Arizona republican., 1913-09-02
REPORT CAUSES
 IF BAD ROADS
Horse-Drawn Vehicles With Heavy Loads and Narrow Tires Do More Harm Than Automobiles, Says Roads Committee
Especial to the Republican,

(Specldl 10 the RepuDlCdhj
 The Massachusetts Highway com- mission after a full investigation. off cialIy states in it's annual report, rec ently issued, that the greatest cause of the destruction of modern roads IS not the automobile nor the motor truck but the heaily loaded vehicle drawn by horses. Massachusetts has long had the habit of quietly pursuing inVesu- gations. and presenting official reports thereon, while others are discussing and getting ready to investigate. Its road commission consists of Col. w. D. Sohier, chairman; F. D. Kemp and J. w. Synan. It will be remembered that the first official notice of the damage to waterbound macadam by automo- piles, was presented by the Massachu setts commission in it's report for 1907
 In two instances quoted in the cur rent report, 50 to 75 ice teams a day. carrying three tons or more each on F inch to 3-inch tires broke up with in a month the side of the road on whioh the loaded teams travelled, while the surface lasted three months on the other side where the teams came back empty. For miles beyond the ice hous- es the roads are still in good condition. These roads are of macadam treated with heavy asphaltic oil.
 ""The traffic study shows that it is not the number of teams, but heavy teams.-twO or more horses, and heavy loads on narrow tires-that cause the failure"
 A carefully prepared statement as to the cause of wear, and what certain roads will stand is presented as one of H. entered on some years ago by the com mission. Among the established results are the following:
 A good gravel road will wear reason ably well under a daily traffic com posed of 50 to 75 light teams. p to 30 loaded one horse vehicles, 10 to 12 load ed two or more horse drawn wagons, and 100 to 15O automobiles. With a larger number of automobiles, the gravel should be oiled. The oiling pre- sents what is spoken of as 8 blanket surface" consisting of heavy asphaltic oil and sand. If the oil be applied hot, the blanket surface will last to 5 years, if cold, it must be renewed every year.
 Oiled gravel will stand fairly well under 75 to 100 light teams, 30 to 30
  one with two or more horses, and 500 to TOO automobiles daily.
 Waterbound macadam will stand un- der a daily traffic of 175 to 200 light teams, 175 to 200 heavy one-horse ve- hicles. and 60 to 80. perhops more, heavy wagons with two or more horses. If even 50 to 100 automobiles per day go over the road at high speed dust l. l1A hJ really good dust layer the road will l stand 300 to 500 automobiles a day, al 1 though the stones will wear.
 Waterbound macadam with an oil and sand blanket, applied hot, will be 1 economical with 150 to 200 light teams l 75 to 100 heavy one-horse vehicles, 25 to 30 heavy wagons with two or more horses, and automobiles up to 1.4OO. or more with fewer teams and with 50 or more motor trucks. The large num- Der of automobiles seems to keep the oil rolled down when it would cut UT 1 and crumble without this traffic. The same road, however, will cut up and crumble under a traffic of 100 heavy 1 one horse vehicles and 50 two or more 1 horse wagons on narrow tires, such as | loaded farm wagons, ice wagons, loads 1 wood, etc.
 The report further states: Many million dollars a year are being spent l in this commonwealth to secure inn l proved roads, and provision should be made by law to prevent them from de- 1 struction. The law should fix some 1 maximum weight per inch width of tire i in contact with the ground"
 1 Chairman George c. Diehl of the A A A National Good Roads Board has 1 issued a call for a traffic regulations l conference at Detroit during the com l ing American Road congress, to which all state highway commissioner have ! been invited a well as national grange | officers, autOmobilists, and vehicle makers, horse drawn and motor driven 1 Chairman John N. Carlisle of the New | York state highway commission has