406 



STATE BOAKD OF AGEICULTURE. 



upon the relative cost of hand and team labor, and upon the skill of the work- 

 men. It is generally thought that under most circumstances the third method 

 costs somewhat more, but as the sods (if there are any) are all placed at the 

 bottom by this method it gives a more uniform and somewhat better road than 

 either of the other methods. 



The following table is computed on the supposition that all the earth required 

 in forming the road-bed is derived from the side ditches. The slope of the side 

 of the road-bed, from bottom of ditch to the center, is little more than one 

 inch per foot, and the slope of the outside of the ditches is four inches per foot : 



COST OF TURNPIKED ROADS. 



The cost of a road, with the dimensions as given for the road-bed 28 feet wide, 

 is estimated by the Chicago Scraper Comj)any to be 25 cents per rod. 



Prof. A. B. Gulley, who has had considerable experience in road making, 

 thinks the estimate is not unreasonable with skilled hands, but that it would 

 probably cost from one-fifth to one-half more with the labor usually employed 

 on roads. The actual cost, however, will vary greatly with circumstances. 

 Skill in the management and the proper disposition of men will often bring 

 profits to a contractor, when another under the same circumstances, but with- 

 out this skill and tact, will constantly lose money. Again, it is a well known 

 fact that when work is scarce, even though wages are low, men work much bet- 

 ter than when work is plenty and wages high ; indeed it is commonly claimed 

 Avhen laborers are scarce and wages high that they can scarcely be depended on 

 for more than three-fourths of the work they readily accomplish when wages 

 are low, and when fresh hands are waiting to be hired in case any are dis- 

 charged. Again, long spells of either wet or dry weather may make the earth 

 more difficult to move, and add considerable to the cost. 



The following table of cost for moving earth is based on a paper by Ellwood 

 Morris, C. E., of Philadelphia, published in the Journal of the Franklin Insti- 



