anaheim-gazette 1907-01-03

Good Roads and How to Get Them Paper read by A.R. Sprague at the Hantford Meeting of the State Fruit Growers Association. The principles of roadmaking are few. Some one has well said, it may be summed up in, "keep the water out of, off from, away from the road." This involves proper drainage to make sure that the soil is not saturated within from four to six feet of the road-surface. It makes necessary the packing of the road material, and particularly the surface, in order that, from travel, no depressions may result that prevent water from draining off. Where possible, it suggests the use of heavy asphaltic oil to the smooth hard surface in order that it may be perfectly water-proofed. The asphalt of crude oil, like paint, is adhesive but not cohesive, and should be used precisely as if it were PAINT—to be applied only upon a hard, smooth surface, and only so much of it as will sink into the material of the road-surface, AND NEVER IN ANY OTHER WAY. Only one exception to this rule is known—where it is to be used only to prevent dust and not to water-proof the road—in this case but little should be used, much short of saturation of the dirt. Thus used, it will not seriously increase the draft of vehicles and will prevent most of the dust from rising. In case of applying oil to a sand road, it must penetrate deeply enough to give a heavy body of resistance to pressure, and the sides the prevailing use of the same railway construction—the rails must be fitted to a fice which is to go over four-track rock-ballasted roads with straightest practicable and lowest gradients; consequently nearly regardless of cost for lines with heavy traffic, while branch lines with but little may be left with single traction rails, roadbed unballasted curves and gradients consist low cost construction. Do every railway manager would lighted to have every mile of track as well constructed as lines, but to attempt this work to court bankruptcy. So in this State of California doubtless every citizen would have every mile of our 50,000 public highway made of macadam, but this could achieve by most excessive while the macadam construct main lines with properly drained and compacted brace cross lines, is an entirely real ambition for the people of Nia to entertain. No people have good roads can possibly have poor ones. The Department of agriculture has been making very careful investigations as to the average tonnage haul upon the high United States, and report it is slightly over 25c per mile, while upon good m road the cost is not in excess. is to be used only to prevent dust and not to water-proof the road—in this case but little should be used, much short of saturation of the dirt. Thus used, it will not seriously increase the draft of vehicles and will prevent most of the dust from rising. In case of applying oil to a sand road, it must penetrate deeply enough to give a heavy body of resistance to pressure, and the sides of the track should be so protected as to prevent the breaking down of the edges. All oil should be used as nearly cold as it can be handled conveniently, as the lighter oils which are driven off by heat are the chief solvents of the asphalt, which enables it to penetrate almost any hard surface. Where clay can be added to sand, or sand to clay, and well mixed and puddled and kept smooth by road drag, or other such expedient, a very good surface for light travel results. Where it can be given two inches of broken rock and traveled and sprinkled until the surface is well bound together and hard, and then is given a light coat of heavy asphalt crude oil a very desirable, dustless road, at small cost, will result. A properly oiled macadam road should be rounded more than if not oiled, as it is essential that the water should drain off very freely. As applied to a wide area varying in industrial development and natural conditions, Good Roads may be defined as roads constructed upon a scale of cost proportioned to the amount of travel upon each per mile, so that within reasonable limits of expense every portion of the commonwealth shall have easy access to its centers of business and to railway and water transportation. The cross roads and branch roads, having comparatively little travel, may well be constructed and maintained with comparatively light cost, while the main lines of travel must be built to resist much hard usage and to require little expense for an The Department of agriculture has been making very careful tigations as to the average tonnage haul upon the high United States, and report it is slightly over 25c per mile, while upon good road the cost is not in excess per ton per mile. (See report Ag., 1905.) From 1884 to 1904 the per California have spent $49 upon their roads—nearly two half millions per year, and one still very poor. But this of money is the smallest part loss to the people of our state the failure to enter upon per highway construction. The tary of agriculture estimates 000,000 the annual loss of the of the United States from the cost of traffic upon poor road upon good ones. California of this would make a large amount to the two and one-half million lars, most of which we have thrown into the mud. Apart from this heavy move from bad roads, consider the isolation which they comp best in the larger part of Cal our rural population are widened. How much nearer the good roads would bring them adding greatly to the attractiveness of country life and giving