The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1930-09-27
THE TRIBUNE, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER &c, 1880

causes about % per cent Of the cai
accidents.
Ten years ago there was hardly /
truck on the highways that had
carrying capacity Of . ton-or over;
today q great deal of our freightins
Is being done with trucks. However
sometimes they are stopped when w
have long rainy spells on account
Of breaking through the road beds
Would this happen so often If these
roads had been kept up with the kline
Of machinery that builds q hard de.
!; pendable surface such as lighter
maintenance machinery will do?
If cheaper maintenance machinery
could be used and purchased, more
money would be available for build.
ing roads and more federal money
would come in.
We have learned that by using the
blade on gravel roads, it's discharg-
ing capacity is less than 25 per cent
Of its load. The balance is left on
either end or in other words on each
side Of the road.
This is why we are making q mis-
take by using road building machin-
cry for maintenance purposes. The
blade has no respect for building up
the thickness of the crust. Every
move of the blade leaves the loose
gravel ready for the wind to whip
the grit or binding substance, thus
blowing away the most important
part that forms the crust.
Now take the wet season. Do we
get the proper drainage where we
have a ridge Of gravel on each side ?
Sixty years ago the railroad COM
panies instructed the section foremen
that IT they allowed the water to
reach up to the ties and did not al
low proper drainage in the cuts, they
would Immediately be discharged.
Now il this. has been successful to
the railroad companies for so years,
why should the state highway de-
partment advocate to the contrary?
Who pays for this machinery?
The state. of curse. Who is the
state? It is you and / and the more
the state has to pay for any COM
modify the more you and ! are taxed
to meet the payments on these COM
modities. You as taxpayers ask
why they buy this heavy road ma
|chinery when lighter and cheaper
machinery would be better. The
manufacturer would be working
against his own interest to build a
$50 to $50 machine to take the place
Of a $1,000 or $1,000 machine; the
high pressure salesman sells on a
commission basis, and the more it
costs the more his commission. The
demand for the lighter and cheaper
machinery must be strong enough to
force the manufacturer to produce it.
If you and ! are careful for ourselves
why shouldn't the state use the same
care in their selection?
We have learned from highway
engineers that they recommended
loose gravel on the surface. Do you
think this is right, and if you do,
test it out for yourself and be your
own Judge. Where there is a hard
surface road and no loose gravel try
to push your car along. This you
can do quite easily for some distance.
Then try this on q graveled road
with one or two inches Of loose
gravel and you will find that it is:
hard to move the car any distance.
Just think what this difference
means as to power in the car, cost
of gas. wear on tires. skidding in
loose gravel, saying nothing Of the
dust.
Here we come to the patrolman.
He is between the bark and the tree.
He Isl huitAn.she takes pride in his
work. He wants to show the public
that he is doing something which,