The Washington herald., 1913-10-10
brick PREFERRED
FOR GOOD ROADS
Modern-Day Experts Return
to Experience Of the
Romans.
REVIVAL Is PROPOSED
Department of Agriculture Issues Bull
letin on Subieet-Chevy Chase
Construction.
REVIVAL is PROPOSED

The office Of Public Roads of the De-
partment of Agriculture. bureau OF the
government, which exercises an advisory
! capacity over the entire country, giving
information and instruction To local road
builders in every State and county, as 10
how best to build their highways, has
just issued a publication treating of the
merits Of brick as a bodybuilding ma
terial The tract is technical in nature.
but the subject is broad.
1t is an interesting consideration that
by following the history Of roads, one
may learn the history OF the progress OF
civilization. This is true in a large
measure, except as to the United States.
In this nation good roads scarcely can
be considered a concomitant OF our civ
illZation, for although we have certain
| civilization, We have few good roads.
Even those jealous Europeans, who up
toned to inquire OF New Workers IL they
did not fear the Indians when travelling
from town to town in this country, are
beginning to concede our civilization, but
| everywhere, foreigners condemn our
roads.
| The office Of Public Roads, many So
cieties interested in the subject, and nu-
merous members Of both houses of Con-
gress recently have taken up the task
this country that their roads are some
thing to be ashamed Of when compared
with those OF other nations
And the argument is a sound one.
Everybody, of course. points TO the ad-
vancement OF the Roman civilization, as
representative of all such advancement.
1t is safe ground, and certainly so in this
case. Very early the Romans learned
that if they expected TO keep the
~. L..
1t was necessary for them to have the
them and Rome itself. To have such
communication it was necessary 10 build
roads. They built them.
Now, what is interesting about the old
Roman roads is that some of them are
built largely OF brick. The brick, care
fully laid, has in many places outlasted
centuries OF wear. Now comes the De-
partment of Agriculture with the pro-
posal that brick be revived as a road
building material For a long time,
hundreds OF years, the use of this ma
terial was discontinued, but the road
office says that it is destined 10 come
into use again. possibly as the almost
universal road building material of this
country.
The paving brick, Of course, is not the
same sort OF a brick as that used in the
walls of buildings. II is a vitrified brick
and much hafder. Also, it is larger.
The brick roads around Cleveland and
in the other cities where they have been
tried have proved successful Euclid
Avenue, in Cleveland, one of the most
famous thOroughfares in the world, is
brick paved. Experiments with brick
paving have been made by the Road
Office at Chevy Chase. a suburb of Wash
ington. Success has been met there, and
the Road Office recommends construction
of this sort Of highway wherever it is
possible.
Its cost is something in excess of ma
cadam or gravel roads, but its length of
life without repair is much greater. In
the end, according TO many county COM
missioners and road experts who have
had experience. the brick road proves
economical. The Road Office gives the
following reasons for recommending the
brick road:
1t is durable under heavy traffic condi-
tons
1t affords easy traction and good foot
hold for horses.
II is easily maintained and kept clean
II presents a very pleasing appearance.