130 REPORT—1849. 
dwellings with dust and covering their clothes with dirt, it is evident that such a 
road is really very dear. There is an apparent diversity of interest between these 
who use and those who pay for our public streets; as the principal loss from bad 
roads falls directly upon those who keep or employ horses and vehicles, while the 
expense of road repairs falls upon the inhabitants generally. A little consideration, 
however, will show that this diversity of interest is more apparent than real. It is 
the interest of all that there should be easy, safe and cheap means of transit through 
the public streets ; and any increase in the cost of transit is a source of indirect 
expense even to those who have no horses of their own, as it must add to the cost 
of everything carried through the streets, and of all hired vehicles, and of all the 
numberless conveniences which accompany residence in a large town. It must also 
be remembered that it is very wasteful to allow a road to go out of repair, since it 
is less costly to keep a road up than to restore it. That roadway is best for the 
owner or user of a horse or vehicle which can be travelled over most easily, safely, 
quickly, and cheaply ; and that ease, safety, speed and ceconomy are to be obtained 
by having the road firm, even and smooth, and perfectly free from mud or dust, or 
any form of unattached materials. It is evident that the same qualities will render 
the roadway most free from noise, dirt and dust, the three great causes of annoy- 
ance and injury to the inhabitants of all ordinary streets. The question which re- 
mains to be considered is, whether the advantages of good roads to the inhabitants 
generally are worth their cost? If the question had to be decided in accordance 
with the interest of the users and owners of horses merely, no doubt whatever would 
be entertained. Of whatever nature the surface of a road is to be, it is essential 
that its foundation should be of firm material, well consolidated, and perfectly 
drained ; if not, the crust becomes loosened and destroyed, the road is rough and 
uneven, and wears into holes and ruts. Having obtained a good foundation, the 
next point is to cover it with a hard, compact crust, impervious to water, and laid 
to a proper cross section. The stones must be broken to one regular size, well 
raked in, and fixed by a binding composed of the grit collected in wet weather by 
the sweeping machines and preserved for this purpose. This binding must be laid 
on regularly, and watered until the new material is firmly set, which it will do very 
quickly and with the regularity of a well-laid pavement. The sharp angles of the 
stones are preserved, and there is both great saving of material and a firmer crust 
formed than by the common method of leaving the material to work into its place 
without the use of binding,—in which case the angles of the stones are worn off and 
reduced to powder, and at least one-third of the material is wasted in forming a 
binding in which the stones may set. By the improved method, the binding is formed 
of material that would otherwise be useless. Many road-makers object to the use 
of binding, on the ground that the road is rendered rotten by it, and that when the 
road is set it has to be carted away again. This is apt to be the case under bad 
management, and when ordinary soil is used, the fine particles of which work it into 
mud and keep the road from setting firmly. But the coarse grit obtained by the 
sweeping-machine off the roads is the very same material as is produced by wearing 
away the angles of the stones, and when judiciously applied to a new coating it will 
speedily become as well consolidated and firm as an old road. In the common me- 
thod, not only is there great waste of material, but the loose stones occasion delay 
by their resistance, great fatigue to the horses and danger to their feet, while the 
noise produced by their grinding together is annoying to the inhabitants. Upon 
the improved method the inconveniences of road repair are incomparably less than — 
those of pavement. Both recoating and repairs may be made without stopping the 
traffic. Under no circumstances must any imperfection of surface be allowed. If 
a hollow be not immediately stopped, it very quickly extends over the surface. All 
loose stones should be carefully picked, as every loose stone passed over by heavily 
laden carriages, if not ground to powder, breaks the crust of the road, and if water — 
be permitted to lodge on the surface it will cause great mischief. It is the neglect 
of these essential precautions that has led many to consider macadamized roads ex- 
pensive. They are expensive if neglected. On a well-made road heavy showers do — 
good, by cleansing them; so also does artificial watering if the road be clean or 
swept quickly after it is watered. A road which is perfectly dry loses its tenacity — 
and the surface grinds into dust ; whence the ceconomy of judicious watering in hot 

