Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1924-11-13
WEST VIRGINIA GOOD ROADS.

CHARLESTON, w. Va. Nov 10th
Hancock county, in the extreme trip
of the northern Panhandle, is the
scene of one of the states interest
ing road projects.
The northern tip of the state is
hard to get into and equally hard to
leave without taking roundabout
trip through Ohio. The Panhandle
is so narraw that one good highway
would be sufficient to connect it with
that part of the state to the south,
but such a highway has never ex-
listed in that location. The most
feasible route is that lying along the
east bank of the Ohio river.
There has been road along the
river for many years. That part of
it in Hancock county connects New
Cumberland with Weirton and points
farther south, at the same time serv-
ing clay and other mining and manu-
featuring interests along the river,
To fulfill this double requirement, it
was built along the hillside just above
the Pennsylvania tracks. On that
slope of the hill facing the river, there
is valuable layer of fire clay which
is mined for fire brick. Through
it is valuable for bricks it interferes
seriously with the plans of road build
ers.
Resting upon the rock to deptf
earth and in most cases both rock
of a few feet, this fire clay is in turr
covered with from IL to 20 feet OF
and clay are on an incline. In the
spring, water seeps through the earti
layer until it is a plastic mushy mass
the fire clay below is practically i'm.
pervious, so the seepage water runs
along it lubricating it and making
it a creased slope down which the
saturated earth slides sometimes
slowly, sometimes rapidl If the
slide starts above the highway The
road may be buried so that all traf
fic is stopped until the earth is re.
moved. If it starts below, the shoul.
der of the road slips down on the
tracks, leaving the paving slab sus
pended in mid air if there is paving
or making bad hole if the road has
only an earth surface.
For years, Hancock county haC
been fighting such earth slides OF
that part Of the road near New Cum
berland. Each year the availabl,
money was spent building stone rip
rap walls on the lower side Of th'
roadway to hold the earth in place
or some section Of previously bull
% wall would prove too light to resis
o the terrific pressure behind it ant
would either bulge outward so badl.
that it had to be torn down and re
built or would topple over onto TIL
tracks below. The CONSTRUCTION o
wall founded on rock and suffici
emily heavy to resist the earth pres
sure was a task requiring more fundl
than the county could spend on tn,
road.
When the State Road Commission
was created, it was realized that I
road through the northern Panhandle
was necessary for proper commun
ication between this section and ths
remainder Of TIE state and also thai
a road along the scenic Ohio river
passing through places historically
famous, would be sure to attract ths
tourists who have long been recogn
lied as an asset to the merchants Of
any community. Consequently, worl
was begun on as much of the river
road as could be built with available
funds.
A gang of state prisoners was put
on part of the work but this methoC
q proved inadvisable. Kane Bros. Of
Youngstown, Ohio are making gooc
= progress on the excavation, and also
have a construct to lay the paving
They expect to complete the grading
this year and to pave the road in the
spring after the fills have had a
chance to settle during the winter.
The new road will be a great i'm
rrovement. Grades havE been re-
duced until they are negligible, the
right-of-way has been pushed into
the hillside SO that the paving will
rest entirely upon solid undisturb-
ed earth foundation and the fills
which make up the earth shoulder
between the pavement and the railroad
track will he held in nlace. hu con.