Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-17

ware road was being constructed by this
method, instead Of being given by Gen.
du Pont. On the du Pont road some
twenty-six acres of land have been con-
demned for every mile of road. Revenue
from the road will be partly derived from
trolley franchises, from water, telephone,
telegraph and sewer right of way rentals
and partly from the rental Of that part
of the twenty-six acres per mile which
is not used for actual road construction.
\ X X X
AS laid out, the du Pont road consists
of some seven parts, although not all OF
them will be developed Immediately. the
idea being to increase the size of the road
as the traffic becomes heavier. When COM
pleted the road will consist of forty-foot
strip in the middle, which Will be given
over to automobiles, and on either side
of this forty-foot strip a fifteen-foot strip,
which has been reserved for trolley lines
Beyond the trolley lines there will be
thirty-foot roads for horse-draWn vehicles
and heavy traffic. Adjoining each OF these
last named roads will be dirt roads fifteen
feet WIDE under which will be laid water
pipes. sewers. telephone and telegraph
cCnduits. etc, thus eliminating any ne
cessity for tearing up the paved portion
Of the road.
AS will be seen, the total acreage util-
lied for the road, in spite of the magnifi-
cent width and arrangement, Will not
come near taking up the twenty-six acres
reserved, and it is from this remainder
that it is expected. considerable revenue
for road maintenance can be devised.
Cen du Pont has conceived several Otner
features, which he intends to put through
and which will be of great value to the
state. One Of them is the Ioundatlon OF
several agricultural experimental stations.
in charge of trained men, which Will be
maintained by the revenue OF the road. At
these experimental stations it Is proposed
to work out carefully the special problems
of each individual section OF the state,
and thus be able to advise the farmers in
such a way as to increase their material
prosperity.
Gen. du Pont also intends to set monu-
ments LOCO feet apart along the whole
length of the road these points being
established SO accurately that they can
serve as base points" In any future sur
yey of the state.
In the actual construction of the road
many experiments are being tried. which
will be exceedingly useful for reference
purposes and for the guidance of future
road makers. Although different systems
of road construction have been expert
mented upon. 1T is probable that either
the bithulitic or penetration system will
be used. Both of these systems are alike
at the beginning, the basis Of both being
a concrete foundation about six inches
Deep which is laid after the road has
been properly graded and drained. In the
bithulitic process the top dressing which
is composed. of crushed stone, which has
been thoroughly coated with asphalt by
being run through mixing machine. In
the penetration process the crushed stone
is graded over the foundation and melted
asphalt is then poured on top of it.
In either case top course of asphalt
and sand is carefully applied and rolled.
and this not only acts as a binder and
levels any slight inequalities of the road
surface, but also serves to keep rain or
snow water from penetrating the road
structure.
While, the bithulitic process is more ex-
pensive, it withstands the action of the
elements better. in many respects, than
the penetration system. In the penetra-
ton system the stones not having been
evenly covered with asphalt. are apt to
shift when the asphalt is softened by the
heat Of the sun or is contracted by ex-
treme cold. thus causing breaks and UNI
evenness in the roadbed.
The importance and value of such q
project as this one undertaken by Gen.
du Point cannot well be overestimated. It