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Transparence Quality of prir Qualiti in signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbols V signifie "FIN". Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure ere filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams Illustrate the method: Les csrtes. planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre fiimis A des tsux de rMuction diffdrents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul cliche, ii est fiim6 A pertir de Tangle supirieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'Imeges nAcesseire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mAthode. 1 2 ; 1 2 3 4 6 6 ,•*' / Good Roads. e.iAA'*^^^^ 'J' .'■' * > '.i, .r X-i M »2wi: a) A REPORT OF THE GOOD ROADS CONVENTIO^J* VOR THE PROVINCE OF NEW BRUNSWICK, HELD AT ST. JOHN, N. B., SEPTEMBER 2J AND 22, J897. ALSO, ACCOUNT OF CONVENTION .- --- FREDERICTON, FEBRUARY I7th AND I8tf^-i|^l^ RftVY^, . AND A TREATISE ON ROAD DRAINAGE f %) •^M^Mkik*««*^HlH w»j >■ 1 n^ja-.^* ■ ■^^•i\*m^^;^'-'i«^i ;*^^^^ \ EEPOKT OF THE GOOD ROADS CONVENTION FOR THE PROVINCE OF NEW BRUNSWICK HELD AT ST. JOHN, N. B. SEPTEMBER 2l8T and 22nd, 1897. Published dy the Department of Public Works, Province of New Brunswick. f ^ I? ' REPORT OF THE GOOD ROADS CONVENTION FOR THE PROVINCE OF NEW BRUNSWICK. Held at Saint John, N. B. September 21st and 22nd, 1897. 1 THE CONVENTION called by the Good Roads Association for the City and County of Saint John met in Amusement Hall, on the Exhibition Grounds, on Tuesday, 21st September, at 10 a.m. On the platform were Hon. H. R. Emmebson, Chief Commissioner of Public Works; Hon. L. J. Tweedie, Provincial S .. 'tary; Hon. A. T. Dunn, Surveyor General; Hon. C. H. LaBillois, Commissioner for Agriculture; Professor A. W. Campbell, Provincial Instructor in Road Making for the Province of Ontario, and Mr. W. F. Burditt. Among those present were Hon. George F. Hill, M.P.P. ; T. B. WiNSLOW, Secretary of Public Works; Deputy Mayor Robinson; Alderman Christie, Chairman o( the Board of Public Works ; Street Superintendent Martin, W. A. Trueman, Joseph Hornbrook, T. S. Peters, and others. In the absence of the President of the Saint John City and County Good Roads Association, Dr. Berryman, the chair was taken by Mr. W. F. Burditt, who spoke as follows : I may explain that a short time ago a number of people in Saint John, who felt interested in the improvement of our highways, got together and formed a local association called the ^aint John City and .County Good Roads Association. It was suggested at that meeting by a number present, and especially by the Hon. Chief Commissioner of Public Works, that a Good Roads Association for the Province should be organized ; but we felt at that meeting, being only a local RKPOET OF THE GOOD BOADS CONVBNTION. one and representing only people from the County, that it would not be proper to undertake to organize a Provincial Association \nthout having present gentlemen representing the diflPerent sections of the Province. That matter was therefore deferred, and the Saint John Association subsequently decided that it would be a good opportunity during the Exhibition to call together a convention from all parts of the Province to discuss the question of Road Making — what methods could be adopted for the improvement of the highways — whether any suggestions could be made as to improvements or modifications in the law, besides practical suggestions in regard to road making, operating of road machines, etc. Therefore it is the object of this meeting to discuss practical questions, to receive suggestions from gentlemen who are well posted in the matter of road making, and also with regard to the character of roads best adapted to our needs. It is not the desire of the Saint John Association or the prospective Provincial Association to advocate a large expenditure on very costly roads. There are doubtless a few of the main highways of the Province that it would be economy to build in a very thorough manner — that is, make thoroughly built macadamized roads of them ; but for the most part all that is required is the ordinary earth and gravel road built in the best possible manner. We feel — a good many of us who have looked into the matter — that the system of working on the roads is perhaps not the best ; that is to say, the custom of calling out the statute labor at a certain season of the year and doing certain work whether it requires to be done or not. It calls to mind the gentleman who said he took a bath once a year whether he needed it or not. Onco a year the statute labor is called out, and if there is a piece of road naturally good, that is, provided with good drainage, nevertheless the statute labor has to be performed, and probably a lot of surface material is scraped or dug out of the gutters and placed on the road, and it is made worse by the labor performed than it was before. Then there is another feature, that those who are directing the labor have very little practical or technical knowledge with regard to road building. There is no continuity of purpose — each section is acting for itself and independently of the others : there are a great many men engaged in overseeing the work and expending the money, and, generally, the results are, perhaps, not as good as if them waH a better system of directing the labor and expending the funds. I for one am not ;•• k » .1 ■9 t > 4 V REFOBT OF THB OO0D BOADS CONYBXTION. K" ♦ ••> • ■9 9 > « prepared to^say anything against statute labor. I think that it will probably be a long while before we in this Province will be prepared to do away with statute labor, because I know from my own familiar- ity with the agricultural community that in many districts it is a great deal easier for farmers to put in so many days labor upon the roads than it would be to pay a money tax, and the probability is that we get more labor performed by statute . labor than we could by assessing a money tax in many districts. At the same time the day is approaching when, to a large extent, statute labor will be done away with and money assessment voluntarily adopted in the diflferent counties. The introduction of road machines does away, to a large extent, with the necessity for statute labor, and I think the more progressive parishes and counties will gradually see the advantage of at least assessing a part of the tax in money instead of work. It has been suggested that it woald be a good idea to allow the poll tax to be served in labor, and cash assessments for the balance. That would probably be going too far at the present time, at all events. But the object of this meeting is to call forth an expres- sion of opinion from men from diflTerent parts of the Province, and hear their suggestions and receive their opinions as to the advan- tages of forming an Absociation and the best methods o^ dissemi- nating knowledge. Almost every roadmaster in the Province has some practical knowledge, but back of all that there is the experience of men, engineers and others who have given thought and attention to this question for hundreds of years, and this experience has been gathered together and records kept of it, and if we can obtain infor- mation in this way, by the results of the work of the past, I think we should by all means do so. We have here to-day for distribution a pamphlet issued by the League of American Wheelmen of the United States. It conveys some very useful information and suggestions, which I think anyone who is interested in road making will find profit in reading. And it is in this way that this Association can do a great deal of good, in disseminating knowledge among the people generally as to the best methods of constructing roads. I think that one of the weak points in our system of road making is that not sufficient atten- tion is paid to the matter of drainage. A certain attempt is made at surface drainage, but even that is not adequately provided for. Of course there are certain cases where the soil is naturally of a porous 6 RBPOBT OF THE GOOD BOADS CONVENTION. structure, and there is very little need of drainage, but in other localities the soil is retentive, subject to soakage and of a spongy nature, and there under-drainage would be very beneficial. Under- drainage drys the subsoil and makes a firm foundation. It is not generally realized that the action of frost would have but very little damaging eflFect if it were not for the soil being previously saturated with water. It is not the soil that freezes, but t^e water between the particles of soil. Where the soil is naturally drained there is no heav- ing of frost and no trouble in the spring time ; and it is possible to make any soil similar to that by a system of under draining. Tiles are cheap, and there is no doubt that in many localities there could be no more profitable investment made than in a tile drain, put down four feet below the surface, independent entirely of the surface ditches. Thus, by taking away the saturation underneath, you have a finn and good foundation for any material that is placed upon the surface. We have with us to-day Mr. Campbell, Provincial Road Instructor for Ontario, who visits the different sections of that Province, giving instruction in road making and advising with the County and Town Councillors and others as to the best methods of road construction. We also have with us the Hon. Chief Commissioner of Public Works, and many other gentlemen who know much more about roads ^an I do, and as you would no doubt like to hear the Government's position in regard to this matter, I will now call upon the Hon. H. R. Emmerson, Chief Commissioner of Public Works for this Province. HON. MR. EMMERSON. I am sure I would be taking advantage of my position if I were to ai any length discuss the objects of this meeting. We are all glad to have the opportunity of listening to a gentleman of the reputation of Me. Campbell, and while this meeting is not a large one, that is no indication that there is not a desire throughout the Province to have better roads. Now, there is some suspicion, I fancy, throughout the Province with reference to the object in view by the Association recently formed in the City of Saint John, and in reference to the object in view in the formation, as is proposed, of a New Brunswick Good Roads Association. It would be, perhaps, i * »i |iiipii !^^^ 5*l««**M«»i»rw«ir»v I BBPOBT OP THE GOOD KOADS CONVENTION. 7 juBt and proper that we should remove any such misapprehension. In the first place I think I can fairly say on behalf of those who have the object of this Association at heart, that it is not the intention to propose anything whereby the burdens of the people will be added to ; whereby there shall be any increased taxation, or anything of that nature. The desire, as I understand it, of those who have moved in this matter is to so take hold of the present means at our disposal that we shall accomplish what is so much to be desired — ^better roads through the country, by the promulgation of information as to the best methods of road making and in some way protecting and guarding the present expenditure, so that we can get greater and better results. I venture this assertion, that if the moneys ex- pended by the grant of the Legislature each year upon the roads were expended under better circumstances and with more informa- tion, that money, together with the statute labor, would make the roads of this Province equal to, if not better, than the roads of any of the Provinces. I have travelled in Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Quebec, and somewhat in the great Province of Ontario, and while we have much to complain of, and while we think that our roads are very bad, yet I find roads in all these Provinces that would not compare with some of the highways of this Province. But we have not obtained the proper results ; we have not got value for the money expended, for the labor put forth on these roads. Now the question is, how best to administer grants and the statute labor, that the best results may be attained. What we should seek is the best methods — the best way to expend — and then we should have a knowledge with reference to the mode of expending. I would like to say a word with reference to the Highways Act, and now do not understand me as in any way attempting to entrench upon politics, because, as I understand it, this movement is without regard to party politics — it is without regard to Government or Opposition. Every man, whether he favors the Government or is opposed to it, must be desirous of having good roads, and if I introduce the subject of the Highways Act do not understand me as wishing to defend the action of the Legislature or Government. It is simply to call your attention to a principle that is involved in the Highways Act, and as to whether it is a wise one or not I leave it for you to judge. You must remember that the Highways Act is the result of the combined efforts of every member of the Legislature. It is true that the *» ' 8 BEPOBT OF THE GOOD BOADS CONVENTION. Department of Public Works had to shoulder' the introduction of that Act, but every member of the Legislature discussed it and every member's views, whether Government or Opposition, were respected, and many of the provisions were introduced without regard to wLether the gentlemen proposing them were supporters or opponents of the Government. The principle sought to bo introduced in the Highways Act of 1896 was to place the responsibility in certain dis- tricts upon some one man. Of course in changing the procedure in any direction that affects the public, there is necessarily a certain amount of friction, and where you have a class of officials who, by a certain Act of the Legislature are removed and become nonexistent, you must necessarily expect that in the change from that condition to some other there will be a certain amount of friction and opposition. Now under the old system we had what were called surveyors. Each surveyor had a certain district and the responsibility in that district was upon him, without regard to the adjoining district. In one district the surveyor might wisely ex- pend the money at his disposal, whil^ in the adjoining district a far different condition of things might exists Each surveyor was lord of all he surveyed in his own district. Under the Highways Act of 1896, the Counties were divided into divisions, and each division was placed under the control of one man, called a Commissioner. The object of this was that the responsibility should be placed upon some one man for a larger area, so that there would be more unifor- mity in the expenditure of money and in the character of the work done, and so that there might be better results attained through out the Counties. That was the principle that was recognized, and I think it is a principle which will commend itself to all of U8> I do not believe too much in centralization, but I do believe that a you have public work to be done you should have the responsibility placed upon some one man, and the greater the area, with reference to road matters especially, the better, in my judgment. In the main there is not so very much difference between the present law and the old one. They are the same in principle with this exception. Some people say : "You have roadmasters who are answerable to the Commissioners, and you do not require that those roadmasten should be sworn," Well, now, under the law they are required to give a certificate; they are required to make certain representations. If they make false representations they are subject to a penalty, and BEPORT OF THE GOOD EOADS CONVENTION. 9 •i they can be made answerable for their misdeeds in that respect, and I contend that the man who would make false representations and give a false certificate would make a false oath, and i^. does not seem to me you could improve the matter by 8ubs*ituting the oath for a signed certificate. But that is a matter of detail. The point that should be had in view by this Association when it is formed, is to lake into consideration all such matters. I would think that we should not have County Associations. They would be unwieldy. I should say rather have Parish Associa- tions affiliated with this Association. I should suggest that in every Parish it should be made the duty of some member of this Associa- tion to see that there should be established in that Parish a Parish Association for the attainment of the very object which we have in view — the dissemination of information and the watching closely the expenditure of public moneys. It is very easy to make complaints against people, but I have had a suspicion sometimes, as I have travelled over the Province, that the people were more interested in getting money grants than they were in having good roads. I remember once, travelling through one of the Counties of this Province with a representative of that County, and he complained that the apportionment of by-road money for his County was not sufficiently large, because there was so many bye-roads, and I found that about every half mile there was a road running from the main highway back. I inquired where those roads went to, and his reply was: "Oh, they go to the baick lots." Then I asked where they ended. " Oh," said he, " the wood lots are back there." I found that there were roads where the farms were long and narrow which extended, perhaps, three or four miles back to some wood lots, and perhaps some two or three farmers would be interested in that road. They were not public roads in any sense of the word, and there was each year hundreds upon hundreds of dollars expended upon just such roads — no I will not say expended, but divided among the parties interested in those roads. Well, there was a provision put in the Highways Act to this effect, that there cannot be a dollar of public money legally expended upon any road in the Province that is not laid down upon the commissioners' returns to the Public Works' Department, all of which roads must be recorded and recognized public roads and not private ways. In the county to which I have referred tbpse roads were struck off, and the money rTF—— f H "V 10 BEPORT OF THE GOOD ROADS CONVENTION. which for the last forty years had been practically lost was expended upon the proper bye-roads of the county, and I am sure that the results are to be seen in that county to-day — in fact, I know it from personal observation and experience. Now the Parish Associations would serve this purpose, to my mind. If they were largely attended, as I think they would be, they would excite an interest in every man as to the desirability of ' good roads, and when once they become awakened to the desirability of good roads they will watch closely every man who has to do with the expenditure of the public moneys or the statute labor. They will take an interest in the work, and in a short time will have every man in that parish interested in having the best results from the expenditure of the money and the appro- priation of the statute labor. I shall not take up any more of your time. I think I can speak for the Government — I can certainly speak for my own department — when I say that we shall be at all times only to happy to aid in the furtherance of the object of this Association, and in saying that I want to say that I do it from a selfish motive — that is, selfish in the interest of the Department of Public Works. I would like, and always do like, to see the best possible results obtained from the expenditure of public moneys. It reflects credit upon whoever happens to be the head of the department if the results are creditable, and more than that, it is economy. There will not be such a demand upon the department if the moneys are properly expended. I can take you to districts in this Province to-day where, if the moneys sent out this spring had been properly expended, they would not be making application to-day for assist- ance for this little work or that little work. 80 it is in the interest of the Department of Public Works that this movement should go forward, and not merely in the centres of the respective counties, but in every hole and corner in every county. Now, Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, I can only say that so far as the Department of Public Works is concerned we will be happy to second all your efforts and do the best in our power to advance the movement for the benefit of good roads throughout the Province. REPORT OP THE GOOD KOADS CONVENTION. 