The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-05-29
BIZ RescoE FLEMlNe


Wayne county Is about to embark
on road building program which will
pave almost thirty miles Of the main
arteries Of county trafilc, will cost the
county something over $3.50, 900, and
will have lasting effect on Wayne
prosperity.
The county commissioners, it is I'M
derstood, may decide upon the ma
terial to be used upon the first unit
of this great program, the eighteen
miles Of the Hagersto#n pike, on
Monday, June 2.
The materials from which they will
make their choice will be brick, con-
crete, bituminous macadam, and creo-
soted wood block. The first three are
the only ones that have been consid-
cred seriously, as creosoted wood has
never been popular for road building
in this county, and there is only one
tiny link of 1t in the city or county.
Favor BitumInous Maeadam
The commissioners, before whom
the petition has been for several weeks
have been making inspections Of roads
in and about Muncie and Cincinnati.
The roads to which they have paid
most attention have been those OF BIZ
luminous macadam, and 1t is under
stood that the commissioners lean
strongly to the use of this material,
because It Is said to be cheaper than
the other two materials.
~ With program Of this size, which
will increase taxes for the next sever
al years, and will influence for the
next half century the county's prosper
ity, 1t has been urged by many citizens
that the commissioners wait and ex-
anime roads of other materials than
those Of bituminous macadam.
An Unparalleled Inspection.
An inspection Thursday morning Of
several OF the main roads Of Richmond
and vicinity revealed that as laid out
before the eyes Of any citizen who
cares to look, different types of roads
have widely varying powers Of resist
ance to traffic and weather.
The inspection was conducted with
no other end In view than to see the
present conditions of the roads, ques-
lions of cost and maintenance not en-
tering into 1t now.
The three miles Of the National
Road, east, to the county line, were
made Of water-bound macadam, with
bituminous filler. This road was be-
gun in 1912 and finished in 1913, six
years ago. Since that time it has been
dAu W. W. JOuCo, COuALy bu-
perintendent of highways, began work
Thursday on the resurfacing of 1t
again.
This road Is In wretched condition.
Holes foot across and three or four
feet long, filled with the jagged rocks
OF the foundation, which by one touch
can wreck a tire, lie so close as al
most to touch each other. Only two
months ago this road was fairly
smooth and even. Once begun, wear
evidently proceeds fast on a road of
this type, 1t must be concluded, and
the only way to stop 1t is by re-sur-
facing.
Cannot Resist Traffic.
1t is evident from one look that roads
of this type cannot resist the pulling,
sucking influence exerted by automo-
bile at high speed, and that once
started and filed with water, tiny
holes grow rapidly.
The condition of this road has been
for the last month the talk of roadmen
of the county. It has, of course, had
unusually heavy traffic because prohi-
bition Impending in Ohio, but this
traffic at its worst, is no heavier than
the ordinary traffic Of the county will
be in few more years.
The next visit was made to concrete
roads on North Tenth street between
F. and H streets, and to the New
Paris pike and the Hawkins road.
The Tenth street road, made in
1914, is in good condition, with the
exception of slight wear and tiny
holes where the pebbles of the sur
face have worn down and have been
yanked out by the tremendous sue
ton action of the tires of passing
automobiles
The beginnings of fatal veal
are seen in this street in large cracks
although it has been down only five
years, and is one Of the best-made con
crete streets in Richmond.
Larger holes are found in the New