The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1918-09-20
HOW We MIGHT
BUILD OUR ROADS
Chapter two
CONTINUED from last issue)


In the last issue we furnished ar
estimate for providing one centraI
loading plant for handling gravel
twelve high lines for unloading cars
into bins and three complete sets OF
engines, tractors, steam rollers and
dump wagons for taking gravel from
the bins by gravity system and plac-
ing into roadbed in the three COM
missioners' districts in the county.
These estimates called for the ex-
penditure of $235,000 first cost of
the outfits and for $249,000 for OPP
Grating expense each season a period
of 1913 days, with tow eight-hour
shifts.
The whole plan suggested for max
ing roadbed was to grade the roads
into proper form and mix gravel with
the top layer fisk inches of earth
and roll it hard. That makes an
ordinary roadbed such as nature has
provided in many places in the valley
and which does not break thru or
wear out with ordinary travel. This
is to be followed up later with six
inches of gravel from Goshen to
make the final crown. The Goshen
gravel needs very little screening if
any, has considerable cement in it.,
and is of the right size and shape for
making roadbed.
Estimate for the First Year
In closing the last chapter we
stated that we would furnish an
estimate of what can be accomplished
the first year by operating this out
fit described in chapter one. We also
stated that the estimate is being
made by man who doesn't know
much about road building, and If you
can improve upon it you are invited
to do so.
Make Only Base
We would only undertake to grade
the road and lay the first coat, or
base, the first year. We would make
it into a part-gravel road and leave
it for future operations at another
time. Wherever there is already a
gravel and earth mixture that af-
fords a good roadbed we would leave
it just as it is, not even grading it..
We would treat one trunk line thru
the county from the north line above
Shelley to the macadam road at Glib
son, a distance of about twenty
seven miles, less the gravelly roads
that nature made along the way
amounting to several miles. We
would include the section from the
sugar factory to the Porterville
bridge. with the north end of the
county.
In the south end of the county we
would begin lat the west end Of the
bitulithic paving on west Bridge
street, Blackfoot, and extend to the
south line of the county below Aber-
deem, omiting all the stretches that
are already graveled by nature
SO there is good wearing surface.
That would require about thou
sand carloads of gravel, and provides
for an average distribution of two
cars a day for each road gang. In
our first chapter we allowed three
cars day per gang, but we have
learned something during the time
and lowered the average from nine
cars a day to six cars day for the
three outfits to build into roadbeds.
VII Jhlo pan Wouiu SooI q 4uUl IOl
of million dollars to give us smooth,
hard roads clear thru the county on
one line, with two branches below
Blackfoot, one reaching to Fl. Hail.
Giving Permits to Build.
People living along the trunk lines
would be receiving the. most sub
stantial advantage right at the start,
and people living back from the lines
would ask for extension of spur or
branch lines running out to the
points of greatest travel, and the
county commissioners would hear all
applications Of this kind. 1t would
not be possible to act upon any Of
them the first year, but permission
would be given for them to use
county gravel fsom the high lines,