Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1922-10-12
ROAD IS
BIG PROJECT
In Which the Reporter Notes Some
Results of Visit to Port
Edwards,

When the contracting firm of Me-
Carthy & Krause undertook the work
of grading the road from the end of
the concrete in Port Edwards village
to the end Of the concrete leading out
of Nekoosa, a distance of $500 feet,
the estimate was 5,835 cubic yards of
earth to be moved 1t didn't look like
SO big job, but the project grew as
decisions were made to make the road
surface "a feet wide and to raise the
level above high water mark, so q
second estimate of 1881, third of
4,211 and a fourth Of 1865 were add
ed SO that the total amount of earth
placed in the fill was 1859 cubic
yards. All but 1905 cubic yards of
this was hauled from borrow pits at
some distance from the roadway, this
amount being taken from some small
cuts that were made.
After this extraordinarily large
grading proposition was cared for the
w. E. UIe Co., of Stevens Point went
on with complete paving outfit and
their crew is now engaged in laying
the concrete surface. Their plant is
worthy Of some study and the rate at
which they are doing the work is
worthy Of note. All the time there
must be taken into consideration that
this particular piece Of road is to a
certain extent scenic route which it
is desired to place at the highest pos
sible point as te quality, permanence
and utility.
Six thousand lineai feet of this road
beginning at the end Of the concrete
running out Of Nekoosa and coming
toward Port Edwards, is being laid
"a feet wide. The 1900 feet which
will connect this "a foot road with the
concrete in the village is to be laid l8
feet wide. The road winds through
a beautiful forest and along the river
bank, on what was called the River
Road.
The Ule Company has installed
mixing plant in the edge of the VIII
iage of Port Edwards where the sand,
gravel and cement are unloaded, hoist
ed into bins, mixed in the proper pro-
portions and dumped into boxes con-
tanning each one batch for the mixer
in dry form. Each box, when full
contains $500 pounds of dry mix
ture. These boxes fit on cars, two of
them TO q car. These cars are then
hauled on narrow gauge railroad
track by means of gasoline locomo-
tive, ten of them to train.
One-half of the width of the "a
foot road was laid first, then the mix
er was set over for the other half.
The half on the river side Of the road
was being laid this week when the
Reporter paid a visit to the works.
Through the courtesy of the men in
charge of the work we were permitted
to see the outfit at work and gather
some figures. On Monday between 8
o'clock and noon, 375 lineal feet of
twelve foot paving was laid. The best
record for one day on this particular
job was 897 lineal feet of 12-foot paw
ing. The same crew and outfit has
laid 893 lineal feet of 18-foot paving
on another project earlier this season
When the cars are brought up to
the side of the mixer, they are handled
by hand, being drawn along and the
boxes lifted by power operated crane
swung over and dumped into the hop
per of the mixer. Each batch is mixed
one minute, the whole machine oper
ating with power and precision that
are admirable to watch.
After the concrete mixture is spread
by the machine there is lot of IL
borieus hand work to be done, tamp
ing Down the coarse gravel and finish
ing the surface. The fnishers have
to put in long days, sometimes work
ing until midnight, and always far
into the evening.
After the work of finishing is done,
the concrete has to be covered with
earth, which is kept moist until the
curing process is complete. Ten days
is required by the state standards be-
fore load is allowed to be put upon
the paving. There is rigid inspection
by the state at, every stage of the paw
ing work The amount and quality
of cement is watched, the methods Of
and the time the batch is mix
ed are checked up, reinforcing is be-
ing used to prevent cracking by set
Ting of the ne filling, and many other
details are looked out for.
At the rate at which this work is
proceeding this project will be COM
pleted about the middle of next week.
Ten days later will probably see the
road in partial use, perhaps fully o.
pened The shaping Of the should
ers" at the sides of the concrete sur
face will be done by the firm which
put in the grade. There will then be
in place of the rough, rutted, often diff
fcult and sometimes impossible dirt
road, q paved boulevard OF unusual
width, and Of unsurpassed beauty of
which the people of Wood County may
be proud and which will be the object
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