The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

l _â€"_~~M w.”-m~ “ WE WANT GOOD ROADS.”. l .the expense should be met by it” state said the municipalities benefited. If the state legislature appIVIV'as “1° Wk I18 ‘perfarmcd by contract. ' . i ermont and California also contri- abute largely in the form of state 3‘50 By A. W. Campbell, C. E., Road chimera“:crustaceans Commissmner of Ontario. The Great Need of This Country is Good Roads--How to Build Them Econ Expert--Useful Hints oniically Explained by an and Diagrams to the Road Builders of this Country. LOCATION OF ROAM. There are very many instances where, by changing the course of a road slightly, municipalities would save a large sum in construction. and at the same time produce a better road. is. slight deviation would frequently avoid swampy or wet ground, or would do away with. the necessity of expensive outs and fills. A bill can sometimes be avoided or the grade very much reduced by altering the location of the road. 'Ilhere is a prejudice against tak- ing the made from the lines laid down In the original survey, and property owners prefer to have their farms bounded by straight lines. At the same time the value of good roads to the farm should not be overlooked. and whenever a change in the road allow- ance means the change from a bad ’00 a good road. or a change from a steep to a gentle grade, the slight inconveni- ence created by the alteration of boun- dzry lines will be many times repaid. C'UlLVERTS. In no branch of municipal work is so much money ivasted as in the con- struction and maintenance of sluioes and culverts. In most townships these are built of timber. Timber is perish- able. culverts are subjected to repeated changes of wet and dry weather. the severest test to which timber could be subjected. Eadh year a large number of these culverts are renewed at a cost of _from $5 to $50 each, in some town- ships aggregating from $500 to $1,500, and this is an animal outlay. The life of these structures is so short that it is not more than five years before re- pairs au'e_required and these repairs in a short time amount almost to renewâ€" al of the most expensive kind. A brok- en plank. or stringer, a rotten log or any timber replaced with new at differ- ent periods. makes the maintenance very costly. and this class of structure lflhe most temporary and expensiive. No sooner have they all been rebuilt than we must algain commence the recon- struction of the first, in this way the expenditure becomes perpetual. and fixes a. large percentage of our annual tax. If Uhese culverts are in their Proper locations, natural watercourses, and other fixed places, they will alway8 be required and their construction in the most durable manner is the best and most economical plan. For small culverts there is very lit‘ tle difference in the cost of timber and vitrified pipe. If properly laid the latâ€"l for will withstand the frost and is dur- able. These pipes may be used up to 18 inches in diameter; and the capacity may be increased by laying two 'or more rows. but the pipes should have at least one foot of earth or other fill- ing between them. Culverts of 5 or 10 feet span Should be cement concrete iiu'chicsI which is permanent if the con- crete is pnoperly made. The concrete should be composed of first class cem- ent: clean. sharp, silicious sand, free from earthy particles and coarse en- oygih to pass Ithrough a twenty mesh, sieve; clean gravel screened id) rough an inch and a half screen, the largest stones to be not more than two and one half inches in diameter; or in place of gravel broken stones that will pass through a two and one half inch ring. ’ihese materials should be mixed in the proportion of one cubic foot of cement. two cubic feet of sand and three cubic feet of gravel oir brclken stone. with just enough water to make the whole into a plastic mass. The sand and cem- entniust first be mixed dry. then 8- sufficient quantity of water added to make it into a thick paste. It should then be thoroughly mixed again. spread out. the stone or grmvel added. and the whole thoroughly mixed until every stone is coated with the mortar. then Put it in place. The walls should ex- tend well below the frost line and have a Wing at the ends to protect the em- bankment from wash. ' BRIDGES. Wooden bridges, except where timber is very plentiful in the immediate 1030.1- ll)‘. are not a good investment in view of the reduced cost of iron and steel, and the increasing cost of iimber. Tim- ber decays_quickly. and while cheaper than steel in first cost. is more expen- sive after a term of years since the cost of repairs is very great. . Generally speaking the cost of an iron superstructure. is more than that of