Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1912-09-06
TO BUILC GOOD ROADS
Much Can Be Learned Before
Funds Are Expended.
First Learn What Types Of Highways
Are Best Suited to Traffic and CHI
matte Conditions - MIiiions
Have Been Wasted.

principal methods Of raising funds FOR
good roads, but Director Logan W..
Page Of the public roads department
Of the government believes that be-
fore plans are set on foot for secur-
ing money much should be said regard
ing the manner In which such funds
should be expended.
It should not be assumed that sim
ply because country owns Quarries
from which trap or limestone rock can
be secured that the expensive macad'
am road must necessarily be built.
The qualifications Of any rock can
net be definitely decided upon until
laboratory tests have been held.
Much money has been almost
thrown away In this country, however,
on the construction Of rock-surfaced
roads, those having the construction
In charge neglecting to call IN tho
services OF expert chemists and using
rock totally unsuited to their traffic or
climatic conditions.
In many cases the results were dis
astrous, the roads quickly raveling and
going to pieces because the eementing
value was lacking.
A county which shows insuf1 cient
progress to bond itself In q liberal
amount for the purpose OF securing
improved roads should keep its money
intact until its officers have learned
exactly what class of roads will best
meet its requirements, what type OF
road it is best qualified to construct
and what it can best afford.
Those facts can be secured through
the aid Of the national government.
the Office of public roads, standing
ready to give gratuitous service and
to supply skilled highway engineers
who are qualified to tell what type OF
highway would best meet that coun-
tvs requirements and to demonstrate
those decisions by supervising the
building of stretches Of model high
ways, after which local officials may
take pattern.
Millions have been wasted In build
ing roads which local conditions made
impracticable and out OF all cost pso-
portion to the county's revenue.
There are exceptions to all rules,
however, and Pike county, Alabama,
stands as a glittering exception to tho
usual construction blunder There the
county officials had planned to e1pend
a large sum in the building Of gravel
roads.
w. L. Spoon, United States superin-
tendent of road construction, being
sent to make an inspection Of tho
county's road possibilities, learned
that 700 miles of important routes
needed improvement.
He figured that the cost of gravel
roads would be $1,000 a mile-plainly
a sum greater than the county could
be bonded for.
Conditions, however, were ideal for
sand-clay construction and he strong
ly urged its adoption. BY legal pro
vision the county could be bonded for
only three and one-han per cent OF
the assessed value Of the real and per-
sonal property.
The plan was decided upon and IN
issue of $4,000 was voted. and $780,.
900 worth OF the bonds were quickly
sold, being disposed OF in $4,000 anot'
ments.
The first allotment brought pro.
MUM OF $685. and the second one OF
1925. Forty thousand dollars WAS at
once spent for mules and road-build.
1po m q chfn orv and work waa started
With the sum remaining 118 miles
of the finest sand-clay roads in the
south had been built within two years
from the date of the bond issue, a gen
erous sum was still on hand, eight
gangs were at work and tho people
were so we'll pleased that they stood
ready to take up the remaining issue
Of $4,000 and expend it IN tho same
waV