11 DR. JOHN BERRYMAN. As President of the Good Roads Association for the City and County of Saint John, it is a matter of great congratulation to me to see such an audience as is here present, and I believe that if the gentlemen here carry away good impressions, and disseminate those impressions, it will have a broad, wide and good effect. Our Association was not formed to complain, or to carp, or to criticize. We felt that improvements might be made in our roads without any additional expense or taxation to the people. This is an age of improvement and increased knowledge. So far as I can .see, how- ever, our roads are as they have been, with very little improvement, for the last fifty years. Since the introduction of better styles of carriages and bicycles we have all felt that improvements in our roads would be of great benefit to us, and if the people in the country would unite and make good roads people making summer excursions would go where the best roads were to be found. So it is in the interest of every one to try and stimulate this work, and the information that will be received to-day, and that will be got by the dissemination of pamphlets, books and writings will show that the improvement of roads, though it, of course, will cost money, will, in the end, by saving of wagons, carriages, bicycles, etc., compensate us for the outlay. HON. MR. TWEEDIE. Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen : — When I came into the hall this morning I was rather impressed with the small nutnber present here, and it struck me that perhaps it was due to the fact that the Government of this country had been so mindful of its duty and had performed its work so well that the roads, after all, were in good order, and the people took no interest in the matter except in a few sections of the country — in fact, that all this talk about the roadd being in bad condition had not been entirely correct. How- ever, perhaps it is not fair to infer that, but to infer that the audience is small on account of the weather. It is a fact that our roads are not in the condition that they should be with the expenditure of money that has been made upon them for years. It is perfectly true that a large portion of the i ' ]i ' In 1894 an agitation was created in the Province of Ontario, the object being the improvement of country roads and the streets in towns and cities. This agitation led to an invitation being ex- tended by a few interested parties to Municipal Councillors, Farmers' Institutes, Dairymens' Associations and representative men from all parts of the Province to meet in the City of Toronto. About one hundred of these representative men assembled in the month of February of that year, and they formed an Association, the object being to lay down a proper system for the construction of the roads in the rural districts and the streets in the cities and towns; to create an interest among the people in road improvement generally, and in the necessity for improved roads, endeavoring as far as possible to unite all efforts, that is, the statute labor in the rural districts and the concentrated expenditure of the public moneys, of uniting these efforts of labor and money expenditure towards the betterment of our roads. At the formation of that Association an attempt was made to form local Associations in the various counties. This did not meet with very much success. As the Hon. Mr. Twbedik has stated, it was found that unless the Associations could be made alive and kept alive, it was better to have no such branch Associa- tions at all. But the Provincial Association, composed of represen- tative men from every part of the Province, kept up a lively campaign. This question was discussed by the members of that Association at every meeting of Farmers' Institutes, Dairymens' Associations and kindred meetings, and in fact on every public occasion where possible a member of the Association was sent to discuss the question of improved roads. In this way a very lively interest was created ; the attention of the Government was attracted by this agitation and an appropriation of 9500 per year was made to defray the expenses of the Association, for sending speakers around to these various meetings, and for meetings of the different delegates when it was found necessary to consult and prepare literature, etc. ■fwipw -If** 'tbo^^tia^M,. ^IWM-Hf-.^'^OJMtvn '*■ ■ . REPORT OF THE GOOD ROADS CONVENTION* 15 In 1896 the Government thought it wise, in order to assist the As- sociation, to select some one man who had had some experience in road building, whose duty it would be to go into the various muni- cipalities of the Province, examine the condition of the roads and streets, examine the system of public expenditure and the principles upon which these roads and streets were being made, advise with the municipal councils as to the best plans to be followed, consult with the street commissioners and with the path-masters in the rural districts, and in every way give advice and instruction in order to bring about the best possible results with the money and labor ex- pended. I happened to be chosen for that position. For some six years I had charge of all the roads in the Counties of Elgin and Middlesex, which were public roads, and for five years following that I was City Engineer of the City of Saint Thomas, during which time nearly three-quarters of the streets in the city were macada- mized. For ten years I had given my time almost exclusively to the construction of roads in the rural districts and streets in the city. The Government, of course, imagined that cm account of my long experience, although a young man, I must have some knowledge of the true principles of road construction ; they carefully examined these roads and streets and were satisfied that the results produced were amongst the best, and that is why the position which I hold was created, and those are the duties which I have to perform. In order to carry out the work of this Association successfully I am satisfied that some such course should be taken here. In the Province of Quebec a plan was laid down similar to that of Ontario, and 3Ir. Camibaud, who is a very practical man indeed, goes about, as I do in Ontario, discussing the question with the local and muni- cipal authorities and advising and getting them to follow improved plans. We are very apt to think that when we know a little about any particular work, even that of road making, and we are placed in a position of responsibility and trust, we must naturally pretend to know all about that particular work. Now this is the greatest mistake that we can possibly make. We may for a time fool the people ; we cannot fool ourselves. I believe I know as much about road making and street building as any man in this audience, yet I am not beyond learning something about these subjects, and probably before I leave this city — and I hope that such will be the case — and before I leave this meeting, or series of meetings, I will receive ! ' ■ ! 1' 1 16 EEPOET OF THE GOOD KOADS CONVENTION. some advice and instruction from those present that will be of great service to me in performing my duties in the Province of Ontario. But it is a mistake for us to presume to know what we do not know, and it is impossible for any one of us to know too much about any particular subject. We are all apt to make mistakes. Road builders make mistakes ; engineers make mistakes — serious mistakes ; they make blunders — serious blunders, but the engineer who makes a mistake and profits by that mistake is the better for having made the mistake in a great many cases. And it is so with us all. I have made mistakes that have cost me money, but they have been the best instructor and educator to me that I have ever had or received. Now, if while I am here I can give you some instruction, I believe you are men who are going to accept that advice and profit by it, and I hope to get advice and suggestions that will be of benefit to me. I have had the privilege of driving over some of the streets in the vicinity of Saint John, and I do not consider that they are types of first-class roads by any means, but I do consider that some of them are very fair. We have some better roads in the Province of Ontario, and we have some vastly worse roads in that Province. I have not seen your worst roads, and, I presume, I have not seen your best roads. I have only passed over a small section of your Province, and I observe that you have a great many difiUcul- ties to contend with. I have not, however, passed over that portion of this Province in which the greatest difliculties, I believe, are met, but let me tell you that the greater the difficulties the more carefully you will have to prepare to contend with those difficulties, and that is what you have been doing here all the time. You have had difficulties to contend with in the City of Saint John and in this immediate neighborhood, but from the permanent manner in which your improvements of a corporate and public character have been made, it looks to me as if the great difficulties only stimulated yon to get the greater amount of information in order to solve those difficulties. Now, if in certain sections you have no gravel and no stone, you only equal certain sections in the Province of Ontario, where to-day we are freighting by rail crushed stone and gravel a distance of one hundred miles to make our roads. I might also mention that all the roads which I constructed during the three years previous to accepting my present position the material was brought fifty miles by freight. The people recognized the import- REPORT OF THE G06D ROADS CONVBNTION. ance and necessity of good roads, and have striven in every possible, way, and are striving to-day to solve the difficulties by meeting them. Now tfaere are a few principles in connection with road making which must be followed. These principles are simple, but they are just as important as the principles of cheese making in the manufac- ture of cheese, or as the principles which must be observed in other enterprises. What are these principles, and how must they be observed in the construction of country roads? The celebrated MacAdam one time was asked what the principles of road making were. He said : "Well, gentlemen, they are just three in number. First, drainage; second, drainage; third, drainage." Drain the foundation. It is just as necessary to provide a dry and unyielding foundation for a road as it is for any other structure. You cannot bridge over mud and water by piling on stone and gravel; Crown the road so as to lead the surface water into the gutter, and thus drain the surface of the road^ Construct ditches along the side with a free and uniform fall to a certain outlet ; see that the outlet is clear to provide drainage for this surface water. Those are the principles of road making. There are details, of course, in connec- tion with this which must be observed. Now, how are you following these principles here ? I do not know exactly, only fron^. looking over a certain small section, but in the majority of municipalties in the Province of Ontario they were following the principles of road making after this fashion : Don't drain the foundation ; build ditches along the side of the highway ; use the earth from those ditches for raising a grade on the surface of the road, but do not construct any outlets from those ditches ; keep the water in the foundation o. the road. In this way it will swallow up all 4he gravel and stone we can put on, and each year certain of us will receive so much money for piling on more stone and gravel ; do not crown the surface of the road, but keep it flat, because the flat surface will retain the water when it falls ; this water will penetrate the surface of the road, and after twelve hours rain the surface will beco'^.e soft, the wheels will rut the road and drive the stones into the mud, make receptacles for the water, and the road will more readily become destroyed. Then the next point which they observed : Use dirty material in the construction of roads; that is, provide gravel which will contain about fifty per cept^. of sand and earthy matter, and put that on the 1 ' 18 KEPOET OF THE GOOD ROADS CONVENTION. road. It will compact readily, and in the dry season under the traffic of wheels will make a smooth, nice surface, like the surface of some of the streets in St. John — they are covered now.with mud. This makes a nice surface in the dry season, but when the wet season comes on, this sand and mud will attract the moisture, the rain will enter into the soft roadway, will break the bond between the stones, the traffic will then drive the small stones down into the surface of the road, the sand and mud will churn to the surface, and each spring we will find the surface covered with four or five inches of mud, and in this way we will be paid for carrying away an amount of mud equal to the gravel placed on the previous year. Now I do not suppose you are following any such foolish rule in this Province. I presume that you have profited by the experience of others, and that instead of laying down a specification for bad roads, and spending your money in building bad roads, you are working along another line, and that your specification embodies different princi- ples; that you are providing for the construction of good roads; that you are seeing to it that every dollar of money expended upon your roads is producing the very best results. If so, your specifica- tion will embody these principles : first, drain the foundation of the road. Do this by constructing drains on each side of the grade, and see that a proper outlet is made to a creek or some ravine. {Fig. 1.) A better plan than to construct sharp, open and deep ditches along the side of the road is to use common field tiles; place one row of these tiles, from four to six inches in diameter, on each side of the grade and below the frost line. See that these tiles have a uniform fall and a proper grade, and see that they are carried to a proper outlet — some creek or ravine. Then grade the road and give the crown a drop of one inch to each foot from the centre of the road out to the gutter ; that is, where the grade is twenty-four feet wide between the ditches, the centre of that road should be twelve inches higher than the side at the edge of the ditch, the ditch, of course, being beneath this. See that the crown is made regular and uniform, so as to shed the water as quickly as possible from the centre of the road to the side ditches. Then provide ditches along the side, preferably shallow gutters. Deep, open ditches are dangerous, and they are unsightly along a road, beside being expensive to construct, and very expensive to keep up. Shallow gutters along the road surface to carry the water freely «a t • '■ '0 igt*- REPORT OF THE GOOD ROADS CONVBNTION. 19 while it is raining, to certain fixed outlets at regular intervals into the tile drain below, or into the water courses leading from the road, is the best known plan of road construction. It is more expensive in the first place, but is vastly cheaper to maintain. These tiles cut off dangerous water which is rising in various instances from below towards the surface. That water line is constantly fluctuating. In dry seasons the water line may be four or five feet below the surface of the road ; in wet seasons it rises towards the surface, and may rise to within a foot or six inches and then be frozen. The frost acts upon the water, raises the whole surface of the road imperceptibly, and in the spring of the year, when the frost leaves, the foundation will be soft, spongy, and honeycombed. When traffic comes on the surface of that road the wheels readily form ruts and depressions. The question of drainage is one which is very 'little followed in this Province, as I understand ; but, gentlemen, you are spending now in this Province about a qaurter of a million dollars in money and its equivalent upon your roads. Tou have been spending that for the last quarter of a century, and you have little or nothing to show for it. You are going to continue to expend that quarter of a million dollars of money and its equivalent for the next ten years, and are you going to see to it that at the end of that time you have something to show for this enormous expenditure. Unless you take hold of this question in a business-like way, and consider these principles carefully and put them into practice, you had better cease making any money expendi- tures and allow the people of their own free will to make roads that will be passable, or follow the trails through the bush. Now, with reference to the placing of a one tile drain down the centre of the road to provide drainage for that road, I might say that that plan is fol- lowed in some sections. I do not practice it; I prefer having one tile drain on each side of the road. If one drain is put down the centre of the road, you will readily understand that the soil becomes saturated with water ; that saturation must pass underneath the roadway to reach the tile drain, and in this way damage is done to a certain extent, though not 80 fully as if the drain wasn't there at all; whereas, where the drain is placed on each side, this soakage water is cut ofif and the roadway is kept constantly dry. After all, it is the dry foundation which must cany the load, and if you have three feet of dry soil, this will answer, {fig- 2.) The gravel or the broken stone is simply placed 20 BBPOBT OF THB GOOD ROADS CONVENTION. 