The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1915-04-15
MARYLAND STATE GOOD
ROADS Commission
Second Of A Series of Articles From
Better Roads and Streets"

George D. Steel on the Work of the
Maryland State Roads Commission"
devoting an entire page to seven half
tone cuts of the members of the Mary
land State Roads Commission as follows:
Gov. ?. L. Golsborough, o. E. Weller
chairman; Andrew Ramsey, Thomas
Parran, J. Frank Smith, W. B. Miller
and John NJ. Perry.
The following data, taken from Mr.
Steels article, will be of interest to the
readers of the Republican living in this
section of MARYLAND, where so many
friends of good roads reside, and where
so much has been done for the improve
ment of the public highways.
THE Maryland Legislature last year
appropriated the largest sum ever set
aside tor any one purpose, when the
9 i'm Of S.. 600, 600 was appropriated for
road work in 1914 and 1915. The greater
part of this sum was placed under con-
tract last year, and much work was
completed, the final figures for which
have not been compiled to date. The
road system of the State is SO far ad-
vanced, so far as construction is con-
cerned, that it will be practically COM
pieted with the exception of few very
short and rather isolated sections, by
the first of July of this year. The
system as now planned, consists of
about 1,050 miles of roads connecting
all county seats, one with another,
three routes beng practically the main
market routes OF the State. Many of
these routes also connect with Balti-
more and Washington, although it is
not, and never will be possible, owing
to the natural topography of the State,
to connect all counties with the city OF
Baltimore.
''Of the 235. 20 miles of road, Incom-
pleted roads, and that the reports of
the Residency Engineers have not been
completed to date. the exact figures for
1914 have not been made up.
THE funds available for State road
construction in 1914 and 1915 amounted
to SO, OTIS, 900, the various sources being
as follows:
STATE appropriations, Tor State
roads $500, 900
Baltimore Annapolis Boule-
ward Observation-Disclosures. 500,0
Balance remaining from 1912 100000
Regular annual appropriation
for State Aid. ............ 100000
Regular annual appropriation
for maintenance. .......ss 100000
Appropriation for Old Post
road ....... .......... $4,000
Total for two years. . $9,075, 900
OF this sum, little over $1,000, 600
for State Aid Roads was placed under
contract during 1914, and about $1,000,
600 will be placed under contract early
this spring.
''In 1918 there were 1926 miles of
macadam road oiled, requiring $50, 900
gallons of oil and 1900 tons of the
same kind of stone chips that were
used successfully the previous year. In
1918. change was made in the oiling
methods in sixteen counties of the State.
In previous years, this oiling in all
parts of the State had been done by
force account, while in 1918 contracts
for oiling all State roads requiring this
treatment were awarded to two large
concerns.
''In 1914, the contract plan of oiling
having proven satisfactory and econ
mical the State was divided into dis
tricts, and, during the winter, bids
were called for. for oiling all the ma
cadam roads of the State by contract
by sections. Under this contract sys-
tenn, the oil is delivered to the con-
tractor at the most convenient sidiDgs.
The contractor sweeps the road thor
oughly and then applies from one-fifth
of gallon to three. quarters OF gal
Ion per square yard, according to the
~ oid lhC COAnltlOH VI tuC IOdu-
way.
AS result of the methods used, as
well as the high quality of the material.
and the engineering skill which de-
termined just what the application shall
be on given road, Maryland has as fine
oiled macadam roads as will be seen on
any State roads system in the country.
Early in March, the writer covered
about one hundred miles of these roads,
and was surprised at their excellent
condition after having gone through
the winter.
Ephriam A. Beachy, of Webster,
South Dakota. native of this county.
son of the late Aaron Beachy of Grants
vile, is now prosperous real estate
and live stock dealer of Webster, South
Dakota