The Port Gibson reveille. [volume] (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1890-current, 1919-04-10
MORE ABOUT
GOOD ROADS
Mr.. MARTIN ISSUES sRD LETTER
Various Kinds of Roads. How They
Shall Be Constructed Under Gov
ernment Supervision.


Engineers specially qualified must
furnish plans, specifications and esti-
mates. Commissioners appointed by
Board Of Supervisors to have man.
agement and supervision of construc-
ton and maintenance.
Before thew ritter is a letter from
the Bureau Of Public Roads, along
with bulletins issued from the United
States Department of Agriculture.
The kind of roads follows: 1st.
Common types of hard surfaced
roads are (A). Gravel. OBJ, Water
bound macadam. (C), Bituminous
macadam. (D). Bituminous concrete.
(E). Concrete. (F). Brick. In gen
eral the above named describe the
materials used" The writer, for in
formation, defines whit is meant by
"Bituminous macadam, and Bitumi-
nous concrete" The first named con-
sists of crushed stone with a bit1m-
nous binder, added after the stone
has been laid. The second, consists
Of crushed stone mixed with bitumen
before laying.
Gravel" roads are not fully UNDER
stood by civilians. 1t is not any and
every kind of gravel which can be
used in road building. Only the ex-
pert can determine the value of that
found in different localities. Hence.
the request published in the Reveille,
asking that speciments of gravel, ,clay.
rock and stone be delivered to Mr.,
Walne, with written statements as to
particular location, estimates of auan-
tity and distance from main public
roads, designated. In Amite County.
from Gloster TO Liberty, a part Of
what is known as the "Prentiss High
way" has been laid. The gravel us
ed was exceptionally good it being
selected from each vicinity, by skill
ed examiner of same. The bed of the
road, with a clay foundation, four
teen feet wide, has an eight inch
gravel layer. The cost complete was
S2500 per mile. However, it has not
yet been accepted by either State or
Federal authorities. 1t is instanced
simply as one of the cheapest known
gravel" roadways
Concrete" roads are very well
known. Cement streets in all large
cities, and now in mostof the small
er ones are specimens of concrete. A
firm foundation must be first had on
which to lay the concrete substructure
The thickness of this varies being,
determined by how near to the sur
face is hard, springless clay, or stone.
The cement crown Is determined by
the road expert.
Brick roads are laid upon hard
foundations, either of stone, clay or
concrete. Hence, almost the same
conditions as to foundation should ex-
list to brick roads as exist in laying
concrete roads.
MUST BE CONSTRUCTED ALONG
SCIENTIFIC LINES.
just as no house builder, public con-
tractor, or railroad constructor, would
trust the work Of house-huilding pub
he structures, or railroad construct
Ion to hap-hazzard, but would require
approved plans, prepared by an ex-
pert, whose business, studies, exper-
fence and education qualify him to
furnish such, SO neither National nor
State Road Commissioners will per-
mt expenditure of public money on a
given road until every official re-
aulrement has been met, and plans
have been submitted to and passed
upon by competent road engineers.
A reading Of "The Federal Aid
Road Act" will show how prominent
this purpose stands out. "The
Secretary of Agriculture and the
State Highway Department must a.
gree upon the roads to be constructed
and he character and method of con-
struction". The above appears in the
nrst section of the act. Section 3 Of
tne Act apportions an appropriation
Of s75,Q00,000, so that $5,00O,000 may
be used, for the fiscal year ending
June 80, 1917, $10,000,000; for yeai
d9ls, Sl5,000,000; for year 1919, $40,
vOV,OOO for year 1920, and $25 ,000,00l
1or year 1921. These several amounts
are to be expended in proportion t
approved road construction in an,
state, on basis Of so per cent Of a
mount supplied by State or by an,
county in a state. Under Sec. . o
the Act, the Secretary Of Agricultnr
Is required certify, within sixty day
% each State, the sum he has appoT
uoned to each state, after deductin
tne amount necessary for admins
terlng the provisions of the Act, fo
each fiscal year, this to be done fo
each ensuing fiscal gear, on or befor
eaeh succeeding twentieth day Of Jan
BY Sec. 6 Of said act, the Stat
highway apartment must submit |
the Secretary of Agriculture a stat,
nt ment setting forth he projected eoa'
Anereupon, if the Seecesary Of Ag-
culture approves the projected roa
tne State Highway Department shsl
furnish the Secretary such survey
pans, specifications and estimate
tnereof as may be required. 9TH
me Secretary shall approve only SUI
projects as may be substantial
character and the expenditure
funds appropriated shall be apple
only to such improvements. Item
included for engineering, inspectio
ana unforeseen contingencies shs
not exceed ten per cenfum Of the t
tal estimated cost of the work. =
When the Secretary shall find tn
any project approved by him has be-
constructed in compliance with t
plans and specifications, he shall
rect the payment to proper State Q
hcloi the amount set aside for sa
project. He may, too, in his discr
n0n make payments as the work pr
feeees, within certain limitations
W payment, however, shall exec
Stu,000 per; mile, exclusive Of the &C
q bridges of more than twenty fe
GEAR span. The construction wo
ana labor in each State shall be do
n accordance with its laws, and U
qer the direct supervision Of the Sts
nlgnWay Department, subject to I
inspection and approval Of the Secl