1 „ r f on the surface of the road to make a hard, smooth and durable surface — a surface that will not wear readily under the pressure of wheels, and a surface that will be impermeable to water— which will shed the water into the side ditches. It is almost impossible to properly crown the surface of these roads by using the ordinary plow and drag scraper. We are very apt to complain about the manner in which the farmers do their statute labor. I was bom and raised on a farm ; my father and three brothers are farmers to-day, and I have done statute labor myself and know something about it. If a supervisor is asked to build a piece of road, and is given half a dozen of his neighbors, with a few days each, to construct the road, and has no implements except wagons, pilows, and dra^ scrapers, how can he ever expect to make a perfect and finished piece of work ? You might just as well try to cut your wheat with a sickle instead of a self binder, as to try to make a good piece of road with an ordinary plow and scraper instead of the modern machines used for that purpose. I undei-stand you have some of these machines in operation in this Province, and are doing excellent work with them. Now, when we first introduced these machines in Ontario, we did not meet with much success. A great many of our path masters had an idea that these machines were to solve the whole difficulty, and they were distinctly opposed to the introduction of machinery. Grading machines were a farce. They could make roads as they had been made, and they did not want any of these new innovations, and as a general thing they looked to the machine to make the road. They would hitch on a couple of teams of horses, run the blade into the ground, and if the machine was smashed it seemed to tickle them very greatly. In some instances they took the machines out on old gravel roads ^ roads built at considerable cost — graded and carefully grav- elled, the surface of which became so flat that the water stood in the centre rather than being shed into the ditches. They knew the surface of the road should be crowned; they understood we were preaching this, and do you believe some of those men took the machines out on such roads, cut off the shoulders, and brought the mud in and piled it in the centre of the road on top of the gravel, thus ruining an otherwise first- class road. If you have a hard foundation on the centre of an existing road, and that road is flat, by no means should you think of cutting oflF the sides, bringing the earth in and piling it on top of the gravel, because thj^t earth placed on top of the gravel will simply hold the Rfet^Oftf OF ¥HE dOOi) ftOADS COlTVBlTTtOtr. 21 tnoisture; after a rain it becomes thoroughly saturated, goes into a quagmire, and when the teams come on, the wheels cut through the soil and into the gravel foundation below, these ruts will stand full of water, which goes down and penetrates the hard foundation ; it satur> ates the gravel bed; the frost comes on, heaves the whole thing, and in the spring of the year the road is simply a quagmire. The proper plan is to reverse the machine, cut off these sides and turn the earth out, that is, raise the centre by cutting off the sides and turning the earth out. Some people say, in that way you will f 11 the ditches. Well, of course, if they are straight, sharp, and fixed on the side of the road, you will fill them up; but up in Ontario we pitch that stuff across the ditch and spread it. Then take a little clean gravel or broken stone and dress up the surface of the road, and you will have a road that will last you a great many years by a little attention. In connection with road machines I would insist, if I were in charge, that a man be employed to go with each machine, and that that operator be constantly with that machine. He will soon become accustomed to working it, every day will add to his experience, and in a short time he will become an expert. These machines were made to perform a certain work : they have no brains ; they know nothing about road building, and unless the operator does, you might better be without them. It requires four horses and sometimes six to properly operate one of these machines. Two teams of horses on one of these machines in pretty stiff ground, if unaccustomed to that class of work, will do a good deal of flying backwards and forwards — they will rush on for a little time and then stop, and it makes the power very unsatisfactory to the operator. Steady power is required. For that reason I would recommend you to hire a couple of teams to go with each machine. Spend your money in that direction — get the foundation of the road first drained, spend money in draining the roads, then crown your roads and grade them ; spend money in grading them, hiring teams and hiring proper men to operate the machines, and you will find, with this quarter of a million dollars which you are spending in this Province, you can accomplish a wonderful work. It will be spent among your own people, and in a very short time you will complete a revolution in the construction of your roads. Do it on business principles, and do it in the same business-like way as you would work your farms. ^2 ttfiPORt O*" tttB a001> ROADS CONVENTION. The next question is the selection of material. You have some gravel in this vicinity, and no doubt you have in the Province a great deal of gravel — that is, a stone about an inch or an inch-and-a-half in diameter, not greater, and from that down to fine particles. Then you have another gravel bed composed of clean stone, sand and clay. Our practice is to allow teams to drive in to the gravel bed, the teamster scrapes down the soft earth, clean sand, clean stone and gravel to the bottom; this is pitched into the wagon, drawn away and put on the road. Gravel which contains sand and earthy matter will set quickly and readily, and in the dry weather under trafti'; will make a smooth surface and apparently a good road. But you watch that gravel. After a couple of days rain in the fall it will go into ruts, the earthy matter attracts the moisture, it breaks the bond in the metal, and in a very short time you will find that you must scrape off the mud and put on another coating of gravel. Clean material, and clean material only, should be used, and if you have not clean gravel then consider the wisdom of crushing stone. Round gravel and stone placed on a road will not make as solid a surface as crushed material, liecause round stones will not form a perfect bond. They will constantly slip under heavy traflic, and ruts are thus formed, and you know that ruts are the Imne of our roads. The advantage of crushed stone over round gravel is that the stone is broken into cubical fragments. The material is passed on to a screen and is divided into different sizes. First, that which will pass through a 2 inch screen, then that which will pass through a 1 1-2 inch, then through a 1 inch, then a 3-4 inch screen, and finally the dust and screenings. Place a layer of the coarser stone on the bottom, then a layer of the next grade on that, then a layer of the next on that, and then a layer of the finest stone on that again, and cover the whole with the dust and screenings. Roll this properly ; one block of htone will fit into the interstice of the other, and about ten inches is formed of a perfect stone. No water can pass through it, and there will l)e no displacement of the material even under the heaviest loafls. Then what is there to we.\r that road out? When the rain comes the water simply washes off the dust; instead of the road being dissolved and turned into slush and mud, it is simply washed off and made cleaner than it was before the rain. If, however, gravel is plentiful, and you wish to use it entirely, then see that clean gravel is usetl. Place that on the road and place it on to a width of tiill^ORT of TitE GOOD ROADS CONVKNTION. 12S about eight feet in the centre. Our practice is, after the road has been properly graded or crowned, to run the grading machine down the centre, letting the edge of the knife pass by the centre line ; turn out a little earth from the centre of the crown; then reverse the machine and bring it back through the surface the other way, leaving, as it were, a flat surface on top of the road about eight feet wide. (Fig. 3.) Place the gravel or stone in this space to a depth of from eight to twelve inches. Then run the machine down one side and back the other, bringing in that excavated earth to form a shoulder, and complete the crown. If you have a roller, pass it up and down over the whole crown of the road — the gravel, the broken stone and the earth edges — until it is rolled perfectly hard and smooth. This will resist the weight of the greatest load, and you will have a road which will call for comparatively little attention for the next quarter of a centuiy. So much for the principles of road making. If the material is available thei-e will Ije no difficulty in making roads. If the material is not available it would be wisdom for you to consider some plan of having this material provided for the municipalities which have not any within their limits. The Hon Provincial Secretary says, as a general thing, the counties are given an equal amount of money for their nrndw, and he states that in certain counties where the conditions are favorable first-class roads are Ijeing constructed by the statute lalK)r. It _ might \ye well for you then to get the department to consider the wisdom of classifying the different counties and making these appropriations according to certain retjuirements, which recjuire- ments would \w> based upon their condition ; thus a county having plenty of material would receive less money than a county having no material. Grade the appropriations in that way. Then as to the system - - lay down a system. A system is abso- lutely recjuired ; it is necessary in every branch of business. Classify the roads according to their importance; specify ehoove8 you to see that your roads are improved in a manner consistent with the improvements upon your farm lands. I^et every dollar be spent in a manner that will produce the very best results — let the quarter of a million l)e spent in making roads of a first-class character. It must l)e gratifying to you to see that your representatives in the Local Government are here to-day for the purpose of aiding you in this important matter, l)ecauHti T do con- sider that it is the most important (luestion U'fore the people of this Province or any Province. I think it is a (juestion in which the I^egisla- ture :Min afford to assist you in arriving at the very best jilans to follow. Tn the older settled parts of Ontario, the (iovernment gives no assist- ance whatever. They place the responsibility and expense of building the roads ujMjn the iK't)ple, and in tiiat Province we areexjtending three and a half million dollars yearly on tln» roads, in addition to the sUituU' lalxtr. In some se«.'tionH the i-ojmIs ai-e as hard and smooth as billiai-d I » 1 f % 4 BEPOBT OF THE GOOD ROADS CONVENTION. 25 tables — they are perfect samples of roads. In five years every road in that Province will be equal to the roads in the old country, and in ten years every road in the Province v/JU be macadamized, and judging from the men here to-day and the active interest which is taken in all parts of this Province, I venture to say that you will see to it that with the assistance of your Legislature, inaide of ten years the same results will be produced in this Province, and in the same manner that we are producing them — not by additional taxation or increased burdens upon the people, but by utilizing in the very best manner the enormous amount of money and labor which is l)eing spent here annually. It is a question of properly spending the money, of laying down a system, of preparing your plans, organizing yourselves together, uniting your labor, concentrating your money expenditure, spending that labor and money in conjunction with each other, the money providing the machinery, operating it, and purchasing material ; the labor hauling and placing the material on the roads; observing the true methods of road making. With these plans followed I venture to say that inside of ten years your roads will be equal to the roads of any other Province. On motion of Hon. G. F. Hill, seconded by Mk. F. M. Murchie, the following i-esolution passed : Regolved, That in the opinion of this Convention, a representative "gathering from all sections of the Province, it is desirable to form for "the Province of New Brunswick a Good Roads Association, having "for its object the Ijetterment of the highways of the Province and the "dissemination of information on the best methods of road making, "and the promotion of local societies in the several parishes or dis- "tricts of the several Counties ; and to promote the discussion and "consideration of all subjects having reference to the construction ami "maintenance of highways, taxation and expenditure, and th(> best "system of maintenance and supervision, and the julvancement of all "legislation tending to secure the object desired, namely, good roads." On motion of Mr. S. L. Pktehs, seconded by Mr. Fknwick, the following it!solution was passed and adopted : Rmolved, " That the Chairman of this meeting select a Connnittt^e, " not exceeding five, including himself, who are authorized to nominate "and report upon the persons suitable to fill the respective positions "of Pr«>si(|erit for the Province, and a Vice-President for each of tho 26 RflPORt of tHE GOOD KOADS CONVBNtlOJ*. "Counties of the Province, and a Secretary-Treasurer, and the Execu- " tive Committee of the Association for the whole Province." The Committee named consisted of W. F. Burditt, Howard Trueman, Joseph Hornbrook, J. J. McGaffigan, and John O'Brien, M. P. P. Moved by Mr. Joseph Hornbrook, seconded by Mr. Currie, and adopted: Resolved, "That the Executive Committee of the Association " shall consist of the officers of the Association, ex officio, together with " seven others, to be chosen with regard to the convenience of their "frequent meeting together, and that five of the members of said " Executive Committee shall at all times form a quorum, upon notice " having been mailed to each of the members of said Committee of any " meeting to be held." Moved by Mr. W. S. Tomkins, seconded by Mr. Howard Trueman, and adopted : Renolved, "That it shall he. the duty of the Vice-President of this "Association to take active measures for the organization, in the " several parishes or districts of their respective Counties, of District "or Parish Good Roads Associations, which Associations, when formed, " will Ije affiliated with the central or Provincial organization, and "that the Vice-Presidents shall be the medium of communication "between the central organization and the respective Parish or Dis- ". trict Associations, and that the central organization shall aid, with "information, suggestions and instructions, the various local organiza- "tions; also that the Vice-Pi-esidents shall organize Advisory Com- " mittees in each County." Moved by Mr. Howard Trueman, seconded by Mr. Joseph Hornbrook, and adopted: Resolved, "That the Chairman be authorized to appoint a Com " mittee of three, including himself, to draw u}) a Constitution for the " Association." The following were appointed as such Committee : — W. F. Burditt, J. S. Armstrong, and 8. L Pktkrh. Adjourned to meet at the Mcljaughlin Building, Germain street, at ten o'clock the following morning. » ♦ ^ Tuesday ^ September 2lst^ iSgf. h %^-\ A PUBLIC MEETING was held, at eight o'clock in the evening, -^-*- under the auspices of the Saint John City and County Good Roads Association. The Chairman, Mr. W. F. Burditt, explained in opening the meeting, that while it was called more particularly for the purpose of discussing local matters, the city streets and streets of the suburbs, it was not desired to restrict the discussion to that particular topic, and the meeting would be glad to hear from gentlemen who were present from other parts of the Province. After a brief address by Mayor Robertson, the Hon. A. T. Dunn, Surveyor General, on being called on, said : I thank you, Mr. Chairman, for giving me the opportunity for making a few remarks, but I am here more for the purpose of learning than of giving advice. I had the pleasure of listening to Mr. Campbell's address this morning, and I agree with him that the first great principle to be observed in the con- struction of roads is drainage. The great difficulty, however, which we have to contend with in this Province is that in many localities we have not the material to make the roads. Then another difficulty with us is that we have a very great mileage with very few people. I had the pleasure of driving over some of our roads with Mr. Campbell this afternoon, and while he considered some of our roads very good, there were others which he considered very bad. I hope that this movement will awaken an interest among the people in the outlying districts, who do not now seem to take that interest which they should, and once an interest is awakened, I have no doubt but that success will follow. A. W. CAMPBELL, C.E. Ontario Government Road Commissioner, On being called, referred at some length to the best metho the improvement of the vehicles of the road, and there has been produced one vehicle which fills a long felt want and which for convenience, for ease of transit, for ease of manipulation, for fleetness and for serviceability to nearly every class of the com- munity, cannot be surpassed — I refer to the bicycle of to-day. Previous to the introduction of the bicycle as a carriage or conveyance the question of improved roads was considered to a small extent. Certain individuals tried to show to the farming community, as well as to all other classes of citizens, that bad roads cost the country millions of dollars per year through loss of power required in transporting commodities. Devices were made for the purpose of measuring the loss of power or resistance offered to vehicles by bad roads, and fabulous figures were prepared to show this enormous amount of loss, but these were all considered so many dry statistics and were passed over. As soon, however, as the human being was made the motive power, people, of necessity, began to study the condition of the'road — every grade was detected, every rut was noticed, every stone was observed, and in every instance it was carefully noted the amount of extra power which was demanded to over- come these obstructions. Even as an educator in the improve- ment of our roads, the bicycle of to-day stands as one of the great benefactors. Railway companies spend fortunes in re- ducing grades and in making their roadbed hard and smooth, so that it will offer the leadt possible resistance to traction, and e " ! l l ill* ' 32 BEPORT OF THE GOOD ROADS CONVENTION. the main object with them is to reduce as far as possible the amount of power required to carry their load or to move their train. The same principle employed by the railways should be employed by the people of this country, and that principle is just as important in the transportation of our commodities ove^ the common roads as it is in the transportation of these com- modities over the railroads of the country. It is true that an enormous amount of money ha^ been spent in this country in making roads, but we are far from having what we should consider first-class roads, and it is all on account of the system — the l^ck of interest, the lack of organization — and I predict that from this Association to-day will come an org .nlzation that will create in this Province a live interest, an interest which will, in a very few years, without any great additional expen- diture, make the roads of this Province equal to the roads of any other country. When we consider that in England, pre- vious to the year 1816, the same system which we have in operation here for the construction and maintenance of our roads was in operation in that country, it may be encouraging for us to know that they took the same steps to improve their roads which we are now taking to improve ours. These people, seeing the importance of improved roads in lines of transporta- tion, formed themselves together into associations. They said, "We are scattering our forces; we are scattering our money; we are not observing the true principles of road making, and there must be a change." They called into requisition the services of the celebrated MacAdam. He laid down the prin- ciples to be followed ; he got the people together and stirred up an interest among them. They constructed as much each year as they possibly could, they did it thoroughly, they did- that year after year, and the result is that to-day the roads of Eng- land are England's pride. They are perfectly constructed, hard and smooth, easily travelled, and are simply ideal roads. The construction of the roads of Scotland were undertaken in the same way, and to-day they are Scotland's boast. The roads of France are ideal roads, and the roads of Germany, Norway, and Italy are equal to those of any country in the world. But the BEPOET OP THE GOOD BOADB CONVENTION. 