282 DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS. 



regarding improved roads, and it is believed that much good work 

 will be the result of this demonstration. 



TENNESSEE. 



During the months of October and November an object-lesson road 

 was built near Knoxville, Tenn., for the benefit of the students of the 

 State University Agricultural College and Experiment Station and the 

 farmers and other citizens interested. The road selected for this pur- 

 pose is 1,()0U feet in length, and extends from the Kingston pike to 

 the farm buildings. Instead of following the line of the old road 

 straight over the knolls and through the depressions, where the grade 

 in some places exceeds 10 per cent, a new and comparatively level 

 route around the hill was selected, laid out, and graded. The l)roken 

 stone with screenings and dust was spread on the prepared foundation 

 10 feet Avide in layers about 4 inches in depth. Each layer was si^rin- 

 kled and rolled according to the usual custom and fine stone and 

 screenings applied to the surface. The material of which this road 

 was constructed was the ordmarj' limestone, which abounds in east- 

 ern Tennessee, and which is about the only material used in the per- 

 manent improvement of the public roads. 



A quarry was ©ijened midway of the improvement, only a few feet 

 from tlie roadway, and from this an abundance of good material was 

 secured and crushed. Through the courtesy of the Delaware, Lacka- 

 wanna and Western; the Chesapeake and Ohio; the Baltimore and 

 Ohio; the Louisville and Nashville; the Southern; the Nashville, Chat- 

 tanooga and St. Louis; the Atlanta, Knoxville, and Northern; the Cin- 

 cinnati, New Orleans and Texas Pacific railroads we were successful 

 in installing at Knoxville the most unique and one of the most com- 

 plete road-building outfits ever operated under the direction of this 

 Office. The railroads above-mentioned granted free transportation 

 of all machinery used at Knoxville. The plant consisted of a crusher 

 with bins liolding 40 tons, an elevator, and a revolving screen, the 

 power for the crusher being supplied by a 15-horsepower gasoline 

 engine. A 5-ton horse roller was used and a distributing cart was 

 exitiibited and operated. The city of Knoxville supplied a sprinkling 

 cart, as well as a steam roller, the latter being used for only a few days 

 in making the finishing touches. The ease and quickness which char- 

 acterized the use of the engine and crusher and the economy in fuel 

 and attention required were very much admired by the large number 

 of visitors. The plant was so effective and complete that the road- 

 machine companies interested had no trouble in disposing of it after 

 the work had been practically completed. The contractors who pur- 

 chased the plant have since used it in connection with the building of 

 100 miles of stone, gravel, and chert roads in the vicinity of Cleveland. 



During the construction of this road such students as desired to 

 attend were instructed in the art of practical road building. Novem- 

 ber 28, 1899, was set apart as "State day," and quite a number of 

 students and representative east Tennesseeans were in attendance, 

 and addresses Avere delivered by Dr. Charles W. Dabney, president 

 of the University of Tennessee, Prof. William Carson, C. E., and Mr. 

 Charles T. Harrison, the expert in charge. We have been unable to 

 secure data in reference to the cost of this work, but under similar 

 circumstances, it is believed that such roads can be built in Tennessee 

 at a cost of $2,000 to 13,000 a mile. 



