The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-03-19

AZ the regular monthly meetinx OF
the Richmond Automobile Club last
evening the members listened to a
communication from City Engineer
Boiling In regard to the Cary Street
road matter. which has previously en-
gaEed the attention Of the club. air.
Botiings letter was addressed to the
president, J. r. Paimatory, and was
read by Secretary IL. Grim Peck. II
follows.
Mr.. J. Thomas Palmatory. President,
"a, and Members Of the Richmond Au-
tomobile Club:
Gcntlemcn,--I notice that members
Of your club adopted certain resolu-
lions In regard to "A purported inter-
view with me fthe City Engineer).
published in the Dispatch OF
February ~. and beg to ray that I
hayc never seen tho piece alluded to
an tho issue Of the Times-Dispatch of
February rs. nor do | recall having
had any interview In regard to the
condition of Grove avenue and Cary
street west Of the Boulevard. How
ever. distinctly wish to state that l
have not I'm any interview. or at any
time. ascrtbcd tho bad condition Of
these two streets' to tho use OF same
by autono biles.
These streets are in very bad con-
ditton. and the causes. In my opinion.
are due, first. to the fact that the
grading on these streets was done In
the late fall and early winter. and.
when cxcasated to grade, for the
greater part on each street, the CUR
race was soft and what We term
'crnwflsh clay" Tho best gravel wo
could get was then placed on these
u r.xft. txsk& If<~t~t
rollers. and a proper crown In cross
section WIRE given to these streets.
The worst spell OF weather l have
ever KNOWN then came: alternately
Areextng. showing. thawing and rain
I'M. which resulted not only In tho
streets being cut UP very badly. bur
thA weather caused the gravel to
work down and the clay to work an.
thus making a soft and muddy road,
Tho worst conditions on these streets
were caused b. this weather, and by
the iact that ii was used. In my opin-
ION. by narrow-tircd vehicles. which
cut It up into deep ruts. We have
nad no weather since in which these
streets could have been put into
proper condition.
While | disclaim that l have ex-
pressed an opinion that the bad con-
ufttcn OF these streets was caused by
automobiles, j have on former occa-
stofs stated that. during times of wet
weather, our graded streets were be-
INF badly eat up and injured by au-
toniobiles running over them, some
times at higi, speed. witl, chains at
tached to the rear wheels. have FREE
quently seen these chains pick up the
gravel and throw same for some dis
tancc when the streets are In i wet
condition.
knowing that automobiles have
come to stay and that good roads are
needed not only for other vehicles. but
qu1pmobilcs as well. have RECON-
F3aended that. In constructing such
foads, VIC use a bifuminous or tar
filler or binder. 40 as To bind the par
ttcles OF gravel together. and have
invariably given instructions that such
roads lie brought to n high crown, as
compared with the paved streets. go
that the water viii shed on readily.
Whereas this adds somewhat 10 the
expense OF making sach roads, re-
gard 1t as both necessary and desirn-
bic. The oils we have thus far placed
on our streets have been light oils and
I have only served the purpose Of lay
ing the dust.
| have written you at scne length,
describing what we are trying 10 do
with gravel roads. which IL the cheap
est construction we are able to make.
but my main purpose - TO disclaiin
and refutc the statement that l had
said the bad condition OF Grove avenue
and Cary street west of the boulevard
was due to its use by automobiles.
would be glad IL you would make
this statement to the members Of your
club.
Yours truly, =
I'lIAS. Il. BOILING,
City Engineer.