wood. The substructure of stone or 3 ject to the approval of the Legislature. ; build permanent culverts, concrete is more expensive than pile or crib mark. but as in other structures a firm foundation is most serviceable and economical. Wooden foundations from dew-y and other causes settle and the least settlement in the foundation twists the timber causing a disarrangs- ment of the stmins and frequently transferring the greatest load to the! weakest point. Wherever timbers have a seat or bearing exposed. decay soon commences. and wilien least expected. collapses under a heavy load. “ herevsr timber is used in bridges it should be used in members from four to six inches in thickness. the strength of the beam or chord being obtained by building several members together. properly breaking joints. and coating each bearing with lead. A further protection is to cover these built timb- ers with galvanized iron to protect thel numerous joints and bearings from mature. All caps. cox-bios. chords. that all nuts are kept tightened so that each member may carry its fair lshare of the load, . The cost of renewing a wooden bridge ;in which a man has to be sent to put iln a new timber from time to time. iwill amount to twice the initial cost of [the bridge. In this way the ultimate [cost of a timber structure becomes very great. The course pun-sued by some. indeed most municipalities in erecting iron bridges is likely. however, to result disâ€" asterously, and throw iron and steel into disrepute. A council advertises for tenders. ’Ilhc companies responding SPPDIY their own plans and specifica- tions. Thus far the procedure is enâ€" tirely satisfactory. The difficulty arises when councils accept the lowest tender without obtaining the advice of an experienced builder of iron bridges as to the plans and specifications sub- mitted._ This is a matter in which few township engineers and surveyors are qualified to decide, and certainly the Wisdom of councillors. entirely with- out professional training in such mat- ters. is not to be trusted. Cases have occurred in which a difference of five dollars have influenced a council to ac- cept_a tenderfor a bridge which was manifestly, to a man of experience, worth less than the other by several hundred dollars; and which was indeed unsafeoffering every likelihood of failâ€" are With attendant loss of life and great expense for reconstruction. It is difficult to understand the action of some councillors shirer in other inab- ters. in the. construction of bridges and other public works proceeding with such apparent disregard for the true interests of those Whom they represent. A small sum spent in securing reliable adee is as much a matter of economy 1111 public as in private affairs. RECENT ROAD LEGISLATION. The State of Massachusetts is one of those which has taken advanced steps in road impmovvenii-nt. On petition of a county, the state road commission may, \vitlh ilhe ass nt of the Legislature, adopt any road within the county as a state highway. Except that the grad- ing and bridging is done by the county, the work thereafter, both construction and. maintenance, is under the author- bare outlines of the systems ha.” been stated, with the object of shawl-“'8 .th" prominence the question of mad ‘m' provement has attained of racer!t Wars- adopted within the past five years- I“ adopted within the past five “355‘ In all these systems, safeguards are Pl‘l‘ced to prevent the expenditure exceeding for any state or any locality, cert.a"n reasonable limits. according t0 req‘nre' ments and ability to meet the P33“ merits. In most of these states the tax is so levied that the towns and cities pay the greater portidin of the cost of state road construction: for ex- am Is, in the State of New York “1 13 est ated that the people outside 01 “1° towns and cities will pay only 10 Per cent of the cost. IN BRIEF. Roads that “break up" are bad roads. Make road improvements in such 8- “‘avy that they will be permanent. \Vhether by statute labor or other means undertake roadwork systema- ticale. Appoint a supervisor who will have charge of all the roadwork. _ Make road beass five miles in length, choose the best men as pathmasters. and keep them in office . mm“? the roads according to the nature and extent of traffic over them. Spedify the width of grade. amount of crown, plan of drainage. kind. width and depth of material to be usad. and (seat that these specifications are carried ou- . _ Purchase gravel by the pit not by the load. Use clean road material. St“? the clay and earth from over the gravel pit. before the time of per- forming statute labor. If screening or crushing is necesâ€" sary. let this be done before the time of statute labor. - .Do not scatter