The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1912-05-17
Friday, May II, 1912
THE WORK OF ROAD
CONSTRUCTION.

The criticism of the roads
constructed by the State Roads
Commission which is most fire.
quently heard is that they are
too expensive. That is to say,
residents of a given county would
prefer, say, ten miles of second
class roads to five miles first
class roads. If the more expen-
sive roads were proportionately
more durable than the cheaper
roads, there would be less room
for criticism, says the Baltimore
Sun. But it seems that the most
expensive stone roads that have
been constructed are torn up by
the automobiles as rapidly as
the less expensive, unless, in,
deed, they are kept oiled.
Much of the large expense of
road making in this State is due
to the policy of reducing grades.
This is a wise policy. 1t is folly
to compel teams to draw heavy
loads over steep hills for years
to come when the grade can be
reduced by a reasonable expendi-
ture or avoided altogether by a
reasonable detour. That is the
policy of modern railroad build
ers. The first cost of making a
railroad is scarcely considered
against the continued cost of
operating over a heavy grade.
Therefore the policy of the State
Roads Commission in grading,
even when the cost has been
large, is a wise policy.
But in view of the fact of the
helplessness of road builders in
dealing with the automobile
problem it may we'll be doubted
whether the present expensive
surfacing is justified. In Western
Maryland, where stone is abun-
dant, the old turnpike roads
have been made at a cost of
from ST. 500 to $1,000 per mile.
But this included neither grading
nor rolling. And yet those roads
served an excellent purpose and
some of them have been famous
as good roads.
For the use of teams and for
persons riding on horseback the
clay road, if it is reasonably
smooth, is greatly preferred to
the stone road, because it is
easier on the horses's feet. In
constructing the turnpike roads
it was considered good policy to
have a dirt" or clay track along
side the stone track, and this
clay track would be used for per-
haps nine months in the year,
saving wear and tear on the
stone surface. This would en-
able the road makers to reduce
the width of the stone track, as
much of the travel would take to
the side road. Automobiles pre-
fer the stone road and that would
give teams greater safety on the
side tracks. In the winter when
the teams take to the stone track,
the number of automobiles is
less.
In Ohio and West Virginia
many roads, it is reported, have
been made of bricks. These
roads ought to withstand automo-
bile travel without injury, and
it is said they are no more ex-
pensive than the frst-class stone
road. A narrow brick road with
an unpaved side track might
serve the purpose.
In the Southern counties,
where there is no stone but an
abundance of clay and sand,
there is said to be a sentiment in
favor of well-graded roads, we'll
rounded and drained, with a sur
face made of clay and sand
Roads of this type are,
of course. cheaper than stone
roads and those counties could
get good many miles for their
money instead of few miles of
stone road of S10 mn or 40 O00