88 roads of Canada are bad. By no means are they in keeping with the enormous amount of money and labor expended upon them; by no means are they in keeping with the manner in which our private property is improved, or with the improvements made upon the public property of the country ; but if we adopt the plans followed by the countries I have mentioned — get ourselves together — lay down this sys- tem — organize, create an interest, follow the principles of road making, use proper material, properly prepared and properly applied — in a very few years I venture to assert that the roads of Canada will be equal to the roads of any country in the civilized world. On being asked to give his ideas as to the value of wide tires, compared with narrow, Mb. Campbell said : We are spending considerable time and money in con- structing roads; we claim t' be doing all we possibly can towards improving these roads; we claim that we would do more if we had the money with which to improve them, and yet, notwithstanding the enormous expenditure which we are putting on these roads, is it not strange that the people should spend additional money in purchasing narrow tires with which to destroy these roads ? Narrow tires will destroy the best roads that we can construct. In France the tires on wagons hauling very heavy loads are eight inches in width, and the front axle is shorter than the hind axle. In this way the wheels do not run in the same line, but act as rollers and improve the roads. In England the tires on lumber wagons are four inches wide, and on drayage wagons six inches, and the front axle is shorter than the ^hind axle, the wheels thus forming perfect rollers. The heavier the load you put on a wagon with such tires, the more improvement it is to the road. With narrow tires the heavy load tends to drive the tire like a knife into the surface of the road. It will form a rut, and that rut will hold the water, and each succeeding wagon will simply churn the rut deeper. Narrow tires act as a pick on the surface of the road, while wide tires ^ct a« a roller. In nearly all 84 REPORT OF TUB GOOD ROADS CONVENTION. r the European countries wide tires are used. They are being used extensively now in Ontario. A short time ago the City of Ottawa passed a bye-law relating to the width of tires, and I think the farm wagons are now obliged to have tires three-and- a-half inches in width, and the drayage wagons four inches. For some time there was quite an argument as to the power required to haul wagons furnished with wide tires. Many people claimed that they were harder to draw and did not improve the roads, but it only required a few examples to satisfy the people of the benefits to result from wide tires and the damage done by narrow tires. A heavier load can be hauled on wide tires than on narrow tires. Where a road is rutted by narrow tires the wide tire has a tendency to settle in that rut and therefore draw harder, but if the tires were all wide the ruts would not be formed, and they would then draw easier. The width should be at least four inches. (^Fig. 5.) Mr. Burditt. — I would like to read to you the results of experiments made by Prof. Waters, Dean of the State Agri- cultural College of Missouri. The Missouri Good Roads Asso- ciation, at its recent convention in Columbia, declared in favor of wide tires, and Prop. Waters added to the tabulated results of the tests made between narrow and wide tires the following : " By using the wide tires an average of fifty-three pounds draught is saved. A horse is computed to exert a pull of one hundred and fifty pounds for ten hours, travelling at the rate of two and one half miles per hour. On this basis the wide tires save slightly more than one-third of the exertion of the horse." The experiments with heavy wagons from which the con- clusions of Prof. Waters were reached formed the most mteresting part of the proceedings of the Convention, and the results of all the tests were carefully noted. In every test it was demonstrated that the wide tire lessens the labor of the horse, and is in other ways far superior to the narrow tire, which is the mout commonly used. • • * n • TVednesday^ September 22nd^ i8gy. « • • 4 • THE GOOD ROADS CONVENTION opened this morning in the McLaughlin Building, Germain Street, at ten o'clock, a. m., Mr. W. F. BuRDiTT in the chair. The session was opened by the reading of the resolutions adopted at the meeting on Tuesday morning, respecting the organization of a Provincial Good Roads Association. The Nominating Committee reported that the following had been chosen and were now nominated as the Officers of the Association: Hon. Ci. F. Hill, M.P.P. , Saint Stephen, President. Howard Trueman, Point de Bute, Vice-President. W. F. BuRDiTT, Saint John, Vice-President for Saint John. F. M. MuRCHiE, Saint Stephen, " Charlotte. James Horn brook. Studholm, " Kings. WiLLARD D. Wilbur, Dorchester, " Westmorland. S. L. Peters, Queenstown, " Queens. H. G. Wilmot, Oromocto " Sunbtiry. W. S. ToMKiNS, Southampton, •_ • **' York. C. L. Smith, Woodstock, " Carleton. A. J. Beveridge, M.P.P., Andover, " Victoria. A. Bertrand, M.P.P., Edmundston, *' Madawaska. William A. West, " Albert. Lazare Gcimond, " Kent. William Wise, Chatham, " Northumberland. E. M. Bourgeois, Tracadie " Gloucester. Neil Shaw, Dalhousie, *' Restigouche. J. S. Armstrong, Saint John Secretary-Treasurer. Directors: — W. W. Hubbard, Sussex; J. J. McGaffigan, J. M. Barnes, Saint John; Hon. H. R. Emmerson, Dorchester; Dr. A. A, Stockton, William Shaw, Saint John; Hon. L. P. Farris, White's Cove. . . , 0^ f(i ballot being taken, the »hoy& named were declared elected. (36) •t* 86 REPORT OF THB GOOD ROADS CONVENTION. Hon. C. H. LaBillois, Commissioner for Agriculture, on being called upon, said: . ^ Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen: When 1 came here this morning I did not expect to be the first called upon to make a few remarks. However, coming as I do from the far north of this Province, and being the only representative preseflt from the Counties of Bestigouche and Gloucester, I feel that I would not be doing my duty to those Counties if I did not make a few remarks. I was certainly very much pleased with the address of Mb. Campbell yesterday morning, and also that which he delivered last night, as I have taken a great interest in the matter of road construction for the past fifteen years, during which time I have represented the County of Bestigouche in the Legislature. There were one or two points that struck me very forcibly during his address. One was the neglect of the Commission- ers who are appointed from time to time in charge of the roads. That drew my attention to another point, which was, perhaps, overlooked, and that is the very little interest that is taken by the Municipal Councillors throughout the Province in seeing that the statute labor law is earned out. As you are aware, at the January meetin£^ of the County Councils, Commissioners are appointed to carry out the pro- visions of the Highways Act, but after they are appointed the Council- lors take no further interest in the matter in the way of seeing that they do their work. I have noticed sections in my own County, where the County Councillors live, where no statute labor is performed. Last summer I made a visit to the lower section of the County of Restigouche and found the Great Road in a terrible condition. The people told me they did not see how they could support me any longer on account of the fearful condition of their roads, but they had done no statute la' >or upon it. Well, I sent the road machine down there under the charge of a perfect stranger. The people of the district were very much prejudiced against it, and had gathered from all quarters to see it work. The man who was operating the machine found that the road was in such a condition that the machine could not be worked upon it ; it was covered with fence rails, big stones, and boulders and manure piles. However, he started in to work the machine in those places where some work could be done by it, and the result was that in lesH than three.quarters of an hour about thirty-five pi- forty men went to work and cleaned off that ixmd for three miles, RKt»ORt Of TttE GOOD ftOAt>R CONVtJNTIOJf. 3r and two days after the people there did not know their own section of the country, so great was the change brought about by the improve- ment in that road. In my opinion the road machine should be put to work on the roads as early in the Spring as possible, so that the great heat of July would dry these roads up. If the work was not done until late in the season the heavy rains of August would come on, and the work would certainly not be as well done. The Hon. Provincial Secretary, no doubt, spoke the truth when he said in his remarks that it would be veiy difficult to work up Parish Associations and keep them alive, but the only way we can get the farmers to take an interest in and look after the roads more closely is by Parish Associations. If the Chief Commissioner had the services of two or three men who understood the making of roads, to go from Parish to Parish and address the people as to the best methods of road construction, there is no doubt but a great improvement would soon be made in our roads. The great difficulty is that the people do not know how to make roads. The Councillors select men as Commis- sioners because they are friends and supporters, and by the time a man has learned a little about road making he is changed. I am glad this movement has been started and this Association formed, and I believe that if an interest can be awakened throughout the country it will be of great benefit. Mr. Burditt. — I would like to call attention to the fact that the new Highways Act provides that tires of a certain width shall be placed on wagons after the Ist of May, 1899. The section of the Act is as follows : " On and after the first day of May, in the year of our Lord one '* thousand eight hundred and ninety-nine, the wheels of every vehicle "loaded with stone, gravel, sand, or other material of any kind or "nature whatsoever, when the load exceeds in weight one and one- " half tons, shall, when used and passing over or along any Highway, " be provided with tires not less than four inches wide ; the owner or " person in charge of any such vehicle ihall, for every offence against •• this section, incur a penalty of Five Dollars." I think the meeting would like to hear what the Chief Commis- sioner of Public Works has to say on this question, but before calling 38 REPORT OF THK GOOD ROADS CONVENTION. on him I would like to call attention to the Connecticut Wide Tire Law, which is largely followed by other States, and which is as follows ; • " All vehicles having an iron axle two inches square, or an axle "of equivalent capacity, shall be equipped with tires not less than " four inches in width. "All vehicles having an iron axle one inch and three quarters " square, or an axle of equivalent capacity, shall lie equipped with tires " not less than three inches in width. "All ve'acles having an iron axle one inch and a half square, or " an axle of equivalent capacity, shall be equipped with tires not less "than two-and-a-half inches in width. " Any person who sh«ill violate any of the provisions of this Act " shall l)e fined not more than One Hundred Dollai-s." Hon. Mr. £mmebson — I do not know that I am very well qualified to discuss this question. It is one of a very practical character, and when the section was placed in the Highways Act it was rather with a view to giving notice to the people throughout the Province of the intention to change at some future date the width of the tires. I think that we can all accept without discussion the fact that wide tires are essential to the preservation of good roads, once you have them, and that it is economy, whether upon the farm or npon the highway, to use wagons with wide tires. The Legislature gave notice that on and after the first day of May, 1899, wagons carrying certain loads should be provided with tires of a certain width. I think that notice was sufficiently long. It has been suggested to me, not merely since I came to this meeting, but on previous occasions, that it would be very much better to have this section revised, so that it may be more explicit — so that it may, indeed, be more workable, for the reason that under the provistonb as now contained in the section, you are required if you have a certain load to have a certain width of tire ; but how are we to know the weight of the load ? If any of us were brought up before a magistrate, and it was found that our load was a pound under weight we would get off on a technicality. Now it has been sug- gested to mc, and I think wisely, that the width of the tire should ftEPORt Of THE GOOD ROADlS CONVKT^TIOJT. 39 be governed by the size of the axle, and there might be other pro- visions inserted to make the law more efficient and mote workable. It was suggested at one time, I think, in the Legislature by some of the representatives that this section should be changed. It was at a rather late stage of the proceedings, and I then stated that befol-e another session had passed by, or at least before the time had ex- pired, we would draft a section in amendment, but that the one placed in the Act was sufficient for the purpose of giving notice to the people throughout the country who are interested in the mattei* that at' a certain time there must be a change. Of course it would be deemed a very great hardship if any such enactment were placed upon the statute book without due notice. The expense incident to the change would be deemed a very great hardship. Another thing, the carriage builders would suffer severe losses if, after having made a certain style of wagons, these wagons became unsaleable by reason of the change in the law, and they might fairly and equitably ask that they be recompensed for their loss. We always approach such a question with '' . de bit of timidity and perhaps a little hesitancy ^ However, I think the Legislature has taken hold of the matter in a way that must convince the people that the only desire is to bring about what is so much in the interest of the people themselves. Mb. S. J> Shanklin — If a change is to be made I wish to draw the attention of the Association to the matter of axles. Axles are made of different materials. Some are cast, some are of wrought iron, while others are of steelj and if you propose to make the width of the tire to correspond with the size of the axle I think it would be well to consider at the same time the quality of the axles and not the size altogether. Hon. Mb. Hill — A point occurred to me yesterday with regard to wide tires and the difference in the length of the axle. Mri Cami'brll spoke of the front axle being made shorter than the hind axh so that the wheels would run in different tracks and form rollers. Now, a gentleman living in a section near where I live, and a very intelligent man, has been making wagons for himself and also for sale — truck wagons — and he is putting on four-inch tires and is making the forward axle longer than the hind axle, instead of shorter. The object of that, he says, is to make the wagon turn easier. With regard to the load governing the width of the tire, it 40 REPORT OP TBE GOOD ROADS CONVENTION. seems to me that in times past that scheme was found unworkable. It seems to me that it would be better to require that all one-horse truck wagons be provided with tires three inches wide, and all two- horse wagons with tires four inches wide, and thus you could see at a glance whether the law was being carried out: With regard to the expenditure of our money on roads, one great reason why so much is wasted is because of the diffusion in expending that money and the want of any responsibility. What we want is concentration of power of expenditure and concentration of responsibility. We have tried that in the district where I live. We have taken the road machine, taken the money under our con- trol, placed it under one man's supervision, and sent him out to do the work, and we have found that more has been done this year than has been done for three or four years together before. Some people passing over the roads say that more has been done this year than during the whole of the past ten years. I think that if the Govern- ment would sweep away the statute labor law and put on a direct tax instead, it would be far better. Of course the people would grumble at first, but they would soon find that instead of doing a nomi- nal day's statute labor on the roads they would do a day's work And would get a fair day's wages. The same people who now do the statute labor would do the road work and get good wages for it. You will never get good work done on the