money in making triâ€" fllng repaii‘s on temporary structures. Roads. culverts and bridges will al- “javys be required. and their construc- tion in the mast durable manner. suit- able to requirements, is most econâ€" omical. If statute labor is to he made suc- cessful the work must be systematical- ly planned and some definite and kept in view. Have the work properly laid out be- fore the day appointed to commence work. Only call out a sufficient numâ€" ber of men and teams to properly carry out the work in hand and notify them I of the implements each will be requir- ed to bring. Let no pathmaster return a rate-pay- ars' statute labor as performed, unless i it has been done to his satisfaction. I In justice to others make the statute- READY TO RECEIVE THE GRAVEL.â€"Cr038-section. Showing earth shoulders as turned ity of the state commission. Also on petition of two or more cities or towns, I a road between them may be made a state highway. The “state com- mission” is composed of three comâ€" missioners who compile statistics. make investigations, advise regarding road construction and maintenance. and‘ hold public meetings for the discussion of road matters. One-fourth the cost of [construction is paid by the'cou-ntiy the 'remaining three-fourths being paid by the state. In 1894 the state spent $300,- 000. in this way; in 1895 $400,000; and in 1896 $600,000. It is intended that ul- timately about one-tenth of the entire road mileage will be built as state high- lways. ’ t In Michigan, upon a majority vote of the rate payers in any county, a county road system may be adopted. A board of commissioners five in number, are elected by the people to lay out. and construct certain of the leading roads, to be paid for and thereafter main- tained by a county rate. A bill has just passed the New York may be adopted as state roads. The pe- tition of a county council, certain roads ma y is adopted as state roads. The 138‘ tiliou is first presented to the State Englue-er. If he approves of the sec- tion of road thins sought to be improv- ed. he prepares plans, sepcifications and estimates. These are presented to the legislature and, if approved by that body. 50 per cent. of the cost of con- struction is paid by the state. The New Jersey Highway law pro- ; vides that on the petition of the owners Eof twoâ€"thirds of the land bordering on 58. road. the state Commissioner of iPublic Roads will cause the road tol :be improved in accordance with plans Sand specifications prepared by him. sub- iTlhe owners of the land affected by U18 {improvement pay onc-tenilh of the cost: lthe county pays six-tenths; and “18 :state three-tenths. . Connecticut has introducod a plan of highway improvement providing for lthe appointment of three state com- fmissioiiers. \Vhena township votes in favor of constructing a road under the ;provisions of the State Highway Act. Lspecifications are prepared and submit- ; ted to the state commissioners. icommission approves. the icouncil lets contracts for the work. to be performed under the supervision iof the state annniissioners. One-third2 ;of the cost is paid by the state: oneâ€"g Stu-bird by the county; and one-third by {the township. The expenditure by the Estate in this way is limited to *annunlly. The State of Rhode Island has up- I'lmiuted a commissioner of highwnys. When a council represents in the com- lf the ‘ township , 75000, braces and floor beams should be made ;mi83i0n6!‘ the need [01' iml’m‘ing 3”" in this way so that the thickness of no ' iain road. an examination is made by timber will be more than six inches. #1131. If he mnsidm‘s (-119 “'Wk “6.083” A wotxien bridgi- should be minted one }581')‘. 118 ptepfirefi P1805. Specul‘m‘mns year after erection: iron bridge at time find estimates: and reports to the mun- ol erection. and care should be taken ’ icipalitiesaffected. also tctlie state legâ€" to see that they are kept painted and lislature as to the prOpOrtion in which back by the grading machine: labor returns clearly; show what work! has not been done. i See that the council collects the am- ‘ount from the delinquent parties and 1 have it expended the next year. i The pathmaster should inspect the Troads under his charge after every heavy rain-storm. A few minutes' jwork in freeing drains from. obstruc- : tions. filling holes, diverting a current §of water may save several days’ work gif neglected. ; It is impossible to do satisfactory -; work on clay roads which are very wet. ; or which have become baked and hard-- ened by heat and. drought. The opera- 1 tor of the grading machine should have g instructions to commence work on clay ;ros.ds as soon as the ground has be- ;oome sufficiently settled in springâ€" and not to leave this work until the , time of statute labor, usually in June, 1 l l iCOlIPOSITION OF THE AVERAGE l ROADâ€"Cross-sectlon. 