New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1916-08-23
EsHtral5tg
CONCRETE VS. MACADAM FOR
COUNTY ROADS.

A few years ago figures were given
showing that in the long run concrete
roads would be far cheaper than dirt
roads, little stock was taken in the sug-
gestions made. 1t seems, however, that
IN some communities the facts made a
deeper impression as witnessed by the
miles OF concrete highways constructed
in Winona county. The Waseca Herald
says:
''The sentiment in favor of building
the principal roads through Waseca
county of concrete seems to be growing
in all parts of the county. Consequently
the following facts, taken from an
authority on concrete roads, will be of
general interest:
'Successful concrete road construc-
ton requires, first: proper preparation
of a foundation or subgrade. This
usually means compacting the soil
where the concrete is to be laid, and pro-
viding drainage so that water will not
!
the foundation, concrete is placed in one
or two layers, or courses. This means
that some concrete roads are built after
what is known as one-course construction,
while others are of two-course construc-
ton. The first consists of a relatively
rich concrete mixture throughout; the
second, of a somewhat leaner mixture
| for base, with richer top or wearing
course applied before the concrete in the
| base has commenced to harden. Usually
where the slabs forming concrete road
are greater than Is feet wide, or where
the road must cross low, frequently wet
and hence poorly drained spots, REIN
forcing in the form of wire fabric is
embedded in the concrete while placing.
This assists to prevent the slabs from
cracking, either as the result of settle
ment of foundation or from the heaving
due to frost action. Where suitable
materials are obtainable, the one-course
type of road is preferable,
High wearing quality of the concrete
road results from using properly graded,
clean, hard sand and crushed rock
or pebbles. These must be combined
with cement in proper proportions,
mixed in a power-operated batch mixer,
with sufficient amount of water to
produce the right consistency, placed on
the subgrade and struck off with tenn
plate or strike board shaped so that the
surface of the pavement will have the
desired crown for quick drainage.
when the concrete has hardened
sufficiently to prevent pitting or marking,
the surface is sprinkled with water, then
covered with inches or more of moist
sand or earth kept wet by sprinkling for
| from ten days to two weeks to prevent
the concrete from drying out too rapidly.
Under no circumstances should the con-
crete road be put in use before it is
fourteen days old.
''The above brief summary includes
only the most vital of concrete road
fundamentals.
Figures representing construction cost
on various concrete roads built during
1914 in many sections of the United
States show that the average cost of a
concrete road is $1.27 per square yard,
or $11 1921 per mile, based on width Of
16 feet. This estimate is taken from cost
figures covering 100000 square yards
of more than 100000 square yards
laid during the year mentioned.
Reduced to an acreage basis and
distributed over a period of 20 years
! under a $1,500,000 bond issue, the
average cost to the farmer living on
land assessed at $30.63 per acre is 3-4
cents per acre per year. This estimate
is based on proposed concrete road con-
struction in Vermillion county, Illinois,
and Vermillion county has just accepted
bids for AS miles of concrete highways.
Distributed over a period of years
and equalized among the farmers and
tax payers who are thus enabled to
reach their market town 365 days in the
year-and more quickly than ever be-
fore-with larger loads drawn by fewer
horses, the cost of concrete road is
negligible. So concrete road is cheap
because profitable investment.
! SLOW price does not always mean
cheapness. The concrete road usually
costs more than the best macadam, but
is cheaper in the end
"What you might have made if you
could have delivered your produce to
market that day when the price was up,
will never be entered on the profit side
of your books as long as the road to town
is a string of mudholes."