roads until you pay a fair remuneration, and you will never get a proper supervision of the work until you pay fair wages for it. I think our system of selling job work, which has been supposed to bfe the best, does not work well. Our Commissioners get five per cent, on an expenditure of ten, twenty or fifty dollars, and you cannot expect them to exact a fulfilment of the contracts made by the people to build the roads, and then again they do not want to be hard on their neighbors. What we must have is more concentration of power, more concentra- tion of responsibility, and those who do the work must be paid as they would be in any other business. Mr. Joseph Hornbrook — I would like to endorse the remarks made by the Hon. Mr. Hill, atad also to ask a question or two of Mr. Campbell. I have had some experience in road making in Kings County during the last seven years, and I find the condition of things very much similiar to what Mr. Hill has stated. When ♦ • »-i « ^ ^2 'S3SS BBFORT OF THB GOOD ROADS CONTBNTION. m we first started out with road machines the people put every pos- sible obstacle in our way, and rather announced that it was an innovation that would not be successful, but after a year or two the machines have become so popular that no person will ask to have any public money expended, so far as turnpiking is concerned, in any other way than by road machine, and I think we get the credit of having about as good roads in Kings County as there are in any County of the Province, because we have adopted the modern system of road making a little in advance of the other Counties. I would like to ask Mr. Campbell's views as to the making of roads in districts where the soil is inclined to be made up of clay and wet soil — no stone available, but lots of brush. We have bot money enough to put in a tile drain, but have been in the habit of brushing the roads through these swamps in order to make them durable. I would like to know what Mr. Campbell's views are on this point, and how he applies brush, if at all. My system of brush- ing is this : When I find a section of road that is composed of soft clayey land, surrounded by water, and with no very good out- let, my system is to raise the roadbed with brush. As a general thing I use green brush, with small brush for the top, and with the butts all to the centre of the road. Then I saddle it off and raise the centre of the road to a fair crown, and the points of the brush extend through to the side of the road and leave a drainage for the water. Mr. St L. Peters — I have been using brush for the last two or three years. This year on one section of our roads, which was com- posed of a clayey, spring soil, we had a good deal of trouble. Our culverts would only stay in for a year or two at the outside. This year we used small trees, about five inches at the butt, for the pur- pose of making culverts. An excavation was made a little larger than usual, and these trees were placed on one side at a time, after having the limbs cut off clean on all sides but one, the side with the limbs on being placed next the embankment. Small brush and earth was put between the trees, and in this way it was practically wharfed up on one side about two and a half feet. The operation was then repeated on the other side, and cedar was then put across the culvert and covered with spruce plank. My own impression is that there is no kind of material that will give us so much satisfaction. •*?1 42 RBPOET OF THE GOOD ROADS CONVENTION. During the rains that we have had, this piece of road has been practically dry. Twenty minutes after a rain storm you can drive a heavy wagon over it and leave no marks. I have here a chart of a section of road, and I would like to have Mb. Campbell's criticism on it. (See notes, page 51.) Mb. Abmstrono. — I would also like to ask Mr. Campbell whether burnt ballast — that is, cla^ broken up into small lumps and burnt — has been used to any extent for road making where stone is not available. A. W. Campbell, C. E. — I might say that you have asked me questions this morning concerning certain points in which I believe you have had more experience than I have had myself. In certain parts of the Province of Ontario they have to contend with just such difficulties as you have specified, and have to use brush to some extent. We look upon it, however, as a very temporary means of getting over bogs and morasses, and we are striving, as far as possi- ble, to make outlets from such places down through the adjoining territory to provide a system of drainage for these low places, iik order that we may get a foundation, and we cover that with gravel. I do not see how there can be much difference of opinion as to how the brush should be laid on the road. The system of turnpiking the road, that is, of constructing open ditches on the sides and using the earth for raising the grade of the road above the water line, is a very practical one. In railway construction in the early history of the country it was found necessary to raise the grade of the road in places three or four feet above the surface of the ground in order to get so much dry or solid foundation! This was found to be a very expensive system, and now side ditches are constructed, and the foundation is obtained by lowering the water line instead of raising the roadbed, therefore at the present time a railway can be con- structed at a very much less cost than it could in the early history of the country. Your plan of excavating ditches and raising the grade so as to bring the surface of the road above the water line is the only practical one where drainage cannot be obtained. Then placing brush on the road, with the ends to the centre and the tops out, is the method followed. The system suggested by Mb. Petbbs for building culverts is certainly a very novel one and has its advan- tages. In low morasses and swamps we frequently find that in the REPOBT OF THB GOOD BOADS CONVENTION. m Spring and Fall seasons a rush of water washes out our roadbed, but by adopting the method which he has suggested it does appear to me that it will tend very largely towards keeping the grade of the road in position and preventing the rush of water from destroy- ing it. It is to me a suggestion of some value, and I am glad I have heard it. Otherwise the plan suggested by Mb^ Hobnbbook is the plan followed by us. I would suggest, however, that you endeavor as far as possible to secure an outlet down through the adjoining territory. • ' With reference to the chart which has been prepared and is shown here, I find that it is drawn to make very nearly the dimen- sions that are specified by myself in the construction of country roads. The width of the road between the shoulders of the ditches I generally make twenty-four feet; this is twenty-one feet. The amount of rise or crown I understand is placed at one inch vertical to each foot horizontal from the shoulders to the centre of the road, the same crown as specified by myself. The plan of placing the material appears to be by excavating in the centre of the road to a width of ten feet and placing the stone to an average depth over the whole cross section. I can hardly understand that it is the intention of the designer that an excavation should be made ten feet wide in the centre of the roadway to receive the road-making material. The plan followed by myself (If'iff. 8) is to first make the crown and then roll the surface thoroughly from ditch to ditch. Then pass the road machine down the centre of the crown, taking off about three inches in dep ;h and turning it out to the road side. Then reversing the machine and coming back, turning an equal amount out to the other side, and knocking off the crown, thus leaving a level surface on the top of the road, with a slight ridge of earth at each side of the ten feet space. This forms a receptacle for the gravel or stone. The stone or gravel is then placed on this flat surface to a depth of ten or twelve inches, according to the strength of road required, and tapering off to nothing at the sides. The machine is then run along one side and the earth turned up, and run back along the other side in a similar manner, and the whole surface is made uniform and the crown is made perfect. Then the roller is passed over the surface of the gravel or broken stone, and the loose earth brought up to the shoulders, and the road is completed. In the case of ordinary field stone being used, they are broken and placed in the excavation. 44 REPORT OF THE GOOD ROADS CONVENTIOW. The whole is then covered with a gravelly soil to bind the particles together, and is rolled. In such a case I would approve of the design suggested, but I do think that the excavation is slightly more than is required, and that the material should be placed on in a more tapering manner than appears on the design. Otherwise I would approve of it. Hon. Mb. Hill. — I would like to ask Mb. Petebs what the cost of such a road would be? ^ > Mb> Petebs. — It was mostly done by statute labor, s.nd I can hardly make a calculation, but where the stone is handy it ought not to cost more than $1.50 per rod. A. W. Campbell. — With reference to the use of burnt clay, it is used very largely in the Southern States as ballast for railroads, and it is used to some extent in the construction of their highways. Where the frost is not severe this material appears to have given very great satisfaction. Burnt clay, however, cannot be burnt so as to vitrify the material and make it non-absorbent. It will absorb the moisture, and a severe frost acting upon the moisture in the clay will pulverize it, and in a very short time will separate it. It has not been used in the Northern States or in Canada, and it is believed that it would not prove serviceable on account of the frost. In answer to a question as to whether steam stone crushers were used in Ontario, and whether they were giving satisfaction, Pbof. Campbell said : In our country we have gravel in the majority of sections, but that gravel is very dirty, and probably contains from thirty to fifty per cent, of sand and earthy matter, which is considered by us very objectionable material. Where stone is plentiful steam crushers are used ; they are used very extensively throughout the Province. You have an abundance of first-class material in this Province, especially in this district, and I certainly think it would be one of the wisest investments you could make to purchase a stone crusher, take it along through the different sections, crush and prepare the amount of material that will be required for the year's work, leaving it where the people doing their statute labor will find it prepared and ready for the work. To break stone by hand is a very expensive process. These crushing machines will BEPOBT OF THE GOOD BOAUS CONVENTION. -IS- break from eight to ten or twelve cords of stone per day, and the preparation of the material will not cost more than a dollar a cord. It is a very cheap way of preparing the material, and it is the only way of breaking the stone so as to leave the blocks cubical, and of coursing the stone so as to place it on the roads as it should be placed — that is, in sizes varying from two-and-a-half inches in diameter down to dust screenings. A road constructed of this material will last for years, but a road constructed of gravel and earthy matter will only last a year or two, when it will be found necessary to repair and reconstruct it. Mbi Bubditt. — Would you recommend broken stone to be put on country roads in thin layers, that is, where it would not be possible to build the regular MacAdam road, say twelve inches deep, would you recommend a thin layer of broken stone ? Pbofbssob Campbell — If a thin layer of broken stone is put on there is not sufficient body to cause a union of the material, and the traffic will drive the blocks of stone into the foundation of mud, and will not make a good road. I would not recommend a less depth of crushed stone than eight inches to be put on a road — from that to twelve inches. Mb. Shanklin — How would an eight inch layer of crushed stone stand the frost and traffic in the spring? Pbofbssob Campbell — If the foundation is thoroughly drained it will stand it all right. If it. is not thoroughly drained the frost . will act on the water and will destroy the road. Mb. Geobge Raymond — The way we construct culverts in my section of Kings County is this: We take two hemlock planks, three inches by seven inches, to form the sides of the culvert, and over these we place a three-inch hemlock plank, ten inches wide, and nail it to the side planks with six-inch wire nails. The top plank need not be put flush with outside of side planks, but these can be set back one inch to make more water space. Three dowells of one- inch round iron, eight inches long, are then inseited in side planks about one inch from the bottom, to prevent the pressure of earth i I 46 BEPOBT OP THE GOOD BOADS CONVENTION. from squeezing them together* The length of culvert will be regu- lated by width of road, and on an average country road of sixteen feet in width the cost of such a culvert would be $1.75. Culverts of this description have been in use in Norton, Kings County, for twenty yeara. Me. C. N. Veoom — I wish to say that I heartily agree with the words that have fallen from the lips of the President of this Association, that statute labor should be entirely done away with. I believe it is one of the greatest wastes of the present day. I believe in the use of the road machines sometimes, but I even think then that their work is not always good. Put it on a gravelly soil, and it does good work, but in a great many cases it is put on clay soil, and it rounds up the round nicely, but for want of convenient gravel the work is about wasted. Sometimes a road is built a rod wide and crowned about two inches in the foot, and the result is that the wagons have to go along the centre of the road, and it is dangerous to try and pass another wagon. Ruts are made where the wheels travel, and soon shoulders are formed on the edges of the road ; the water lies in these ruts, and the result is that the road is soon destroyed. It seems to me that there should be a thorough revision of the methods of granting money for roads. I think there should be one or two men in each County to look after the roads — men appointed by the Government and paid by the Government, and men who thoroughly understand road making. If necessary require them to pass an ex- amination on road making. If this course were adopted I believe t^at the 67,000 granted in our County towards bye-roads could be so expended that in a short time we would have good, settled and per- manent roads. Another thing, I believe there should be a gradual cutting down of the hills to get the roads down to as low a grade as possible, and no permanent road work should be done on the hills until they are cut down as far as possible. I would suggest that, the men in charge of the roads should be in ' consultation with a com- mittee appointed by the Muni rMiiiiffi'iVi'i"l" F1OURB8 1 AND 2. Figure 1 shows cross section of highway, witli undei-drains under side ditches, and crowning, rising one inch per f(x)t from edge of ditch towards centre. All as i-econimendetl by A. W. Camplx'll, C.K. Figure 2 shows cross section, with rise <»f H inch per foot, aM recommended by him for use on hills ; it also shows undei-drain under centre of roadway, objected to by him on the ground that saturation must pass underneath the roadway to reach the tile drain. The lines of drainage are only aHHumed, as they would vary in , different kinds of soil, and it would take some years for them to settlij down to their flattest slope. » ' « f « REPORt OF THE GOOD ROAfiS CONVENtlON. 58 t it It It ™X^ •c** Trr^ ./^ er of K. IIH er >n in «(Tian o) rood prepared for yrautl - part p(ou^K' I 'iy KU 'S^^rr.fr-'-^' Figure 7. Figure 7. — Sections of roadway suggested for discussion in addi- tion to those proposed by Mr. Campbell. View 1 shows cross-section of earth road with roadway proper crowned 1| inch to the foot, from sixteen to twenty feet wide; the inner slope of ditch drops down one foot in four, the outer slope rising one in one-and-a-half ; the under drains are placed about two feet outside the inner edge of ditch slope. In making a new road all loam and vegetable matter should Imj removetones, etc. Again some permanent work should be Hone each year. Better fay to build five rods of good and permantat road than one hundred and fifty rods that will be washed away by the first thunder shower. He held that work should be done in June or July. Work done in the fall was of little use. Regarding the Highway Act, he said if it were ne- -sary to make changes in it he would be glad to lend his assis xme to the work. He thought the members of the Legisla. . ve would do ar • thing within reason to carry out the objects which they all had m view. Mb. Howabd Tbueman thought there was a fine field for effort in connection with the work of the Association. j Others spoke in favor of the resolution, sad it was put and carried unanimously. ^ , Mb. J. S. Armsteong moved, seconded by Mr. W. A. West : " liesolved. " That it is expedient that local improvement soci- eties be organized in all village d'^tricts for the purpose of discuss- ing and studying roadmaking an.) ,.''\^ management thereof, raising funds for sidewalks, planting trees and keeping them in order, removing dead ones, and otherwise improving and beautifying the roadside; and that a comnuttee be appointed later to draft a constitution for such soituies and look up literature bearing on the subject, distribute the same, and otherwise promote this object." In moving the resolution, Me. Armsteong said that it was not one likely to excite much discussion, as all were likely to agree to its intent, but any suggestions as to how it could best be carried into effect would be acceptable. It was carried unanimously. Me. W. S. Tompkins moved, seconded by Mb. CaABLES Smith : Hesolved, "That in the opinion of this meeting it would be an "advantage to wholly substitute a money assessment for statute "labor." 64 NEW BRUNSWICK GOOD BOADS ASSOCIATIOIf. In moving the resolution Mb, Tompkins spoke of the great advantages of the money assessment system as he had seen its workings in British Columbia, and he strongly urged its adoption for our Province instead of continuing to allow the performance of statute labor, which was too often a farce. Mb. Bubditt said that while he was personally in favor of cash assessment, and felt that the day was approaching when the people generally would see it to their interest to voluntarily substitute the cash assessment for statute labor, he thought that th& country was not yet ready for a compulsory measure. From his knowledge of the rural districts of the Province he was convinced there were many localities in which it would work great hardship to compel people to pay in money instead of working out their tax. In some sections it would be very difficult to collect a money tax, and he thought that in such districts better re<3ults could be had under the present system if the statute labor were properly directed and controlled. Mb. King and Mr. Bbtts strongly supported the resolution. Mb. Nkil Shaw said that he had many years' ejtperience as road commissioner, and that he considered that the measure proposed was not practicable. Mb. Lowell said that he had always obtained good results with statute labor. He knew of a case in which one thousand dollars in statute labor accomplished more than three thousand dollars cash, but he thought it depended very laigcly on the commissioner or road masters in charge of the work. Mb. Shanklin was in favor of cash assessment ; it had been adopted in the Parish of St. Martins, St. John County, from which be comes, and was found to work well. He pointed out that the cash system did not prevent any man from working upon the road who wished to do so, the only difference was that they were hired by the commissioner to do a fair day's work for a fair day's pay, and he thought that better results were obtained in that way, but the results depended mainly upon the commissioners who directed the labor. Under a good commissioner peo}>le were sometimes willing to do more work than their tax called for, ■^'d^'A '■ !f» i

