South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-11-27
FIRST PROJECT
UNDER FEDERAL
AID A SUCCESS
Haphazarr Methods Used in
Former Road Building Dis
placed by Scientific En-
cheering.


road Improvement st. Joseph coun-
T. viii have the first completed
project and what is pronounced by
engineers and road experts as one
OF the most durable pieces Of road
Improvement I'm the state
The haphazard methods used in
former road building was eliminated
in the construction OF the As miles
from Leeper av. TO the Michigan
state line From the day the first
shovel of dirt was turned, engineers
of well known reputation have been
IN charge OF the work and the prac-
tice Of the most advanced scientific
methods has been followed through
out.
The completion Of this work IS
FAR IN advance of the time expected
when the contract was let The con-
tract for the construction of the
road was given the White Construc-
ton Co. of Milwaukee. on July Il
and on August 10 work was started.
Friday evening viii see the final
completion of the road with the ex-
ception Of grading which IS expected
10. be completed about Dec 10. Wal
ter Graham. in charge Of the work
for the White company. has been on
the ground constantly and state en-
gineers who have been inspecting
the work are loud in their praises
of the splendid cooperation be-
tween the company and the road Of
ficiais.
Daily Inspections Carried Out.
The work. the first under the
state highway commission competed
this year. has had the constant at
tention Of that body and they have
taken every preCautiOn that the
work and materials should be the
best.
Besides daily inspection of the
road building by state engineers
there has been daily tests of the
materials used that the greatest
possible wear be obtained.
At the two asphaltic cement mix
ing plants, one in South Bend and
the other az Bertrand. tests of eac1
mix OF asphaltic cement has been
made. This work was under the
direction of NJ. A. McClenthen. reo-
resenting l.. kirchbraun labora-
tories Of Chicago. Not only were
tests made at the plant but samples
were sent 10 the Chicago laboratory
and there analysed daily
Scales were used in mixing the
material for the asphalt and each
mix given an exact proportion.
After being mixed thoroughly by
steam driven knives il was heated to
ABOUT 800 desrees and dumped into
the trucks The trip was then made
90 the road where the asphalt was
dumped and spread while still at
heat OF nearly $50 degrees
Asphalt From Trinidad.
The asphalt used I'm the construc-
ton was mined on the island Of
Trinidad and from there carried by
ship TO New Jersey There it was
blocked and shipped TO South Bend
Some asphalt used i'm the cohstruc-
ton. being in "a licuId form because
it contained more oils than tho
harder kind, was shipped ina tanks
60 the plants.
Portland cement used in the work
Has first tested at the place of man
Ifacture and at the plant each car
was given a thorough test over
10000 sacks o. cement were used i'm
he construction OF the road.
There are 16 Culverts i'm the entire 1
stretch of road OF these the Iarg-
EST is a four box culvert As feet long.
The others are ordinary concrete
eulverts with head walls four by
.our feet by six inches
Construction il simple
The construction of the road from f.
m engineering standpoint was com /
oaratively simple. Nearly the entire 1
ength OF the road runs on a due
north and south line. varying only
sne or two degrees i'm places. Due
20 the haste inn which the contract /
was executed, grades along the line /
~ Improvement were changed by I
Howard Chestnut, assistant engineer /
II the highway department who has /
lad charge Of the inspection work 4
cor the highway commission How
ever, Mr.. Chestnut said this was 1
soon accomplished and the work 4
proceeded without interruption.
One of the best improvements i'm /
he road over that of The old hiEh- /
way is the Redmund curve ut the (
state line where the road formerly
urned at a right angle and crossed .
he Michigan Central and Northern
indiana electric tracks This was "a
fery dangerous turn but iu the pres
mt road this has been changed 90 a
gradual curve of 90 degrees which I.
nsures much greater safety than
formerly
Like Railroad Curve.
The curve is built on the same
principle OF railroad curves and is
super elevated thar is the crown ~
he road which in most places is In f
he center OF the road here shifts
@ near the outer cdge. This insure
against slipping The curve is built /.
.0r a speed OF 20 miles
L r. Wright OF the hirhway de-
sartment and Il Is. Bishop. chief
engineer. have bad charge OF the
Eork. Cresley Gray. chief engineer
y the bureau Of contracts had
charge or the contract work Fred
xellum. chief engineer ~ the bu-
eau OF tests and Arthur Wageucr.