THOMAS IT. TAYLOR-ECONOMY OF GOOD ROADS. 91 
About five years ago a good roads association was organized in Travis 
county, and to it is due the credit of having inaugurated a movement 
that has given Travis county an impulse in the direction of better high¬ 
ways. The officers of the association were for the most part citizens of 
Austin, and they proposed to raise by subscription one-third of the 
amount spent in making a road, provided the county would pay the other 
two-thirds. Although this association was short-lived, it succeeded in 
settling many doubtful points to the satisfaction of the business man of 
the town and the farmer in the country. The two main points settled 
were: (1) that a good road could be obtained at moderate cost, and (2) 
that a good road could be obtained in black soil. The first road con¬ 
structed under the auspices of the association was about one mile in 
length and cost about $1 per linear yard. It was constructed of lime¬ 
stone rock that was crushed in place after having been hauled from the 
quarry. The metal or stone was obtained from the black sticky soil of the 
State lunatic asylum land. At first glance, the country at this point 
would offer no evidence of building or constructing material, but a space 
was uncovered and the underlying limestone afforded material in abund¬ 
ance. This material was transported in carts and crushed by hammers, 
as stated above. 
Several other pieces of road u r ere constructed, and, while they were 
excellent in their way, still their greatest utility consisted in being an 
object lesson to the farmers. The road association was a pioneer organ¬ 
ization, and proved that good roads were within the reach of the pro¬ 
gressive people. Shortly after these pieces of road w'ere constructed, 
under the administration of Judge Yon Rosenberg, a new' method of 
the division of the cost of construction was introduced. Instead of rais¬ 
ing a subscription in cash in the city, a subscription in labor was raised 
along the line of the road, and this method proved very successful. The 
road was constructed mostly of gravel and the chief labor consisted in 
hauling the material. The farmers that lived on the line of the road 
manifested a disposition to help by furnishing teams and laborers to sup¬ 
plement the county force. The roadbed was first graded and heaped in 
the center to afford good drainage, and the gravel was dumped thereon 
and spread. Over 75 miles of such road has been constructed. The 
cost of this road to the county averaged $1000 to $1500 per mile. 
Travis county has three road outfits. Two of these are worked by 
hired hands and one by convicts. The foremen (superintendents) are 
paid $60 per month. The convict force is used mostly in macadamizing. 
Cooke county has about 20 miles of macadamized roads. These were 
constructed almost entirely of gravel and cost the county $1000 to $1500 
per mile. 
