Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1915-06-25
Further Discussion OF The Lay
louisville MaCadam Road.
Gaithersburg, Nd, June 10, 1915.
M. D. Knight, Supt. of Roads,
Rockville, Md.


M. D. Knight. Supt. of Roads,
Rockville. Md.
Dear Sir The resolution adopted at the
taxpayers meeting in Laystonsville, May
29th. was drafted by myself and correctly
stated the cost of 3.8 miles macadam
construction and maintenance on the Lay
louisville road, but did not include the cost
of grading and culverts, such work being
of permanent character bars it from a
discussion relating to maintenance only.
Herein lies much of the difference be-
tween your figures of June 5th and those
of the resolution. for. after all, the wearing
surface of the road only is at issue, its
durability.
The figures contained in the resolution
were dictated to me by yourself, in your
Office. and are partly in your hand writing,
and to that extent is a statement of facts.
| do not think any part of the $5,048.95
referred to in the fourth paragraph of your
letter was spent on Section 3 of that road,
as stated. but entirely on Sections | and 2,
at least so my data indicates; and of that
amount sum equal to 1870 per cent. Of
the original macadam cost of Section was
spent on Section l. thus more than doubling
the surface cost on that mile in three years.
The prorating between Sections and 2
being given me at the time by Mr., Hilton.
from his records. while Clerk Of the Board
of County Commissioners, the per centage
was worked out by myself.
Passing over, for the sake of brevity, all
those parts of your letter not related di-
rectly to the wearing surface of the road.
we come to tar concrete. That method of
surfacing is proving its value. The repair
COST you state, will only be SIS after two
years use. Notwithstanding some minor de-
fects in construction. The simplicity of its
repair, welding process, heating the broken
edges and applying other hot-tar concrete.
which. when rolled makes close union
Something that cannot be done with
cement concrete), commends itself.
In connection with this repair work and
the expenditure of $4,000 in 1913, it was
advised by some. If bond issue was
necessary by the district, then was the
proper time; an issue of $40, 1000 added to
the $4,000 on hand and supplemented by
the $3.058 expended in 1914 would have
given a repair basis of $4,000 to be used
on surface that has since carried the
heavy traffic for two years before COM
pletely collapsing 1t would then have
been possible to put the tar concrete on
by contract. which is usually rs per cent.
cheaper than by force account. with a
percentage on cost added for profit |
think therein will be found, in measure,
the high cost of that work, and would, in
my opinion, have eliminated. or decidedly
reduced, the item of $1,144, rent of plant
and moving. A $4,000 issue then. 1918,
would have had greater value to that
road than an issue of 1000 now.
The Laytonsvile meeting represented a
minority of the taxpayers Of the First dis
trict, and | agree with you the proposal to
issue bonds should be submitted to all tax
payers in the district. The status of the
petition now before the Board of Commits
sioners probably permits that action.
In your report of February 18th. you pro-
pose that which, you say, is the cheapest
method of reconstruction. namely, water
bound macadam with tarvia dressing, and
a few paragraphs further on you substan-
TALLY admit it will not answer the pur-
pose when you say 1.-THE only construction
that will stand the traffic strains on this
road is either vitrifed brick. cement con-
crete or tar concrete"
When we issue bonds. having life of
ten years. to repair roads having life of
five years. and follow it to its logical con-
clusion we will reach the condition of a
Western railroad in boom days. promoted
by Col. Mulberry Sellers Zone of Mark
Twain's characters), who. after loading it
up with first and second preferred stock.
common stock, first, second and third
MORTGAGES, equipment trusts. &c. took the
proposition to England to sell and who.
in reply to the question by one of syn
dictate considering the investment Can
this railroad earn money!" answered in a
burst of eloquence, why it can earn money
hauling its own securities as freight"
Yours respectfully.
BEVERLEY r. CODWISE.