The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-03-27
Pans Of Highway Commissioner For
 Coming Season
Outlined in a Communication to
 Automobile Association

The chairman of the publicity com- mittee of the Connecticut Automobile Association q. M. Emerson) recently addressed letter of inquiry to State Highway Commissioner Macdonald for information relating to plans of work of the department for the coming sea- son. covering the date for the begin ming of that work, the policy to be pursued in the application of stone and oil, the plans for the year, whether any special legislation Is needed for the increasing motor truck traffic of the State. etc. The commissioner makes reply as follows:
 There is no fixed time for the State to commence operations, as the char acter of the weather and the severity of the winter has very much to do with the starting of the work every season. This has been so ever since time for beginning operations has been left to the judgment of the se- lectmen in the various towns in which we are constructing state roads. In other words, we ordinarily commence our new work on April 15th:' last year, however, we did not begin the work until the 24th of April
 ''The repairs during the past two years have been under the. surveillance of county engineers and repairsmen The system which we have now, under the law Is county engineer for each county and supervisor of repairs for each county. These county engineers are overlooked by a chief engineer, and the supervisors of repairs are under general superintendent of repairs Last year was the first year under this sys- tenn, and we found that it worked out finely. Of course, the work will pro- greSs better as the men become more fully acquainted with the nature of the work. and the present methods will be perfected.
 I've have organized a patrol system all over the state and the first week in March I sent out instructions to all the repairsmen in the state to make an investigation in their respective counties and to make a personal re- port to this department on the 2Oth of this month. Fortunately these in- structions were given before the tre- mendous storms came and the men were already at work upon their inves- tdgatiOns.~ All repairsmen have carte blanche to employ whatever men and teams are necessary for any emergen- cy and to make and repairs needed to put all our roads in a safe and pleasant condition for the travel
 With the frost going in to the great depth which it has during the past winter, followed by the tremendous rains, it has a decided tendency to make trouble for all departments of public works. So far have not heard of any great trouble in our state work. Nothing could occur to the travel path where we have the macadam. The only thing which could cause trouble is waShOut in some heavy embank- ment. Nothing has developed, how ever, but what can be very readily taken care of without danger to life Or damage to property.
 With reference to the material on some of the roads-we found some diff fculty with the oil in it's application in the early spring and late fall, hav- ing to heat it before it could be ap piled to the surface of the road. But we progressed very, well with this branch of the wOrk-better, I think, last year than the year before, as the men became more accustomed to its application. In fact, our superinten- dent of oiling had his work systematic ed better last year than before and he promises to take care of some of the weaknesses in his system during the coming year.
 with reference to some of the stone applied on the roads for repairs, the department found that the stone de- livered was in excess of the dimen- sions required and that the applica- tion of the tone had, in some instan-
 
 department. For this reason we have had to make several changes in the character of the repairs made, and I anticipate that that part of the work will be taken care of during the next season. It is a difficult matter to watch every carload of stone coming in, but it is the intention of the de- partment to make efficient, intelligent repairs and orders have gone out to that effect. In a majority of eases the work has been very we'll done.
 Tt is the intention of the depart ment to work out some new problems in road building, utilizing some local material other than that which has been used heretofore. It is simply case of trying to bring the material found in our state into that cond ton where we can be reasonably certain of fair and just return for the money expended We hope that we have perfected a formula which will work out solendidly.
 "It has not been our policy to try out everything which has be e'n offered for assembling stone on the road, but rather to await and watch the results of experiments with these produ"ts in other states, so that before expending any large sums we might he sure of sufficient value for the money. So far nothing has been deve'oped or de-