The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1920-08-02
ON HOW
TO USE TOP-SOiL ROADS
Autoists Asked Not to Break Speed
Records nor Follow N Geaten
Faths-Spirit of Cooper
alton is Asked.

In view of the fact that the near
" half a million dollars OF the peo-
pies money is soon to be spent in
building top soil highways through
al. Abbe"ine County we believe that
the excellent suggestions contained
in an article given the Laurens Ad-
vertiser this week, by the chief engi-
neer, N. C. Hughes, Jr. of Laurens
County should be put before our
readers. Here is the article:
I would like through your columns
to bring a matter before the travel
:.ng public, which l believe is of great
Importance both directly and indi-
rectly to it, as we'll as to the subject
to be mentioned, that is, of the traf-
fic use of the new topsoil roads COM
pleted in this county.
Naturally new and smooth sur
faced topsoil road is enticing to any
one driving an auto, over it, and es-
pecially so to those who are inclined
to speed whenever an opportunity is
offered, and perhaps at times when
an opportunity is not offered.
Apart from the fact that speeding
reycnd the legal limit of 25 miles
per hour is unlawful, it is very dam
gerous to the ordinary travelling pub
lie, whether it be pedestrian, horse
and buggy, teams and wagon, or the
slower driving autoists.
There is another feature connect
ed with speeding which the ordinary
autoist does not think apour, and in
rcost cases does not know about, and
.hat is, that he is doing what may be
termed an irreparable damage to the
topsoil surface. The rubber tires of
a fast moving, high powered car has
strong friction grip on the surface
Of the road, and the consequence is
hit the smaller binding materials
which 60 to form the component.por-
ton cf the surfaced area gives way
to this terrible friction anG suction,
and is dislodged and blow away from
t's original location. The effect of
this sort of thing is that the surfac-
ing more readily and rapidly begins
disintegrate under this and heavy
;r:ffic passing over it, especially when
subjected to the unavoidable and
frequent onslaughts from the ele-
nentS.
Those t",soil roads that have been
constructed, so far in this county,
lave been built with the view of tax
ng care as near as possible, not only
# the present traffic but Of the pos
sible increase of same for several
rears to come, both in the matter of
the width and the thickness Of the
topsoil surfacing. But everyone
knows, who has had any experience
with topsoil roads, that at best they
have a traffic limit insofar as their
standing and wear and tear of traffic.
| have noticed as / pass up and down
the new roads that everybody ham
52ers along in one beaten path in the
center of the road. This applies to
:rafic both going and coming. AS a
matter of fact, if every auto driver
would take the right precauvlon in
the proper spirit, and drive jujst a
foot or two to the right of the cen-
ter of the road, he would thereby un-
knowingly render great assistance in
he maintenance and up-keep and
life of the road. 1t is plainly seen that
.raffic regulated in this manner would
be doing only one-half of the ham
:l:cring and damage as it now does,
With everybody going anu coming in
re center, eXcept when passing 9TH
y vehicles, and the life of the road
would be almost doubled by such pro-
cedure.
l would therefore, like TO appeal to
all autoist and truck drivers to con-
sider this proposition and give it at
least try-out. feel sure after such
| system has been given fair trial
they will begin to notice ;ae differ
ence in the condition of the roads.
1t is hard enough, with the lirited
means, labor and machinery available
70 70, tho ,ooA.,