Armstrong said it seemed almost necessary to have some cash coming into the commissioner. In many districts there was next to none. In such a case, if road work was done with a road machine, the commissioner's compensation would be a charge on the whole parish. This causes friction. If there was a certain amount on hand it would facilitate this and other matters. He recognized the difficulty of carrying the full change to cash assess- ment before the people generally are educated up to a realization of the great benefits that would ensue. A ve/y nnimated discussion followed, many thinking that the amendment would complicate matters too greatly, among whom was tte Hon. Mr. Emmerson, who reminded those present that the existing law was an optional one. The counties could regulate the statute labor as they liked. Mb. S. L. Peters was unable to agree with the sentiments expressed in the amendment, nor was he in accord with the resolu- tion. He advised them not to crowd the farmers, but to tell them what they wanted done, and give them a chance. C. L. Smith, M. P. P., said to get at the right system it was necessary to get at the tax. So long as we continue the statute labor we will never make much improvement. The resolution was further discussed by Messrs. McGaffigan, Searlb, Betts, HoRNnROOK, W. A. West, W. L. McFarlane, HuNBY WiLMOT, and others. Mb. West thought the adoption of the amendment would complicate the road law so that it would be difficult of enforcement. Regarding the resolution, he thought it proposed a change for which the country was not ready. w»« 66 NKW BRUNSAVICK GOOD ROADS ASSOCIATION; Mb. W. S. Tompkins again spoke in support of his resolution, making a strong bid for the meeting to pass it. Mk. McGaffigan, in a vigorous speech, strongly condemned the present system employed for doing statute labor. He claimed that the farmers who did the statute labor loafed, and smoked, and talked politics along the road instead of working. Mk. S. L. Pktebs claimed that the road work was honestly done in Queen's County. Mb. Tompkins created a laugh by stating that on a visit to Queen's County not long since he had to ride in an ox cart because it was the only kind of a vehicle that could be got over the roads so wretched was their condition. The vote was then taken on the amendment, which was lost by a large majority. The original resolution was then put and lost by a small majority. The proceedings of the meeting were very lively and interesting. The best of good humor characterized the discussions* At 10.30 o'clock the meeting adjourned. FRIDAY MOIINING. The following resolution was introduced by Mb. Oka P. Kino, seconded by Mk. W. V. Betts : Whereas, " It is desirable that the road commissioner should be " freed as much as possible from collecting the road taxes, and yet " that he should have definite information by a certain date as to ♦' who claim the privilege of working out their road tax ; 2'herefore Jiesolued, " That provision bo made in the Act some- " what as follows : That the regular Parish tax collectors make out ^*and distribute the road tax notices at the same time as other "country tax notices, and that the said road tax notices have a " coupon attached showing the items of the road tax, and with blank "spaces to be filled up by the ratepayer if he be desirous to work out "his tax, and with a notice that unless the ralepnyer duly fills out » i KEPOET OP TUK CONVENTION AT FREDEKICTON. 67 " the blank and delivers it to the road commissioner, personally, on " or before a certain date, he will be required to pay the tax in " cash, this coupon only being used in districts where statute labor " is in operiition, and that commissioners be authorized to add to the " list names which have been omitted by the assessor." Mr. King said that from what little experience he had with the new Highway Act he found that one of the chief complaints of the commissioners was that the distribution of the notices took up a considerable amount of their time, and they could ill afford to give the time necessary for the distribution of those notices for the remuneration allowed them under the Act. It seemed to him (King) th-"t if the distribution of the notices or the collection of the money could be placed in the hands of some one engaged in that class of work, such as the collector of parish rates and taxes, poor and county taxes or school taxes, it would free the commissioners from that labor which in his opinion they justly complained of. It seemed to him that very much better service could be obtained under the Act if the commissioner's hands were freed as much as possible, so that he could devote that time to the matter of good roads, lie has little enough time to devote to the roads, and is poorly paid for that time. --,.'--■ ■ ■• • Mil. Uetts said he heartily agreed with the resolution, inasmuch as he found that in some parishes there wns not suliicient money paid in to pay the commission of the commissioner. It was said that this was going to create a tax and make it a hardship upon the rate- payer, but ho thought that if this were adopted the assessing to pay the commissioner would be done away with, and it would come directly out of the people instead of indirectly as at present. Mil. King said he had tacked on to the resolution a statement that it would be desirable in his o]>inion that the commissioners be authori/.ed to add to the list furnished them by the assessors any name that might be omitted by the assessors. I'ossibly this should be in the form of a resolution, but ho h'ui joined the two together with a view to getting an expression of opinion from the meeting. It had been his experience that the assessors in making up the list almost invariably omit names which bhould bo on, aiid i i the liJaiHklLkB. 68 NEW BEUNSWICK GOOD ROADS ASSOCIATIOIT. interest of the roads every man who is assessable should be on that list. While the Act of 1886 made provision for this, he did not think the present Act did, and in his opinion that power should be given the commissioners. Mb. Wm. Wise said that before they proceeded to pass any such resolution he thought it would be well to find out what the Government proposed to do with respect to dividing the Province into districts. If the Government intended to appoint salaried men they should collect the taxes and do all that kind of work. Hon. Mb. EMMERCk>N said that to his mind the course proposed by the resolution would not work at all. It would further compli- cate the Act, which was none too simple now. The idea of the Act was to place the responsibility upon the commissioner, and if such a course as that outlined in the resolution was adopted, the responsi- bility would be taken away from the commissioner and placed upon the collector, and if any question should arise the commissioner would say that he was not responsible. Mb. S. L. Peters said he concurred with the chief commis- sioner. The resolution says the commissioner shall not be required ^o serve the notices, but it requires the ratepayer to travel all the way from his home, no matter if he lives ten or twenty miles away, to give notice to the commissioner what his desires 72 NEW BRUNSWICK GOOD ROADS ASSOCIATION. Mr. W. J. OwKN said that in Carleton the appointment of the roadmasters was a cause of dissatisfaction. He thought this would be remedied if the roadmasters were appointed by the County Council. Mr. W. a. Wkst. — I consider that the commissioner has full power to appoint and dismiss these roadmasters, and in my opinion it is a very wise provision in the law. Mr. Armstrong pointed out that the resolution refers to two kinds of roadmasters, the winter and summer roadmasters, and that they are not necessarily the same under the Act. It apparently was desirable that the winter roadmasters should siiecially retain office till their successors were appointed, as the commissioners who appoint them come into office in the middle of the winter, and if a new man is appointed it takes some time before he can act definitely. The Act in regard to the summer roadmasters, following as it does the old Act, under which the roadmasters had full control in their districts, is liable to be interpreted by them as giving them the same powers — wrongly no doubt; But what is wanted is to have it put in plain words that they are to carry out. the instruotious of the road commissioner. Resolution carried unanimously. Hon. Mr. Emmbrson called attention to the fact that under Section 55 of the Highway Act the commissioner is responsible, and he himself is subject to a penalty for neglect if the roads are not kept up. The roadmasters are not in any way responsible. So in respect to Section 48, he may or may not have the roadmaster in the summer; he can appoint him or not, just as he pleases. The following resolution was moved by Mr. Joseph Horn- BROOK, seconded by Mr. W. A. West : Resolved^ " That the County Council shall have authority to " constitute a larger division than a Parish, or they should have power '' to appoint a chief commissioner over a set of Parishes or divisions or "overall the county, and his enlarged powers and emoluments should " be defined ; and further Resolved^ " That provision be made to enable the Council to "bo appoint." " ' -;.!.J ' ija J REPORT OF THE CONVENTION AT FREDERICTON. 73 Mb. Hobnbbook said the object of this resolution was to secure uniformity of work. We are on the verge of a new system of road making, and while most people understand the old 8yst?m very few understand the new one which is to be inauguratf^d. One of the necessities of a good road was turnpiking, but there has got to be a better system of drainage adopted and a better system of gravelling. The commissioner appointed by the County Council should be an experienced road maker, and he should be able to instruct the roadmasters to make a uniform kind of road. Under our present system each commissioner has a different idea as to how the road should be made, and as a result there is no uniformity. Mb. Seable said he thought the appointment of such a man should be made by the chief commissioner of public works. Mb. S. L. Peters said that if the power of the commissioners was enlarged he thought the commissioners should be under the direct control of the chief commissioner, and the appointment should be made by the chief commissioner. The chief commissioner is held responsible for the expenditure of the money, and it is only fair that he should have the power of appointmentt Mb. Armstrong suggested that if a practical man were ap- pointed to look after this work he could examine bridges in the county under his control, and by making slight repairs, in many oases hundreds of dollars would be saved to the Province. Mr. Burditt said the County Councils might perhaps object to their funds being expended by a man appointed by the Govern- ment. Mr. J. H. Dickson moved the following amendment : '* That in the opinion of this meeting it would be more condu- ** cive to the betterment of the good roads if the chief commissioner " would appoint a commissioner who would have supervision over " the roads in each county." After some further discussion, at the suggestion of Mr. Burditt both the resolution and the amendment were withdrawn and the following resolution was substituted and carried : JiMolved, "That in the opinion of this meeting it would be " desirable to have competent men appointed having special know- \ I'i 74 NEW BRUNSWICK GOOD BOADS ASSOCIATION. "ledge in roadmaking; drainage, etc., who would have the super- " vision of work and expenditure over larger divisions than are now " allotted to the commissioners appointed by County Councils. The following resolution was moved by Mr, Howard Trukman seconded by Mr. David Johnson : JResolvedy "That in the opinion of this meeting the commis- " sioners should have power to apply labor and funds in any part of " the highway division rather than that all the labor and taxation "of a given district must necessarily be expended within that "district." Mb. S. J. Shanklin was in favor of the resolution. Under the present law large sums of money were spent on short pieces of road. For instance, down in St. Martins there was a. road about one mile long on which five hundred days' labor was spent every year, and this could not be prevented. Mb. S. Li Petebs considered that this would be most unfair. If there were certain districts which could take care of their own roads they should be allowed to do so, and where assistance is needed it should be got from the Government. Under such a system as outlined in the resolution the commissioner would have the power to expend the money right at his own door. Me. David Johnson told of a road in the County of Charlotte. In one district on that road there were four settlers, while right in the next district there were forty-four, and all the labor and all the money of those forty-four ratepayers was put upon their own section, and besides that they got bye-road money. He contended that there was nothing fair in that. Mb. Seable said they had had such a law a number of years ago in his Parish. They paid their taxes in cash to the Town of Chatham and never received a cent of itt The resolution was passed. Mb. Ji J. McGafpioan moved the following resolution seconded by Mr. W. S. Tompkins : Hesolved, " That in the opinion of this meeting it is advisable " that any person or persons purchasing at public auction work to RKPOKT OP THE CONVENTION AT FREDKRICTON. 75 "be done upon any great or bye-roaf' in this Province shall be " required to place with the commissioner selling said work a bond " in double the amount of the value of said work, or a cash deposit " of twenty per cent, of the value of the work, and that the work "should be performed under a definite contract with specification." Mr. McGaffigan said that under the present system the performance of the work was merely a matter of honor between the party and the commissioner. The commissioner sold the work at a certain price, and when he went to see if that work was done very often he found that it was not. Parties find after the heat of the sale is over that they have taken work at too low a figure, and as they are under no obligation to perform that work very often they pay no attention to it whatever. In such a case the commissioner is powerless to compel the p^Elurmance of the work, and it was to remedy this difficulty tUp am (McGaffigan) had moved this resolution. * . Hon. Mr. Emmerson saioVY j resolution involved the alterna- tive proposition of .giving a bond or putting up a cash deposit. It might be all right enough to give a bond, but if the party did not perform his work the commissioner would not want to get into a lawsuit with him. If a cash deposit were put up no doubt the work would be done, but it would be a hardship on those who might not have the money to put up. A poor man who could not put up the necessary deposit might be the very best man to do the work. Mr. Armstrong suggested that the resolution be modified so as to provide that the commissioner could exercise his discretion as to whether he would accept the lowest tender. He is sworn to act for the best interest of the public. Hon. Mr. Emmerson said this was a matter that could not be remedied, and had to be left to the honesty, common sense, and good faith of the people i Mr. David Currib said the adoption of this resolution would impose a hardship on the poor man, as it would prevent him from getting the work. It was giving the man with money a chance to get the work at a higher figure than ft was worth by reason of there being no competition. He knew of a bridge in his own County 76 NBW BRUNSWICK GOOD BOADS ASSOCIATION. r (Victoria) for which a man was paid $300, while there were plenty of people who were willing to build it at a much less figure, but they had not the money necessary for the deposit, and therefore could not tender. Mr. McGaffioan said it was evident that the chief commis- sioner did not like to take the responsibility upon himself of adopting this suggestion. It was all very well to talk about the hardship to the poor man who could not make a deposit, but we should also consider the hardship to other people under the present system. When a man took a contract and then failed to carry it out it was imposing a hardship upon the County and upon the people who had travelled long distances to the sale and were willing to have taken the work at a few cents a rod more. Councillors and politicians should not be afraid to pass a law dealing with this Subject. Mb. Thomas Hatks said ip|raKl|mw would bear very heavily upon the poor man. Many of the men who attend the sales have not a dollar in their pocket, and t^^ ^meh would do the work much better than the rich man* v.- Mb. Joseph Uobkbbook thought security should be given, as thereby more would be saved to the Government than the poor man would lose. Mb. Shanklin said he thought in all amounts over $25, bonds should be taken. He thought if bonds were required parties would not Md so low that they could not do the work. In his opinion a money security was out of the question. Mb. William Simpson said he thought there was nothing to prevent the giving of bonds, but there was a good deal of formality about it. His practice was to sell the roads, and if the party did not do the work according to contract he did not pay him until it was properly done. In nearly all cases, after commencing the work, instead of losing his money, he does it up promptly. , , The resolution was defeated. ' Hon. Mb. Emmebson said he would like to have the Convention taV© into consideration the question of wide and narrow tires, and he read from the Engineering N'ews of March, 1897, the result of a faffl,.:v.f i,v;....