efficiency to church and school. If many of our communities be barred from travel to all their nearest town by toll where they were assessed fr to fifteen cents per mile for mile traveled with a mode rail what a protest would arise soon those barriers would be ished; and yet their bad road stitute a barrier just as experthe toll gates would be, and protest but feebly. California is the natural ground of the whole east- its of expense every portion of the commonwealth shall have easy access to its centers of business and to railway and water transportation. The cross roads and branch roads, having comparatively little travel, may well be constructed and maintained with comparatively light cost, while the main lines of travel must be built to resist much hard usage and to require little expense for annual maintenance. This at once suggests a classification of the highways of the state upon the basis of Grippe or Influenza, whichever you like to call it, is one of the most weakening diseases known. Scott's Emulsion, which is Cod Liver Oil and Hypophosphites in easily digested form, is the greatest strength-builder known to medical science. It is so easily digested that it sinks into the system, making new blood and new fat, and strengthening nerves and muscles. Use Scott's Emulsion after Influenza. Invaluable for Coughs and Colds. ALL DRUGGISTS: 50c. AND $1.00. spend during their yearly play spells here, and many more of them would determine to spend all of the year amid the delightful surroundings of fruitful orchards and sea, rivers and mountains, with roadways of such excellence linking all as to permit, with modern vehicles, a freedom and ease of travel only equalled by the flight of birds. Surely California, of all states, cannot afford poor roads. Our present Road Law was evidently enacted upon the supposition that only the farming population should be taxed to maintain public highways, it being considered that as the cities take care of their highways they should be relieved of any care of roads beyond their city limits. This is now very generally held to be a mistaken view of the matter. If it costs four times as much to haul supplies for the city over bad roads as over good ones, does not the city suffer because of such roads? Even if the supplies go from farm to railroad and thence to the city, the loss is still evident. To get their goods to the country consumer, the city merchants need good roads as much as does the farmer to get his to the city. Cheap transportation to and from a city probably is the chief cause of rapid city growth. The effect of the embargo placed upon traffic by bad roads is the same as if some foreign power were to be permitted to place toll gates with extravagant charges, upon every public road and then appropriate to its own use all of the revenues therefrom. In such cases the city surely would not be indifferent. The less it costs the farmer for the transportation of his products and supplies the more he will have to spend in the city. Again, it is altogether unfair for the citizens of the commonwealth who happen to department of agriculture making very careful invests to the average cost of rail upon the highways of States, and reports that pay over 25c per ton per mile upon good macadam cost is not in excess of 10c per mile. (See report U. S. from this heavy money loss roads, consider the social which they compel. At larger part of California population are widely seepow much nearer together would bring them, thus aptly to the attractiveness of life and giving greater church and school. of our communities were used from travel to and from best town by toll gates were assessed from five cents per mile for every used with a moderate load, test would arise and how barriers would be abol- yet their bad roads carrier just as expensive as states would be, and they feebly. is the natural play the whole east With some foreign power were to be permitted to place toll gates with extravagant charges, upon every public road and then appropriate to its own use all of the revenues therefrom. In such cases the city surely would not be indifferent. The less it costs the farmer for the transportation of his products and supplies the more he will have to spend in the city. Again, it is altogether unfair for the citizens of the commonwealth who happen to be placed where the population is from ten thousand to fifty thousand to the square mile, to insist that where the people number but ten to the square mile they shall maintain their own roads. To do this effectively would require that they be taxed for public uses many times as much as the city inhabitant. The centers of population everywhere are the nurseries of crime and incompetency which load vast expense upon the state. These expenses are shared by the rural population and without protest, although they are taxed quite out of proportion to the expense caused by their own criminals and incompetents. From every point of view it seems just as desirable that a large part of the cost of the construction and maintenance of public highways should be provided by state funds. The advocates of National aid in the construction of main lines of road connecting the various parts of the whole Nation, it seems to me, have much force in their arguments. The right of the Nation to appropriate funds for such a purpose was fully considered at the time of the old Cumberland & St. Louis turnpike was begun in 1807. Even the sticklers for State Righte, John