286 DEPAKTMENTAL EEPOBTS. 



utiug cart, and horse roller, was contributed, and the Pennsylvania 

 and Reading- railroads furnished • free transportation of machinery 

 from Kennett Square, Pa., and Canton, Ohio. 



WISCONSIN. 



In reference to the Menomonie; Wis. , sample road built by Hon. 

 J. PI. Stout, under the direction of Expert E. G. Harrison, of this 

 Office, of which mention was made in our last annual report, the 

 Milwaukee Sentinel of April 20, 1900, makes the following comments: 



Tlw Stout model y^oad. — The short section of model road built just outside the 

 city limits of Menomonie, Wis., by Senator J. H. Stout Is serving its purpose as 

 an object lesson most admirably at this season of the year, when unimproved 

 country roads are in many cases rendered impassible b}' the wet weather, which 

 converts them into quagmires of mud. 



This road presents a hard, smooth surface, perfectly drained, that makes traffic 

 as easy as in dry weather, thus providing a striking illustration of the advantages 

 of well-constrncted roads. While it is unnecessary to dwell upon the manifest 

 superiority of improved roads at any season of the year, inasmuch as no one is 

 likely to argue the matter, the contrast between the Stout model road and the 

 average road in other parts of the State at the present time is so great as to convey 

 a deep impression. It should bring home to the farmer the economy of good roads. 

 The expense of building such roads as that at Menomonie is vei-y considerable, but 

 the cost does not seem to be large when one observes the results. 



If there were such roads throughout the State, as there may be eventually if a 

 systematic scheme of road construction is indorsed by the people, thousands of 

 farmers will reap benefits that will be worth to them many times what they are 

 assessed to help pay for the roads. As the assistant director of the Agricultural 

 Department Bureau of Road Inquiry said in a recent report: "The difference 

 between good and bad roads is often equivalent to the difference between profit 

 and loss." Anyone who observes the results attained by the Menomonie model 

 road can appreciate the significance of this remark. 



EXPERIMENTAL ROADS. 

 BRICKS. 



A system has been perfected by which vitrified brick trackways or 

 tramways can be made at a comparatively low cost on account of the 

 small number of bricks required. Longitudinal bricks are placed in 

 such a way as to alloAv the vehicles to turn off and on the tracks at 

 any point without sliding and forming ruts alongside the track. A 

 short section of this road has been built on the grounds of the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture, and owing to the abundance of good brick clay 

 throughout the country, this experiment will be looked upon with 

 much interest, especially by the good-roads people, who advocate the 

 use of convict labor in the preparation of bricks for road improve- 

 ment. If, after sufficient time has elapsed to observe the action of 

 the traffic on this road, ^xe deem it advisable, a report on this sub- 

 ject will be j)repared for the benefit of the general public. 



OILED ROADS. 



By reason of the numerous inquiries being made in regard to the 

 improvement of roads with oil, we decided to cooperate with the 

 Government officials of the District of Columbia and a dustless road- 

 bed company in testing this new system. Queens Chapel Road, in 

 the District of Columbia, was selected for this purpose on account 

 of it being so near Washington, that the results could be carefully 

 noted froni time to time. This road is a typical country thorough- 

 fare of the ordinary width; 4,650 feet was rounded up, treated with 

 oil, and rolled; the width of the sprinkled j)ortion varied from 9 to 12 



