Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1915-03-18

Inant ia regard 10 the portion OF
South Buckeye which was grayeled
by the city last fall.
The majority of the people at
fected petitioned for curb and gut
ter and a gravel pavement On the
strength of this petition the city
commission did its duty, which was
to order the work done and hire
their engineer TO prepare plans
specifications, etc. The work was
then awarded to the lowest respon-
sihle bidder, the Kaw Paving Co.
There was absolutely nothing ir-
regular or at all singular about the
details OF construction. The work
necessitated a topographic survey OF
the affected drainage area, q care
full study of the notes gathered
for the surrounding territory Is very
flat-and the establishment and
adoption Of the most economical
and practical grades. Under this
same head Of detail or office work,
there was q study of the different
grades OF gravel within reasonable
reach, and the acceptance of what
appeared from the tests. etc., to be
equal to the best.
The construction embodied the
setting Of guides or stakes accord
ing to grades established, and the
necessary excavation to bring the
earth to sub-grade; then followed
the work of putting in the foreign
materials, which we're the concrete
for curb and gutter and the gravel
for pavement.
The work as whole possessed
no special or peculiar features,
merely a common problem of econ
omic and efficient drainage, taking
into account the usual factors, which
are: Drainage, cost of excavation
manipulation Of material, Ito make
the cuts balance the fills, to figure
on the disposal of excess material
or the procuring of material to
compensate for excess cuts) and to
make the improvement occupy such
a position as to be fitting and as
convenient to the public as posi-
BILE. All of this work was done ex-
actly according to plans and speci-
fications. There were no mistakes
made.
It is not necessary to describe the
present condition of this road, but
we should give the reasons OF this
conditions consideration. In order
to make this explanation we may
first discuss the reason why the
Improvement occupies what seems
to be such a low grade. To give
this in detail and to make 1t COM
prehensive to the layman would be
a long and tedious task. 1t Is only
necessary to say that the grades
are the only ones possible, from an
economic and practical standpoint;
on account of the flat drainage
area there was no recourse. 10
save enumeration of fact to prove
this statement l will make an offer
and those who doubt this statement
NAV call the offer, which is this:
I will deposit $50 which shall be-
come the property of any contestant
who can prove by any scientific
method that any other grade line
or flow line could have been carried
down this street without causing an
expense far beyond any amount
justifiable by the property affected.
If the persons who continually
criticise the construction on South
Buckeye value their time and voice,
here is an opportunity to relieve
themselves of the worry and bur-
dens caused from their suspicious,
and to reimburse themselves for
such worry.
To offer some material on which
to base scientific and sensible ar
gument we might consider what oc-
Cured after the road had been COM
pleted in a careful and workman
like manner, and few of the
requisites of "a good gravel road.
To take up the latter first, the
success of a gravel road depends
upon its permeability and to make
it as highly impervious as possible.
The aim is to grade the material
na oonnnross A. 80 as to make a