C. Calhoun and Hayne of South Carolina were earnest advocates of this National highway. The arguments afterwards used to justify the vast subsidies given by the United States to great railroads, were used with far greater propriety in support of this Cumberland turnpike, since it was to be free to all citizens who might desire to make use of it. It was urged that it was necessary to provide for the easy transmission of the mails, an argument good today, for the distribution of the mails still involves the use of the public highway in very great measure, so that the annual expense of the postoffice are vastly larger. were assessed from five cents per mile for every mile used with a moderate load, test would arise and how barriers would be abolished yet their bad roads carrier just as expensive as states would be, and they feebly. is the natural play of the whole east. With the prevailing condition in the millions would be which eastern people now ver you like weakening which is Cod can easily length-builder it sinks into and new fat, muscles. ion after Colds. $1.00. United States to great railroads, were used with far greater propriety in support of this Cumberland turnpike, since it was to be free to all citizens who might desire to make use of it. It was urged that it was necessary to provide for the easy transmission of the mails, an argument good today, for the distribution of the mails still involves the use of the public highway in very great measure, so that the annual expense of the postoffice are vastly larger than they would be if the contract route carriers could make use of good roads. The excessively high rate of 8c per pound, payment to the railroads for carrying the mails, aggregates a vast sum in excess of reasonable and customary charges, which excess would far better be spent upon the public highways of the Nation, facilitating the delivery of mail upon thousands of miles of post-roads. Since the National government reserves to itself the power of indirect taxation it is proper that the funds thus raised, after providing for the necessary functions of the Government should be used for the benefit of the whole people, so far as this is possible, and in no way is this more possible than in the construction of permanent highways. The Nation is not averse to taxing the farming population in order that urban manufacturers shall flourish, nor does it hesitate to appropriate vast sums for the improvement of rivers and harbors which advantage most those adjacent to them. It may be considered that such use of National funds is wise; but if so how eminently just that the great interior farming populations should have some National assistance in providing easier transportation for the vast product of their toll. Secretary Wilson of the U. S. de- department of agriculture received that the farming class, whither thirty-five percent of our population has in ten years produced amount equal to the entire wealth—the production of turries. Surely these provisions entitled to the utmost possibility, purely from an economic point even, No other assist exceed the value of helping secure good roads. In very many parts of the country is felt that the freight rates are sive, and possibly they are, a result of better railroad grades and curves, and health with well ballasted roadbed rates have been greatly lower last twenty years, until, with ent cost of labor and supply agents of railroads claim that not be further reduced. However, the average haul railroad costs more than the railroad haul to market, and this cost may be decreased. Stock, Olmstead & Co. Real Estate, Stocks Bonds and Insurance Send to you Mr. Buyer: Property is Cheaper today in Anaheim than in any place in Southern California. 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Harness, and the Famous Robes and Blankets. Sun-proof Paints. Repairs of all kinds. of agriculture recently stated farming class, which is but the percent of our whole populations in ten years produced an equal to the entire national production of three centuries. Surely these producers are so the utmost possible considerately from an economic standpoint, No other assistance could be value of helping them to good roads. Many parts of the country it at the freight rates are excessively they are, and yet as of better railroads—lesser curves, and heavier rails ballasted roadbed, freight has been greatly lowered in the past years, until, with the presupposed labor and supplies, man-made roads claim that rates can further reduced. Or, the average haul to the costs more than the average haul to market, and clearly may be decreased by two-thirds, by providing good roads. This, therefore, would have the same effect upon the prosperity of the country as would a heavy reduction in the freight rate; since the cost of getting things to market from producer to consumer, both manufactured articles and the products of the soil, is usually made up of wagon-haul and railroad or water transportation; and so if either part of this total cost is lessened the burden laid upon the producer is lessened in that proportion. I have doubtless said enough about the value of good roads, for no one refuses to concede this. However, I have been desirous of giving the greatest possible emphasis to the fact that BAD ROADS ARE WASTEFUL. What then shall we do? This state, every state, is abundantly able to have them if, we will but set out to get them in some orderly and efficient fashion. To be continued.