The Future of Road-making in AmericaHulbert, Archer Butler
History
The Future of Road-making in America
Hulbert, Archer Butler
Roads; Roads -- United States; Roads -- United States -- Design and construction
It is difficult to describe the kind of stone that is best. The best is
generally syenite trap rock, but this term does not give any definite
idea. The kind used in New Jersey is called the general name of Jersey
trap rock. It is a gray syenite, and is found in great quantities in a
range running from Jersey City, on the Hudson River, to a point on the
Delaware between Trenton and Lambertville. There are quantities of good
stone lying north of this ledge, but none south of it.
The best is at or near Jersey City. The same kind of stone is found in
the same ranges of hills in Pennsylvania, but in the general run it is
not so good. The liability to softness and disintegration increases
after leaving the eastern part of New Jersey, and while good stone may
be found, the veins of poorer stone increase as we go south and west.
It is generally believed that the hardest stones are best for road
purposes, but this is not the case. The hard quartz will crush under the
wheels of a heavy load. It is toughness in the stone that is necessary;
therefore a mixed stone, like syenite, is the best. This wears smooth,
as the rough edges of the stone come in contact with the wheels. It
requires good judgment based on experience to determine the right kind
of stone to take the constant wear of horseshoes and wagon tires.
If good roads are desired, the work is not done when the road is
completed and ready for travel. There are many causes which make
repairing necessary. I will refer to only a few of them. Stone roads are
liable to get out of order because of too much water or want of water;
also, when the natural roadbed is soft and springy and has not been
sufficiently drained; when water is allowed to stand in ditches and form
pools along the road, and when the "open winters" give us a
superabundance of wet. Before the road becomes thoroughly consolidated
by travel it is liable to become soft and stones get loose and move
under the wheels of the heavily loaded wagons. In the earth foundation
on which the stone bed rests the water finds the soft spots. The wheels
of the loaded teams form ruts, and particularly where narrow tires are
used.
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