3 Daily gravel is dropped on the roads ?without. further treatment. The stones ' are forced down into the mud, and the :mud comes to the surface. I l i when the ground is hard and dry; a With the money which can to spent. permanent Ebridges. buy machinery, buy gravel pits, prepare gravel for hauling, con- Btrm't drains. operate the machinery. Use the statute labor us far as pos- Sible in drawing gravel or broken 1 stone. 5 Do not leave the gravel or broken ‘ stone just as it. drops from the wagon. ,Spread the metal. Crown the road with a rise of one inch’ to the foot from side to centre so as to shed water from the roadway to the drains. Give the Open drains a good fall to a free outlet. Lay tile underdrains where needed. Drain thoroughly. Keep the road surface dry. Keep the earth underv neath the surface dry. l'se road machinery. _‘ ‘Use graders. atone crusher: and road ; rollers. ‘ 5 improved machinery is as necessary ’ for good and economical work. as are selfâ€"binders and siesm-threshers. Employ one man to take charge of ;the machinery. He will l'ecome ex- perienced and do better and cheaper ; work. . Q The same teams should be always emâ€" ployed to operate the graders. 'l'hey -nal City, Princes and become accustomed to the work “‘1 give better service. , Do not cover an old gravel roadimi-b sod and ca.th from the sides of the road. Turn this earth and Dub- wurd and raise the centre with new gravel. Adopt every means to seculre a hard. smooth. waterproof surface. Do not let stones roll locael)‘ 0‘1 “‘5 road. Do not let ru'ts remain. The)‘ 111335 travelling difficult. and spoil the road by holding water. Make repairs as soon as the defect appears Use wide tires. Improve the drainage of the hills. Make the crown of the roadway higher than on level ground. Change the location of the road it a steep hill can be avoided. Do not use wood for culverts. Use concrete. vitrified pipe or stone. _‘ Do not build “noden bridges. U36 iron. stone or concrete. Build good roads. .___.‘__â€"-â€"â€"- THE QUEEN'S HINDOO ATTENDANTS In the days of'Romzin Empire the Caesars brought captive to the Eterâ€" potentates of their conquered outposts. The lot of the captives are not always a happy The Queen’s Indian Chef. or contented one, though some of them, it is recorded, established rela: tions in Rome. which advanced them to high positions of honor about the Caesars. Some such idea or a develop- ment would appear to apply to the Hindoo attendants of the Empress of India. and our Gracious Queen. She has at the present time three Indian atâ€" tendants, who look to her personal comfort, and a chef over the Eastern kitchen. which is called into use when distinguished visitors from India go to London. The Oriental department of M'UNSHI ABDUL KARIM. The Queen's Indian Secretary. the Royal household is in charge of her private indiiin secretary, Hafiz Habdul Karim. who belongs to ll good family at Agra, and has been in Her Majesty’s service since the jubilee year. 185.7, discharging his duties faithfully and well. The Queen speaks and reads Hindustani with consider- able proflciency. and she also shows devotion to Indian art. Nothing gave the Indian cavalry officers who form- ed a guard of honor to the Queen in the diamond jubilee procession last year more pleasure than the fact that they remind their jubilee medals from her own hands. FLOORS Oi" PAPER. In Germany, it is said. paper floors are well liked because. having no joints. they are more easily kept clean they are poor conductors of heat and of sound. and they cost less than hard Wood floors. They are put down in the form of a paste. which is smoothed with rollers, and after it has hardened, painted of any desired color or pattern. -â€"-â€". SARTORIA L WIT. Jackâ€"Did. you know that Jones, the tailor, asked. Miss Swell to marry him? {Dickâ€"So 9. And what did shr- say? Jackâ€"She gave him a fitting ans- war. Dickâ€"What was it? Jackâ€"She told him he was cut ou'. Dickâ€"And that ended it. Impposcl Jackâ€"Yes. he diun't press his suii further. han‘ ting do - «. SANTIAGO‘S CAPTURE Ill “5524‘ ~â€" English and Americans undoi- 'f i.‘ ms the nick Why. It was Diego Velasquez who founded Cuba in 1515. thus mak- ing it the oldest town on ihe island. For a long time Santiago was the cap- ital and the headquarters of the vari- ous murderous expeditions of the Span- ish against the mainland. Cortes made it his rendezvous during his conquest of Mexico. De Soto started from San- tiago in 1528 on his first expedition of exploration. -By themiddle of the century the place had grown to be rich and important. There was all kinds of wealth there. the accumula- tion, doubtless, of the plunder taken from the defenceloss Aztecs ' and the countless other victims of Spanish lust and avarice. In 1553, 400 French landed in the bar- bor and didn't have much trouble in capturing the city, not half as niuoh trouble as Sampson and Schley are hav- ing now. This handful of French held the town till a ransom of some 880.