^ ^-v^ .|^,^j^ aeii ^ "P" lliliiwiiiii BKPOBT OF THE CONVENTION AT FBBDERICTON. 77 test of resistance to vehicles on common roads, made by the United States Department of Agriculture, as follows : : " To demonstrate the practical advantage of wide over narrow " tires the following test was made : A piece of clay road was made •' thoroughly wet, and over one portion a heavily loaded wagon with " two-inch tires was rapidly drawn, and over the other portion an " equally heavy wagon with four and five-inch tires was drawn the *'same number of times. In the latter case the front axle was " shorter than the rear axle, so that the wheels did not run in the *' same track. The result was that the narrow tire cut the road into "ruts several inches deep, while the broad tires rolled the road into " a smooth surface. The tractometer showed that twice as much "pull was necessary to draw the same load over that half of the " road cut by the narrow tires." ; , Adjourned until 2 P. M. ' <.■:'-. FRIDAY AFTERNOON. Mb. Burditt stated that the subjects for discussion at this after- noon's session were: Questions ReloAing to the Practical Work oj Road Construction and Repair — Good Location, Drainage, Proper Formation, and a Hard, Smooth Surface the Four Cardinal Requisites of a Good Road. (1) Could the location of any of the highways in your county l)e changed within reasonable limits so as to afford better drainage and easier grades by circumventing hills, avoiding bogs, etc. (2) Has anything been done in your county to improve the roads by re-locating, so as to avoid hills, swampholes, or other parts that were difficult and expensive to keep in repair, and with what results ? (3) What is your experience with regard to drainage or the need of it? What general rules or specifications, if any, could be laid down, for the guidance of roadmasters as to surface drainage ? (4) Has under-drainage Ijeen practiced in your county, and with what results ? What general rules, if any, can be laid down as to the conditions under which under-drainage should be adopted, and how best accomplished ? 78 NEW BBUN8WICK GOOD EOADS AS30CIA.TI0N. i I (5) What general rules, if any, can be laid down for the construc- tion of cross-drains or culverts? Have terra cotta, cement, or iron pipe culverts been used in your county and with what results? Do you not think they would prove more economical and satisfactory, if properly laid, than wooden culverts ? (6) What is the best width, crowning and general form — includ- ing depth and shape of gut<-. rs or ditches for surface fJrainage — for different classes of highways ? Would it be practicable to formulate definite specifications for the guidance of roadmasters and commis- sionei-s with the view of obtaining a greater degree of uniformity in the work of diflFerent districts ? Within what limits might such specifica- tions be varied ? (7) What general rules, if any, can be laid down with regard to various kinds of materials for surfacing, their use and application?' What are the best surfacing materials available in your district, and what is your experience as to results from use of difiFerent kinds ? '' (8) Are there any roads in your county subject to such traffic that it might be considered advisable and in the interest of true economy to thoroughly macadamize them . according to the most approved specifications of modern road engineers ? What means can be suggested for ac(!omplishing permanent improvements of this kind ? (9) How can more or less constant care of the principal highways be provided for? Could statute labor be utilized for the purpose, or how. could it be accoiipliuhed? Great damage to roadways is often occasioned for want of a few minutes or an hour's work at the right time — "a stitch in time saves nine." (10) To what extent is improved machinery used in your county? Could not the use of it bo further extended with atlvantage ? Could not road rollers, such, for instance, as the water-ballasted steel roller of about five to eight tons maximum weight, Ije used with advantage, and possibly in some localities rock crushers in addition to the road machines or grader now coming into general use? (11) How can damage to highways, caused wilfully, or by care- lessness and excessive use, be prevented or remedied, such, for instance, as the washing of roads by obstruction of ditches and watercourses, or the hauling of very heavy loads on narrow tires ? IIIIMWI BEPOBT OF THK CONVENTION AT FBEDEBICTON. 79 Mr. Richard O'Brien moved the following resolution, seconded by Mr. Burditt: Whereas, " It appears from expressions of opinion in this Conven- " tion the time has arrived, or is near at hand, when better and more "permanent work than any heretofore undertaken will be required " upon the highways of this Province ; and Whereas, " There is a general lack of technical knowledge as to " improved methods of highway construction adopted in other coun- " tries; > • " ; There/ore Resolved, " That this Convention suggest to the Provin- ** cial Government tlie advisability of appointing a competent engineer *' as Provincial Inspector of Highways for the purpose of carrying on " an educational work, and such other duties as may be assigned to "him." This was carried. . , : . Mr. Joseph Hornbrook moved the following resolution, seconded by Mr. J. H. Dickson : r Resolved, " That this Convention approves of the steps taken by " the Legislatui'o in providing that on and after the fii-st day of May, " 1 899, lojwled vehicles shall have wide tires, but would urge that they " vary tho provision in the way of making it more easily enforced, and " provide that it can be enforced on the complaint of any ratepayer." And suggest that the following provisions be suitable : " All vehicles having wrought iron axles two inches square, or • an axle of e(|uivalent capacity, shall be equipped with tires not less " than four inches in width. " All veliicl«s having a wrought iron axle one-and-three-(iuarter " inches H«{uare, or an axle of e()uivalent capacity, shall be equipped " with tires not less than three inches in width. "All vehicles having a wrouglit iron axle one-and-a-half inches "squaiti, or an axle of ecjuivaletit capacity, shall be e(iuipped with " tires not less than two-and-a-half inches in width. " Any pi 'son who shall violate any of the provisions of this Act shall be fined not more than dollars." 80 NEW BRUNSWICK GOOD ROADS ASSOCIATION. Mr. Hornbrook said the object of this was to protect our roads and aid the farmers who have heavy loads to haul. The highest authorities agreed that a heavy load could be hauled much easier with a wide than with a narrow tire, and the wide tire will act as a roller and preserve the road, while the nai-row tire destroys it. The Highway Act as it now stands reads as follows : "WIDE TIRKS ON CERTAIN VEHICLES. "(2) On and after the first day of May Id the year of our Lord " one thousand eight hundred and ninety-nine the wheels of every " vehicle loaded with stone, gravel, sand i>r other material of any kind '' or nature whatsoeve?*, when tlu; load exceeds in weight one and a "half tons, shall when used and passing over or along any highway " be provided with tires not less than four inches wide ; the owner or "person in charge of any such vehicle shall, for every offence against " this section, incur a penalty (»f five dollars." It would be almost impossible to enforce this Act, as there would be no way of ascertaining the weight of load, but if the suggestion containc^d in the resolution be carried out there will be n»» difficulty, ax a man will not {)ut a heavy load on a small axle. Mk. J. H. Dickson said it gave him much pleasure to second the resolution He had been puzzled to know just how the j)resent law could be enforced, but the suggestion contained in the resolution solved the difficulty. Mr. BErrs said ho wjvs in favor of wide tires, but it seeinc*! tx) him there should bo some pr(»viHion for wagons with wooden axles. Mr. Tuueman said the resolution read "All vehicUw having " wrought-iron axles two inches s<|uare, or an axle of equivalent "capacity." That would cover any kind of axle. Mu. Havks asked if all tlu; trucks now in use by the lumlM^rmen ami fanners of the ProviiMie would have to im done away witli and new ones substitut^'d inside of a year? Mr. Hoknhkook. - Only the tires will have to Iki changed. New tires can V>e put on any wagon with very little expense. • 4 REPOET OF THE CONVENTION AT FREDERICTON. 81 A Delegate stated that when the wide tire law came into force in the State of Maine the people built an inch and a half on each side of their two-inch tires and put a six-inch tire over the whole, and tires of this kind have been running for two or three years. Mn. Dickson said he thought some means should be taken by the Government to have notice given through the local press of the date when the Act would come into force. I«) ». -• ew Hon. Mk. Hill suggested that the Government or tiie Association have printe(i hiindbills distributed in the stores and bhwksmith shops throughout the Provinces gi^i'ig this notice of what the law recjuires. It was not to Ikj supposed that this law would Ixi enforced with harsh- ness or severity; that every person whose wagon was not quite up to the standard would be immediately seized upon and fined. A law like this, with new penalties and making new pi-ovisions, was never enforced with the utmost strictness in the beginning, but people would have to come to it eventually. Mr. Hill referred to a road in the City of Calais which it was found very hard to keep in condition bv 'jason of the heavy loads of lumltcr hauled over it by four and six-) )rse teams. The City finally passed a law that on /i,ll four and six-horse wagons the tires should be six inches wide. One large; linn of linnberm(Mi, who owned a large number of wagons, objected vejy suoiigly to this clii'iige, as it would cost them more than one thousand dollars to make such a change. However, it was done, and after using th(* wide tires for two or throe years the head of that firm tells nie tli/it he would not substitute the narrow tires now for twice that amount, so great lias lu'en the benefit of till! chiMige on his teams. ExpiwinuMits evrrywlK^re have shown that on poor roa front wheel (bleared it ther«> would certainly U' no danger of the rear wheel striking. Tiiough th^re would be some expense at first connected with the 82 NEW BRUNSWICK GOOD BOADS ASSOCIATION* change from narrow to wide tires, and it would, perhaps, come a little hard on the poorer people, yet in the end the poor man with his team will be Just as much benefitted as the rich man with his carriage. Mb. Hubbard said it was* important that notice of the change should be given to carriage manufacturers, as he had found by inquiry that they did not make a wider tire than two-and-a-half inches, and he had been assured by one firm of manufacturers that this law would never be enforced. The following amendment to the resolution was moved -by Mu. W. A. West: Resolved, " That all two-horse team wagons have a tire not less " than four inches, and all single horse team wagons have a tire not "less than three inches." After some discussion this was withdrawn and the original motion was carried. The following resolution was then moved by Mr. Dickson, seconded by Mr. Hounuuook : Ketsolwd, "That the Government be asked to advertise the "proposed change in tires by having the section of Jaw published by " handbills throughout the country." This was carried. Mr. Burditt said it was agnuMl that the foundati/ BBPOBT OP THE CONVENTION AT FEEDERICTON. 83 "commissioner and those under his authority t^hould have power to " enter upon private lands or property and construct such drain, doing "as little damage as possible, and if any permanent damage is suffered " thereby, provision should be made whereby the owner could recover " damages from the Road District or County ; Therefore Mesolved, " That due provision be made therefor." This resolution was discussed by several of the delegates, all agreeing that in nine cases out of ten the direct cause of bad roads was improper drainage. It was not sufficient to deepen the ditches, but it was most important to have a proper outlet. The speakers agreed that this question of drainage could not be too strongly urged upon the commissioners and supervisors. Mh. Armstrong moved the following resolution, seconded by Mr. Wise: \' ; ' ^*- , ' -. Resolved, " That it is most important tliat the benefits of under- " draining the roads, wherever the frost heaves them to any extent, 'should l)e made clear to all in the Province, and that they should be " encouraged to pujh drainage v/ork ; and therefore that the Govorn- "r>ent should considei- the expediency of underdraining with tiles " short stretches of the most travelled roads, in four or five places in " eaclt County, under such conditions as they may see fit, employing " men of exj)erience." ' ' , Mr. AitMSTUONd, in speaking to tluj resolution, said that the question of ch'ainago was the most important one in connection with road making. Thi.-, and the wide tires, were the two thitigs that would go a long wjvy towards making the d(^si^ed improvement in our wads at the smallest cost. And that while sid(^ ditclies were necessary to carry off th«! surface wakM', "inderdi-aining was quite as necessary, and even inon' important in many cases. In some places the ground is of nn open sandy natuie and (irains itHclf naturally, but wlienc'ver the frost h(!aves the grounti and makes a bad spot in the soring, it is evident that undenhaining is re't the best r«;sults could not be obtained unless these '• ties were laid b_ experts. He hiwl found this out by observation. After some further discussion in Vmo with the re/aarks of previous speakers the resolution was carried unanimously. The question as to the most suitable width of roiul was di.vcussed, and sixteen feet l)etween inner edges of the kind oi ditch shown on Fig. 7 was mentioned as (juite sufiicient. No resolu'.ion was f()rniulate I I REPOET OF THE CONVENTION AT FREDERICTON. 87 road when it was dry and dusty. You could roll it when it was dry, travel on it all summer, and it would remain firm, nice and level, but as soon as rain came in the fall it would become a mud hole. If, however, it was worked thoroughly when wet, and rolled, it would settle down firm and become a compact road, and would not he opened up in the fall by the rains. There was no good road made in the United States or Canada with broken stone but what was thoroughly saturated with water first. They put water on and thoroughly drench it, and then either put on a steam roller or horse roller. A road should be rolled from the outside to the centre. A roller would be of great advantage if you were gravelling a road after it had been tumpiked. Some delegates expi'essed the opinion that road machines or graders were more required than rollers, and that the Government should not be asked to purchase rollers for those districts which were already supplied with road machines until other districts were supplied with the graders. Mr Peters thought every Parish should own a roller with a road machine, and moved the following resolution, which was carried : Resohied, "That the use of heavy rollers in connection with tlie " road machine in road work, and in grading the roads, is almost of as " much importance as the road machine, and that highway commis- "sioners be urged to procure rollers, or the use of rollers, whenever " possible to do so." Mr. Burditt said that attenticm should be given to the constant or continuous care of the highways. A great amount of damage was done to a road on accounc of not i-epairing it just at the right time. Constant supervision and constant attention to the small repairs was the idea. Mr. Betts said that there was a tiii.e of year that the roads needed the vigilance of some person in authority. In the spring of the year snow remained on the road until very late, and then there was a great rush of water, and if there was not some person on hand to look after things hundreds of dollars worth of work was destroyed. 88 NKW BRUNSWICK GOOD ROADS ASSOCIATIOIir. Mb. Hill thought the Counties should be divided in sections, and each s('(;tion looked after by those having the distribution of the bye- road money and great-road money, and that a certain portion of this money should reserviul for emergencies. Mb. Siianklin said that in case of necessity where a commissioner becomes good for any money, he should have some guarantee that it would be paid. . <>' ' Mr. Betts moved: - Rexolved, "That the commissioners be impressed with the im- "portance of maintaining good roads by exercising constant vigilance, " more particularly in the early spi-ing, or when exigencies of the case " reqviire ; and, further, that when the finances will allow, a permanent *'i(ian be kept on said road." ^ . Carried. T># ¥ Mb. Petebs said that the ordinary methods of protecting the b'lnks of intervale land along the river from the wash of the stream and ice and logs seldom accomplished the desired end satisfactorily. E.e had a model of the system devised by him for protecting the banks, and explained the process. Any person who wished to know in detail about the method could get the information by addressing him at Queenstown, Queens County. * MACADAM ROADS. Mb. Bubditt said that several of the delegates present had remarked during the Convention that the day was near at hand, if not ah-eady here, when better and more permanent work in road construc- tion than any heretofore contemplated would claim our attention, and he thought that this Convention should not break up without some reference being made to the best kind of roads — those thoroughly built with broken stone according to the system of Macadam, as developed by modern engineeriTig skill. It will he said that we have •The nil thod proposed by Mr. Pet posed for the side walU of his culrert ■loping. inilar in oonstruotion to that which he pro- tl on page 61, except that the face is made TION. id in sections, and ution of the bye- in portion of this ire a commissioner - guarantee that it sed with the im- onstant vigilance, encies of the case How, a permanent )f protecting the sh of the stream snd satisfactorily, ecting the banks, to know in detail idi'essing him at .tes present had ar at hand, if not in road construc- ur attention, and up without some those thoroughly of Macadam, as aid that we have to that whioh he pro- bhat the face la made BEPOBT OP THE CONVBNTION AT FBEDEBICTOIT. 