The Washington times., 1918-04-07
COUNFFROADS
WILL S SUFFER
ORTHELACK
| OF4AATER|A
NJ BILL PRICE. y

ny BILL PRICE.
Construction Of county roads from
niscedam and, concrete is likely to be
delayed this year because OF war con-
ditions. despite the efforts OF Engi-
neor Commissioner knight and his as
sistant, Col,J. J. Loving.
TRis apples particularly 70 roads
OF inacadaf1 construction, witlf The
difficulty lying in the inabiiity'of the
RDistriet suihorities to obtain cars
with which to bring rock here from
tlh District qusrries at Dickerson.
Asd. congested conditions continue on
ali railroads. little improved since the
breaking of bad weather, owing to
the Governments renewed activities
in rushing 10 Europe immense sup
plies Of fo9de, munitions troops, and
guns. There is little disposition on.
the part of railroad authorities. even
where IL is 10 help the Federal Capt.
tai, to let through short hsulS OF
tnacsdam for necessary roads and
. repairs Of existing roads
Ask Preferential Treatment.
General Knight and Colonel Loving
VII not desist from-pieas &c high Gov
eIhmeht officials for these shipments,
holding. that Washington ought 20 be
given preferential treatment for ma
tional, IL not local, reasons.
sFos the fiscal year 1915, ending
June 80 next, Congress appropriated
$4I6,O0O for county roads and streets,
shd Il was decided to divide this ioi
three classes-zsphalt, concrete. and
Il 4 ~
10 asphalt, $4,000 TO concrete, and
S322 600 to uaacadam. The remainder
was for use in cutters and for other
purposes.
The roads or streets 10 be asphaite1
win be completed before the end Of
the fiscal year, il was stated today,
the contractors for this work being
up to date with. their labo-s. Al
though having difficulties in material
add help, they will pull through.
Concrete Is Favored.
The District hGs for the last few
years been .favofing concrete roads
ana streets to a greater extent than
ever before, and in This fiscal year
proposes to 'expeud pract oaiiy as
much on concrete as on asphalt and
one man has tte contract for all
tie roads sRprope3sked Gor AbXs Con-
gross, but officials state he Is hav-
ing real trouble in getting gravel for
tire concrete work. Tie Con
is in the market for every ounce OF
gravel to be had. and will be heavy
bidder for il TO use in the various
temporary buildings TO be put up in
Washington. in the next six months.
There is doubt whether all con-
-.
completed by the end of'afae fiscal
year and a good part, Of il may go to
next fall. About so per cent was conf
pfeted last fall.
Colonel Loving believes that
properly laid concrete road has great
advantages over mscadam where the
travel is not too heavy. II should, he
sae-s. be ABOUT six inches deep and the
mixture of-cenient should be- rich.
Some OF the road scheduled for ma
e4dam surfaces have been completed
add others are receiving attention.
btt the majority are going 10 be
\ sbw in getting attentioH owing TO
t7e holding up OF macadanl ship
Both oohca,ete and faseadan, con-
skuction may be affected ny labor
c4nditions, il was stated today, but
tbs prospect does not promise the
held-up that lack Of material does.
ISI. Projects UncOmpleted.
Three important road projects pro-
vtded for in the appropriation bill OF
J3l7 are still uncompleted. and may
81 further delayed by macadam trou-
bFs. These 'ares massachusetts ave-
ME. from Nebraska avenue TO the
district line; Sixteenth street, from
Montague street to Alaska avenue,
sAdand Rhode Island avenue from
south Dakota avenue to the District
lihe. Congress provided for these
iRprovements late in 1916, and
de contracts were let before the ex-
phstion of the fiscal year 1917.
There was heavy grading TO be
done on all 5isfee thoroughfares before
ffey could be.surfaced- in addition 10
over and other preliminary work.
oh Sixteenth street big Viadust had
d be built al Military road, and this
ist not quite completed. -..--
SIosey short for Repairs.
"A discourasing feature of the coun-
~ road and street situation ia the
fsdirt this year Is the fact that Con
s-tess allowed only ,$15O. 600 for repair.
the many hundred OF miles OF
itsse roads, which all suffered from
severe winter and the increased
1efsEgess has granted sbout this
sFae 1nonI1t Tor nlsny years, al
HkAHNs