jS STUDY OF ROAD MAINTENANCE 



ence and knowledge of previous work which was very valua- 

 ble, and which tended to strengthen the growing conviction 

 that highway agents should have a longer tenure of office than 

 one year. 



B also had had practical experience in working on roads and 

 knew thereby how a well-surfaced road should be made. A 

 and B worked together through the year without any divi- 

 sion of territory or money. 



C took about one third of the town for his territory, a cer- 

 tain portion of the total appropriation being set apart by agree- 

 ment for his use. By this division an interesting illustration of 

 both single and double management of roads was presented. 

 As each proved successful in its way, it would seem to be per- 

 tinent to call attention here to the elasticity of our present law, 

 by virtue of which it adapts itself to all sorts of conditions and 

 personalities. 



CRITICISMS 



B knew how to make a good road surface. Conditions 

 favored him in the early spring and he drew considerable 

 quantities of gravel economically after the snow left and before 

 the frost came out of the ground. This was spread where 

 needed and worked into the mud as the frost came out, leaving 

 as a result a remarkably hard and smooth surface. The best 

 example of this work may be seen upon a hill on our main 

 thoroughfare. The agent for the previous year had made 

 an excellent and much needed beginning by drawing clay 

 to reshape the road which here was practically washed out. 

 The gravel which B put on in the spring was incorporated 

 with the clay, making an extremely hard and durable surface, 

 which was smooth through the summer, came out dry and hard 

 in a remarkably muddy spring which followed, and has with- 

 stood the wash of heavy rains in an exceptionally wet season 

 since. It is possible that some such combination of clay and 

 good gravel will furnish the coming road for many sections of 

 our state. It appears especially adapted to withstand wash- 

 ing on our hills, and when thoroughly underdrained remains 

 dry and hard in the spiing. The incorporation of clay and 

 gravel in the spring seems to be unusually thorough and there- 