- 000 was paid. After this there were frequent attacks by the numerous bands of buccamcers and pirates that infested the seas of that time. But the real attack was in 1602. just 100 years before Havana was captured by the Almericans and English. when . Lord \Vi-nsor, with 15 vessels and lees than 1,000 men. English and Americans succeeded without much opposition in effecting a landing at Aquadoros. the very same town where Sampson was said to have landed men to effect a junction with the insurgents of (0â€"day. These L000 men walked all the way from the sea to the city, and after a little brush with the inefficient force of Spanish sent to oppose them. Wiped them off the face of the earth and look ssession of the toxin. poIt is not exactly known why Lord \Vinsor attacked Santiago rather than Havana, unless it was that he _thought it easier and richer. The English were disappointed sorely to find that the in- habitanls in leaving for other parts. had either hidden or taken all valu- ables with them. so there wasn't on- ough plunder to go around. lho‘ in- vaders. however, confiscated all the silâ€" ver church bells and the gun-s from the fort. and, us if just to show llieir spite blew up the Morm Castle and destroy- ed thc cathedral. The Morro was re- built in 1603. and remains to this dayâ€" or rather till the other day. when Yanâ€" kee guns once more battered it. Philip I. was king of Spain at the.tliine. and he was an ry that the English should be so mug with his belongings. It always has been part of the Spanish nature to get angry about hittle things and rave in helpless rage. In 1702 the English took Havana, and Santiago for a while was left out of consideration. but not for long. In 1766 along came an earthquake. wreckan half the city, and putting 100 people out of the misery of being Spanish subjects. Since that time the town has lived a pretty even existence up to the present time. Looking backward, we see that a full 100 years elapsed between the capture of Santiago and the capture of Havana. HOW NELSON HUNTED FLEETS. Pâ€"i Two Years Forcing ii Triii‘nlgar and Three Months (‘nlcliliig Iloiiupiirlc. Lord Nelson was the greatest and most successful admiral the world pro- duced, down to the days of steam pow- er, yet on more than one occasion he let his enemy slip past and lead him a heart-reading chase for months before a. blow could be struck. lionuparte's expedition for the con- quest of Egypt and the Orient had been organizing for many months at. ’lfculon. On May 9, 1798, Nelson sailed with a flying squadron from Gibraltar to scout off the French port and asuertaiii the mission of the French fleet. But the enemy eluded liim completely. loll. 'l'oul- on with Bonaparte's army and disap- peared at sea with Nelson none the wis- er for having appeared in the Gulf of Lyons. Reinforced by ten ships of the line Nelson started in pursuit. But he kept missing the French fleet. lie called at Alexandria in Egypt. but no h'rcncli ship was there. Then he chased off io Syracuse. but still no enemy. h‘iiiully after about three months of vuin pur- suit. he appeared on August 1 off Alex- andria again, and them he beheld the object of his search anchored in Abouâ€" kir Bay. The army of Bonaparte had been safely landed. 'l‘lic complete de- struction of the French fleet followed, however, and the ultimate ruin of the Egyptian cmmlmign was assured. The campaign of Trafalgar. perhaps the most memorable in naval hisiory. was infinitely more trying to the par til-rice of both Nelson and the English people than any before it. The British admiral blockadcd 'l‘oulou. where the French fleet was fitting for sea, a full year and a half. and in all that time not once did hl- tout-h {not on the land. And how were his lxii‘wvcraiice and vigilance rewarded? On January lit, 1805 the enemy broke away and swept off to sea. Ii. effected a junction uiih the Spanish fire! at Cadiz. villi-‘ll .‘x'rl’ son had determined to pro-vent. 'lhcn the allied force smiled lo the \\.(!'|" in- dies with Nelson in pursuit. 'ihn chum continued back to Europe again with- out success. and Nelson thereupon luff. his ship and retusnml imiiporaiily to England. It was not unlil (Xloinei' 5, 1805. over eight iiiomhi after the French force had escaped iioiri 'l‘oulnn lmrimr ihat Noll-mi finally me! it and lhn Spanish allies in battle of! (‘ape Trafalgar.