Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1913-02-28
Report OF Road superintendent
N. D. Knight For 1912.

and other permanent culverts have re-
placed them. A large number of old wooden
bridges throughout the county have failed
during the past year and are being replaced
by permanent structures of steel and con.
crete or concrete culverts. The policy Of
your Board to renew, as far as practicable
bridges and culverts with permanent struc.
lures as the old structures fail, while bur.
densome at first will eventually prove a
measure Of economy, relieving the county
in the future of large annual charge fol
repairs and renewals.
Prompt measures should be taken to
paint all iron bridges which have been
erected over five years and to repaint all
bridges every five years, otherwise the de-
terioration will be rapid and the life of the
structure greatly lessened
In carrying on the work of permanent i'm
provement, the lack of experienced foremen
and skilled labor is great handicap, and
Recommend that, wherever possible, young
men who show aptitude and willingness
to make business of this kind of work
be encouraged by steady employment.
again urge the Board to adopt some
practical method of district supervisors,
who will be given proper equipment of
tools, etc., and whose duty it shall be to
cover all the roads they can in each dis
trict during the working season from April
to November, who shall have the care of
the road machinery and tools in their dis
tricts, where some suitable central point
shall be fixed for all persons using tools
and equipment to return them when they
are done with them, and where a shed
and tool house shall be provided. This will
not only preserve the machinery when not
in use, but enable it to be overhauled and
put in repair while it is idle Pending some
such arrangement, each person using ma
chinery should report in writing to the
Commissioners when he gets it and when
he is through with it, Also any contractor
or any other person doing work on the
roads should report when he commences,
the locality and date, and when finished,
the character of work done and date, in
order that his work may be promptly in
spected. A printed postal card addressed
to the Commissioners could be sent out to
such persons. This will be an aid to the
Commissioners and will probably increase
efficient work
The Legislature of 1912 amended the
law relative to the levying and distributing
of said road taxes based on mileage The
operation of this law cannot but be salts
factory in the future, as it makes certain
what proportion of the tax shall be appor-
toned and expended in each district and
provides that all special Improvements for
the various districts shall be provided for
by such district. 1t also provides fund for
permanent improvement which can be used
in conjunction with funds derived from the
State or other special sources. This dis
tributiOn should be made to those districts
which raise funds by subscription and local
taxation, and, in order to encourage such
methods, fixed percentage might be made,
say an equal amount or an amount pro-
portionate to the total funds available
suggest that copy of the road laws
be printed and distributed to each tax
payer for his information. There is one
provision of the law to which public atten-
ton should be directed at once, i. e., that
a schedule of work contemplated during
the current year shall be published April
LIST, and public hearings thereon be invited
by April 18th. This necessitates all petit
lions for special district assessments or dis
trict bond issues being filed at an early
date if they are to be acted upon in the
current year.
The United States Office of Public Roads,
in accordance with the agreement with
your Board, by which, in consideration Of
funds from the Fourth and Seventh dis
tricts, amounting to $4,000. and some
private subscriptions. it has undertaken to
reconstruct the Kensington Road (Connec-
ticut Avenue) from Bradley Lane to the
Lake. and the Rockville and Georgetown
Pike from the District Line to Rockville,
has completed a section Of the Connecticut
Avenue road and, | am informed. the bal
ance of the work will be pushed forward
during the coming season. The expert
mental work it is doing here is of great
value to the entire country. as it will be n
physical test of various methods and an
az n nf fsnncfrnpfinf, nd
maintenance and traffic strains under va
rying conditions. all of which will be of
the utmost value in determining character
of material and construction that should
be used under similar conditions.
COUNTY CONSTRUCTION SECOND DISTRICT.
The road from Old Germantown to Ger
mantown was completed. II is constructed
of Dickerson trap, making durable road,
and is graded and well drained and of the
best type of construction. Built by perma-
nent improvement funds allotted to Second
district
FOURTH DlsTRIcT.
Falls Road stone is being accumulated
and construction will be begun as soon as
the season opens.
FOURTH AND SIKH Districts.
The Rockville Travilah Road although
this work was not covered till October the
road has been graded and drainage com
pleted for two miles and the foundation
course Of stone placed for about 7S miles.
Surfaced for about 81 miles. Much other
work has been done. Road will probably
be completed by September list. Being
built through funds raised by local district
bond issue and private subscriptions.
FIFTH DISTRICT.
Forest Glen to Seventh Street pike, "a
Of mile, constructed out Of hard lime
stone. Road is well constructed with good
drainage. Built by force account through
funds raised by special district bond issue
and private subscriptions.
COLUMBIA ROAD.