of the roads, resting upon
men who occupy dual positions. will always
be subservient TO the personal interest Of
such men; causing divided interest, and
divided interest can have no end in COM
mon.
Section l77I of the Road Law of 1910
creates the Office Of Superintendent of
Roads and defines his duties viz, he
shall inspect the roads and bridges in each
district as often as may be necessary to
thoroughly familiarize himself with the
conditions and requirements Of the county
generally and TO recommend to the County
Commissioners such repairs and improve
ments as he may think advisable"
The necessary supervision of quarries
and macadam construction, in addition to
other duties incident to the Office, makes
the frequent inspection of the 825 miles
Of county roads, with their $50 supervi-
sors, by the road engineer, under that sec
ton impossible. 1t is doubtful if he will
see each and all of those supervisors actu-
ally at work once in two years, and he
cannot know the effectiveness of their la
Dor their economy or waste.
This condition will not meet the require
ments of System. objects related for
common end
Section 177G, Law of 1910, provides for
an official road map of the county in sec
tons of one or more Election Districts and
the erection of highway monuments or
boundaries and to renew the same" This
is the first step in scientific maintenance,
making il possible to determine the exact
cost of given road per mile the COM
parative cost per mile with another road |
Of like character; determining the actual |
performance in time and money on the |
part of a given supervisor and the relative |
performance on the part Of two or more |
supervisors under approximately the same |
conditions. The comparative performance
by the various supervisors will indicate
those who are failing to make good. In
that case the remedy is obvious.
As il is clearly impracticalto install such
a system and use the large body of super
visors now employed. The following reso-
luton adopted on December 5th, 1907 at
a meeting held in Rockville upon the invi-
tation of the Farmers Club of Goshen, will
suggest the alternative:
Resolved, 1t is the sense of this meet
ing one road supervisor for each collection
district should be appointed, who shall
hold Office during the pleasure of the Road
Commissioners and the efficient perform
ance of his duties it being understood the
said supervisor shall not embark in any
employment conflicting with his duties as
supervisor.
This resolution was affirmed in two sub
sequent meetings, in the same town, De-
cember 18th. 1907, and January 18th,
1908. The contemplated method of oper-
alton by the supervisor is to use movable
camps, house wagons. as are used in rail-
way constructions and on county roads in
many States, particularly the Southern
States employing convict labor. The nee
essary tools, teams and machinery being
provided for each camp. The district su-
pervisor beginning in the spring and NOV
ing over all the roads in his area through
the summer and early fall, and during the
winter employing the outfit in Quarries in
the preparation of material for use in re-
pairing or adding to macadam roads. The
area to be allotted to a supervisor to be
determined by experience Supervisors
making reports to their chief weekly
on printed form. stating distance covered
and setting forth the cost in hours fos both
men and horses at the established per
diem.
Close observation for few weeks on the
part Of the Engineer will determine rea-
sonable standard Of distance and work on
dirt roads for given time and cost. The
roads should be classified on the road map
for each district, No. being macadam and
No. and dirt roads. classified thus by
the tonnage passing over them. The roads
should be named for the purpose of refer
ence and telephone numbers convenient
to the different sections Of each road re-
corded with the roads name. on the dis
trict map for the information of the En-
gineer's Office.
The progress of given supervisor on the
roads should be charted weekly on the road |
map Of his district. based on the weekly |
reports returned to the Engineers office.
This is the system followed by all rail- |
road companies to indicate in the home |
office the progress of all new construction, |
using what is called a progress profile
an outline of excavation and embankment, |
bridges and culverts-the profile being col
ored in water-colors each month. deter
mined by the Engineers report. who is in
charge of construction. as to the rate Of
progress,
All macadam roads, at the time of con-
struction, should have deposits of broken
stone Of proper diameter placed on their
Sides at intervals Of one mile, for repairs.
Such roads should be patrolled at stated in
tervals by one or two competent employees.
having with them low-down wagon in
which to carry tools and broken stone. 1t
should be their duty to pick out, refill and
ram down with an iron-shod paving ram
mer all depressions that gather water to
the depth Of one inch They should re-
plenish the wagon with broken stone from
the deposits on the sides as needed and
make their movement constantly forward
Water retained in depressions upon mac
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