XXXIX. ROADS AND ROAD BUILDING 



IT has been said that the roads of a nation are an index to its 

 civilization and progress. The early Romans gave a great deal 

 of attention to road building, and much of their success must be 

 attributed to this fact. Among their achievements along this 

 line may be mentioned the Great Appian Way, leading from Rome 

 to Capua. This was built of square stones, laid on a foundation 

 of sand and mortar, and was one of the great military roads of 

 that time. It was so well constructed that, although it was built 

 312 B.C., remains of it still may be seen. When the Romans 

 invaded Britain they built roads from place to place as they 

 advanced, and ruins of many of these early highways still remain. 



Good roads do much to relieve the monotony of country life, 

 because they make it possible for the farmer to visit the churches, 

 the schools, the post office, and his neighbors without difficulty. 

 Bad roads increase the labor and expense of getting the crops 

 to market. In fact, perishable products may go entirely to waste 

 before they can be taken to market during wet seasons when the 

 roads which have had no attention become muddy and impas- 

 sable. In the winter time the mud in the roads freezes up and 

 makes the roads so rough that traveling on them is dangerous 

 and difficult. Good roads enable us to haul larger loads and with 

 much less wear and tear on our horses and conveyances. 



In the construction and improvement of roads there are four 

 factors to be considered: (1) location, (2) drainage, (3) foundation, 

 (4) surface. 



Location. A most important question in road building is 

 that of location, and yet in many cases it is given but little con- 

 sideration, so far as the value of the road is concerned. The road 

 is usually located where the least expenditure of money and labor 

 will be required. This means that the road will follow the bound- 

 aries of the farm, regardless of the hills and all other obstacles. 

 Such a policy, in a rough and broken country, is far from being 



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