The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1915-12-18
PAST AND MODERN HIGHWAYS
DISCUSSED BY JAMES F. BALL

I or asphalt maeadam roadway is one that
mas what engineers call Inherent sta
binder. The binder increases ana pre- re
s ssINss TINS ,o ssaDii'y, In the case Of
propositIon H.. We nave a dinerent
composed Of asphalt and sand. In this
morton 10 embedded more or less stone.
eIafa a anS between asphalie con-
that the former has greater density. Is
tougher and therefoEs presents greater
Asphalt IL Cemsnttng.
Emphasis should be laid on the fact
that the purpose OF asphalt In a road
surface Is that OF a cemenung agent. 1t
Is therefore evident that the best ce-
ment will be one that does not lose Its
life" and allow the road surface 10
raNel out; and the choice OF road bind
erz, therefore, narrOws down TO the
choice OF the binder that will retain its
cemsnting qualities for the longest psri-
cd and under the most severe conditions.
The binders available are those com
posed Of natural asphalt. which has been.
exposed 20 the elements OF ages before
II Is used In road building: the OIL as
phalts that are obtained by cooking down
petroleum; and the tars. Both the oil
asphaits and the tars for the first time
exposed TO the elements when put into
the road. Naturally they change a great
deal after such exposure. whatever quail
tiles they may have shown upon prior
roads Of longest ne are built with the the
natural asphalts such as those from the
Trinidad and Bermudez deposits.
This Community Fortunate
In all types OF broken stone surfaces.
a. q binder T. employed. the use OF hard
stone H. essential 20 durability. This
community r. particularly fortunate in
the possession OF supplies OF native hard
limestone, which r. admirably adapted
10 the building OF broken stone roads OF
All types. Some other community lack
ing such supplies Of stone might be jus
uhed In resortinE 20 the more costly
types Of construction such a. brick; but
having the stone available here. n f.
economic nonsense 20 foreEo the advan-
tage that the possession or this stone
given.
Going back 20 the roads Of the past.
. these would not be classified as unit
paNcments-that IS. those ia which the
surface was composed OF individual
blocks or units. In all such an extent
that In time 10 becomes undesirable or
In some cases impossible This 10 an in
cvitable disadvantage Of any unit pave
ono that On mouolifhic or n continuous
road surface without breaks
owing 90 the greater or less dsfor-
nation 0f tho foundation 81 an road
surfaces o. the effect ~ heat and cold.
and f1 The results ~ trafnr ~ the kinds
wc have nowadays. the most satisfactory
~ al surface ~ one that iH somewhat
plastic or uialleable. which will give and
take with heat and cold witch will not
nner hard and uuyiai1fur surface 20
trafnc. ana which VIII ruf become brit
De. And o. ls not always the hardest
road surface that la WOrf rariafrnt 90
wear material that A. Hh-aifed ~
traffic will not last al .orr a. one taht
giVea ever H1 lighfis urrer frafnc
u must also in these days build for
trafnc N every hiuf one road NAV b.
Desirable Tor automobiles. but not for
lOrrD.f drawn traffic Another like plain
nacad1m. may ho desirable Tor T0r-r.
lraWn trafnc. but ~ a very limited urn.
fuIuffF ana durability whore motor fraf-
pc o. hcnvU. The advantage ~ the 81.
ID alt bonded road thar fa equally dur
nhIC under either hnrar. drawn ~ motor
trnfnr fhaf Do FlveH n good fracfiva sur
farr AM in sufncienuy elastic not 20
.. Durabnity t. Desired.
Although Iu these times IN f.rn~rr~-
Do would BE foolish fDr anyone 10 Nv
i-at the best that could ever be- erpecfef
bad been accom- ulfahef Dol rrnf flfIffirr
W 1n nov know That lu The form IN ~.
tna.fie concrete and asphalt narafar,
We have road surfaces that Win 1rfir.
arr mainf fnnnce Hlil last Tor many
Efars end That these road surfaces can
ne LnIlt ni reaHonahls cost m Do were
~ 10y ~ order 70 secure durability
roa1 nat would Dol ne thing to a.. Hat
if has been frmnuHfrafff ns rfrhf. vesr-
oln nInralanl roads ri New Work Maaar-
.HIeet'a and elsewhere. that q furaEfe
road surface can bel built fDr very rrnrb
lfra fhan perhaps only haff.1f faF 0f0
nile fnrn becomes a. riecs ~
economic fpuilehnasH ~ make any rrssf.
or invorfmrnf Than ia nreeasart r.. -
-lre a fret class asphalt bound hirh-