89 not the means and cannot aflford in this Province to build the costly roads here referred to, bvi while he admitted that the day was yet distant when such a system could be adopted to any great exterft throughout the Provin i-. '^ thought that there were some localities where the traffic was li. ^uch as the principal highways leading into the larger towns, m which even now it would be the truest economy to build MacAdam roads in the best possible manner. To show that the building of such highways did not necessarily add to the burdens of the people, he would refer to the experience of the State of New Jersey — the pioneer State in road improvement — where it had been found that the enhancement in the value of property along the macadamized highways amounted to sufficient within a few years after their construction to more than counterbalance the cost of the improvement, and that the interest on the bonded debt incurred for the purpose could be paid without any increase in the tax rate. On the same line was the experience of the State of Kentucky. The representative of that State, speaking at the National Road Conference in 1894, said : " The question about this matter which is of great interest to our "farmers is the question of taxes. When we first began to build "those roads the county levy was thirty cents on the $100, and when " we had got through building them, and had spent $60,000 of the "county's money, it had been reduced to fifteen cents on the $100, " which astonished them very much. But the increased value of the "land along the road has almost doubled the taxable value of the " county, and has thus reduced the levy so greatly." I would also like to read one or two extracts from opinions expressed by the farmers of New Jersey upon this subject. One writer says : "Prior to 1893 I lived within two miles of a stone road leading "to Camden. My tenant hauled manure from Philadelphia during " the fall and winter, going down with two horses and bringing out a " load with them. When he got within two miles of home he had to " double up his teams in order to bring the two-horse load the balance "of the distance to my farm. It took him longer and was more "fatiguing to the team to come those two miles than to come the "entire ten miles from Philadelphia to Mercihantville, and he was IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) 1.0 I.I 1^1^ 12.5 |5o ■^" B^B ■^ 1^ |2.2 640 1^ m m ii4 < 6" » ^ ^^ ■^l Hiotogrdphic Sciences Corporation v , •N^ :\ \ 33 WIST MAIN STMIT WIUTIR.N.V. MSM (7U) 173.4303 6^ 90 NEW BBUNSWICK GOOD B0AD8 ASSOCIATION. " frequently obliged to throw part of the load off to get home with the " four horses. It is this waste of time which makes it important to " farmers that we should have improved highways." Another New Jersey farmer says : "Before the building of the turnpikes twenty-five baskets of potatoes were considered a load from the farm I now occupy to market. After the turnpike was built fifty to sixty baskets were considered no more of a load than the twenty-five a few years previous. And now since the stone road has been built our load is eighty-five to one hundred baskets, and during the past winter our team has carried over one hundred and fifty loads of manure from Philadelphia, several of which I weighed and found to amount from 6,869 to 7,920 pounds clear of the wagon, which alone weighed 2,300 pounds — a combined weight of four-and-a-half tons. Many of these loads were drawn from the city to the point of leaving the stone road with only two horses, and the result has been the saving of over $100 in my manure bill for the year." Another writer says : "I operate a farm of two hundred acres near the line of the recently completed 'White Horse' Telford Road. I consider this road one of the greatest public benefits ever conferred upon the people of this locality. At a distance of eight miles it brings us nearly an hour nearer the market. It enables us to dispense with one team. Our teams are in better condition and require less feed and attention in doing the same amount of carting." Another says : " I would not sell my house and accept another worth $7,000 as a gift and be obliged to live in it if two miles from a macadam road. No farmer in this neighborhood would buy a farm not located on a macadam road. Now that they have a sainple of the road they all want it." Many more similar examples, Mr. Burditt said, might be given showing the high estimation in which these macadamized roads are held by those who are privileged to use them, but he would not take up any more time of the Convention on this subject. - t BKPOBT OV THE CONyBNTION AT FBEDEBICTON. 91 % Mr. D. W. Martin said that the subject of macadam roads was one which particularly interested him. In the City of Moncton, which is built on a clay soil, they had found great difficulty in getting satisfactory results from work done on the streets. Any gravel or other material they might place on the surface soon worked down into the clay, and in spring and fall the roads were almost impassable on account of mud, except where they had laid wooden block pavement. He would like to get some information as to the best means of remedying this state of things. Mr. Burditt replied that the conditions described by Mr. Martin emphasized the necessity for underdrainage. For detailed information in regard to making macadam roads he would refer Mr. Martin to some of the pamphlets which the Association had for distribution, but he might say that it was utterly useless to put broken stone or other surface material upon such soil as they had in Moncton unless the subsoil was made dry and firm by a thorough system of underdrainage. Sewers were intended for carrying off surface water, and they alone did not afford sufficient means for draining the soil. They were made tight so that the subsoil water could not get into them. Mr. Martin said underdraining was objected to on account of the expense, as the frost penetrated to "> great depth at Moncton, and the drains would have to be laid six feet below the surface to get clear of frost. Mr. Burditt, in reply, explained tliat when the water was drawn out of the soil the frost did not penetrate as it did in a soil that was saturated with water, hence it had been found that four feet beneath the surface was quite a sufficient depth at which to lay tile drains anywhere in this country. Mr. Hornbrook said that in the United States when they struck a soft surface they laid a quantity of very large stone in the bottom. You should not attempt to make a foundation with small stone, but put coarse, heavy stones in the bottom and then put on your broken stones. If you put the broken stone or gravel on a wet {ltt'UkV«t^..K . I |pf|il)lt ) [ | ^ l| !|ni. ii£ i -m.iM \l i .u i.,J.iil , .4, i ,u..-jm l l.;; . .w,)Lliliji i lJ,B, i J i »^!j!''.^' ^ ^^ ^ ^ 92 NBW BRUNSWICK GOOD BOADS ASSOCIATIOIT. or undrained soil it did not matter how much stone you put on, it would go down and the water and mud would come to the surface.* Mr. Armstrong, in answer to some points raised by Mr. Martin, said that there was no difficulty in running the tile drains in any direction required and connecting them with each other or with the sewers. If the land was flat they might have to give them less slope than was desirable ; in that case they would have to use larger tile. His idea was that underdraining lowered the subsoil water; the surface water was in a great measure cared for in other ways. One object was to (^tain a thick layer of dry earth so that the frost would not penetrate it, and in such mud as they have in Moncton he would put three lines in a wide street. Mr. Armstrong, referring to remarks of Mr. Ekmbrson at the afternoon session, with regard to encroachment on the highways, read the following resolution which had been prepared by the committee : Whereas, "It is very generally impossible to ascertain where the "legal bounds of the highways of the Province are, or should be; it is, " therefore, recommended that the Legislature provide for the appoint- " ment of a commission, comprised of oile or more engineers, with all " necessary powers, to traverse all lands and define and mark out and " record the bounds of at least the principal roads of the Province." Mr. Johnson thought the resolution involved a pretty serious question. The practice of encrof>.> ^ on the highways had become a great nuisance. Mr. W. S. Tompkins thought that the Government should provide the engineers with a body guard when they started them out on that mission. Mr. Emmerson said that, of course, he recognized the fact that in the early history of the Province proper provision was not made in this respect. He found that in some of the Counties this was a very •Note. — Mr. Horn brook it here referring to what is called Telford Pavement. It !■ an exeellent but lomewhat eipeniiTe road ooTerIng akin to maoadam. In it, after the roadway haa been exoarated to the proper depth and •hape, a layer of rather flat atone, set on edge, ii packed by hand, the rough points are broken oflT with hammers, and the small pteoes wedged In among main layer; broken stone, the same as in maoadam, Is thwk distributed la layers and rolled to a smooth surfaee. BBFOBT or THE COKTKNTION AT FBKDEBICTON. 98 it the \ , read 4 i serious evil, but in others, perhaps, they had not felt it, nor had any difficulty as regards this evil, and that was a question which, per- haps, would be pertinent at this stage. The question he would put was : Should this be done in Counties where they require it, and, if so, should the other Counties contribute to the costs, or should the cost be borne by the Municipalities ? He was glad to see the resolution, but asked the question because there was a delicate point as to whether the expense was to be borne by the Municipality or whether it meant that the Provincial Treasury was to be drawn upon. There were some Counties where this would not be required to be done, and should the public funds be drawn upon to have the remedy applied in some Countieia and not in others ? That was for the delegates to take into consideration. If they voiced the opinion of the people of the Province, and wanted the money expended in this way, the depart- ment would not cry over it. Pb »IDENT Hill thought the object of the resolution could be accomplished by legislation which would give power to Municipalities to have the work done where it was necessary. Mr. Pstbbs said if there was any legislation to be had in reference to fences they should be abolished. After some further discussion, the resolution was withdrawn. The following resolution was then put and carried after a brief discussion: Wherecu, " Great damage is frequently done to the highways by " obstruction of ditches and by other encroachments ; Ther^ore Resolved^ '*That the attention of the Government be "directed to the advisability of empowering highway commissioners " to compel any one causing damage to the highway by any obstruc- " tion or encroachment to repair said damage to the satisfaction of the " commissioner or be liable for damages, and that the commissioner must "act on the written complaint of any stated number of taxpayers." Carried. ' Prbsidknt Hill, in addressing the meeting, said that he had been elected President of the Good Roads Vssociation much against his will. He thought the President should reside in St. John, where : ■as.'-iis NBW BRUNSWICK GOOD BOADS AS&OCtATIOirl the movement had originated. In view of that, and with the hope that a younger man might be procured, he begged leave to tender his resignation. Messrs. Armstbong and Burditt both pvotested, and Mr. Hill finally consented to remain in office. Mr. Osman, M. p. P., thought it would be advisable to encourage as much as possible the erection of wire fences along the highways of the Province. Mr. Stevenson thought that the best way to construct roads on side hills was to have them incline towarJs the inside rather than towards the outside, as when they sloped towards the outside the water washed them away very quickly. Mr. Armstrong approved the idea, but said that frequent cross drains would be necessary. Mb. Hobnbrook thought that the rush of water that would accumulate on the inside down the hill, if this system of constraction were followed, would sweep away everything. He suggested that the roads be built very wide and almost level, but with a slight slope to the outside, and the outside edge be finished off with a ridge of small stones or coarse gravel. Mb. Skablb thought that if the road sloped outward ice would form in the winter and it would be impossible to keep a sleigh on the road. Mb. Hall said it would be well to try and do away with small wooden culverts and substitute something better, as the frost heaved them. He moved the following resolution : Jiesolved^ *'That this meeting recommend the use of earthen^ " ware pipe, or that pipe of similar nature be used very largely instead " of log culvert*." Some delegates objected to the use of earthenware or cement pipes on the supposition that in this climate they would be destroyed by frost unless laid very deep. To disprove this an extract was read from the report of the Convention held in St. Jobn last «> « lUPOBT OF TRB OONYBNTIOK AT FBEDBBICTON'. 95 September, in which Mb. A. W. Campbbll, C. E., referred to his experience in the use of such pipes for culverts in Ontario, and showed that if they were properly laid with a free outlet, there was no danger of their destruction by frost. (See page 47 of Report of St. John Convention). Resolution carried. Mb. Kino moved : .. WhereaSj " It is the intention of the Government to have the " proceedings of this meeting printed and attached to the previous ** minutes of the meetings held in St. John, September 21 and 22, " 1897, for distribution throughout the Province ; Therefore Hesolved^ ** That a number of copies (to be left to the *' discretion of the Government) be sent to the Secretary-Treasurer *' of each Town Council and of the County Council of each County " in the Province for distribution by him throughout such Town and « County." Carried. Moved by Mb. Bbtts, seconded by Mb. Wisb : Reeolved^ " That the thanks of this meeting be tendered to the *' Government for the encouragement they have shown the Associa- " tion, and the material assistance they have rendered it in carrying "on its work." Carried. The Convention then adjourned sine die. 'i^^^ ..^ii» ''is^ ' "J ll' t' l fOm^ms I i^n I I I n i\ fi II II i j n m il iitw>yp;;ww ni i i| iii i i |ir i |^ i Jj iiiii niiii i S l W i MlM tj:iu. i p.^ ' k n ifi % '■'^ir-. -»•. , « .» ROAD DRAINAGE. By Isaac B. Potteh, President L.A. W. 'm k .vi WHY DRAINAOE IS IMPORTANT — NO WELL DRAINED ROAD CAN BE LONG MUDDY — AMOUNT OP RAINFALL — SIDE DITCHES; HOW TO MAKE THEM; THE DITCH gauge; HOW TO MAKE AND USE IT — LOCATION OF SIDE DITCHES UNDER DRAINS — LEVELING — STONE DRAINS AND TILE drains; SELECTING TILE; SIZES TO BE USED; LAYING TILE; TOOLS AND MATERIALS. m I t //> * ^^^ Important Country Road, near Albany, N. Y. The road surface shown in this picture is drawn from a photograph. The section of road shown in the foreground is drawn to show the condition of a saturated eaxih roadway; the small channels and interstices between the particles of earth being filled with water which cannot run ofif till drainage is provided for. (97) ipi PPPiiM^ mimm I IW I LJ.)J > | fl|J l k.ytj y> 98 ROAD DRAINAGE. ' The first necessity of every good road is drainage* Dirty water and watery dirt make bad going, and mud. is the greatest obstacle to the travel and traffic of the farmer. Mnd is a mixture of dirt and water. The dirt is always to be found in the roadway, and the water, which comes in rain, and snow, and frost, softene it; horses and wagons and narrow wheel tires knead it and mix it, and it soon gets into so bad a condition that a fairly loaded wagon cannot be hauled through it. We cannot prevent the coming of this water, and it only remains for us to get rid of it, which can be speedily done if we go about it in the right way. Very few people know how great an amount of water falls upon a country road, and it may surprise some of us to be told that on each mile of an ordinary country highway anywhere in this country (three rods wide), there falls each year an average of twenty-seven thousand tons of water. Water is a heavy, limpid fluid, hard to confine and easy to let loose. It is always seeking for a chance to run down hill ; always trying to find its lowest level. In the ordinary country dirt road the water seems to stick and stay as if there was no other place for it ; and this is only because we have never given it a fair opportunity to run out of the dirt and find its level in other places. We cannot make a hard road out of soft mud, and no amount of labor and machinery will make a good dirt road that will 8taj/ ^ooasi«MsiM»»B»aii,!« '?■';#' .;,.?'••.••!"■ l'' " ^li!'V^' " ^ L V * .*.'n i n ' ..i i f > rj"— 1>*< IQO ROAD DRAIKAGE. THE DITCH GAUGE. To make the ditch shown in Figui-e 1, and to make it with even, flaring sides, so as to produce a workmanlike job, we had better use a rough gauge like that shown in Figure 8. This gauge is made to fit the proper cross section of a good surface ditch, and by "fitting" it in the ditch as we go along, the shape of the ditch will be kept uniform and correct. The gauge can be made of any convenient strips of wood, and the dimensions are described in the text below the figure. ^5- LOCATION OF SIDE DITCHES. If possible the side ditch should be about three feet from the edge of the travelled roadway, and there should generally be a side ditch on each side. If the travelled roadway is fourteen feet wide, there will then be twenty feet of clear space between the ditches; if the travelled r/Mf '."!.!r.j)?l/m)M)M'|iHMI III, III 'x,®«r'*--~:rr-^^ «!■ \o> C «', lOURE 10. Mb. a. W. Cahpbrll, in his address in St. John, did not favor leavine a shoulder, or three foot sodded space, between the road formation and the edge of the ditch, preferring the section shown in Figure 1, thoueh with more rounded crownmg than your secretary has shown. Figures 7 and 10 are added as good ditching sections, when work is done by the road machine. Figure 10 is the same as Figure 7 except in that it shows mode of deepening the ditches in passing a smaU rise of ground, and where extra depth is required to obtain sufficient fall. On any roiad where two loads of hay are likely to meet, the edge of the steeper ditch slope should not be less than ten feet from the centre of the road. CI' roadway is sixteen fe6t wide, there will be twenty-two feet of clear !:paoe. Now and then we shall find a place where the roadway is too narrow for these figures, and in such cases we may have to get along with a single ditch and a narrow roadway. The best rule is the rule of common sense. ROAD DRAINAGE. 101 Sometimes side ditches are entirely omitted and the shallow gutters at the sides of the wagon way are depended upon to carry off the surface water. This form of construction is shown in Figure 11. These gutters sometimes serve a good purpose, especially when made in regular shape and with good grade (as can be done with a good road machine), but they are likely to be clogged and destroyed by passing wagons, and for this reason alone it is better to make one or more separate side ditches when possible. When the highway space is too narrow to admit of the use of a side ditch, and in fact, in all cases, it is important to keep the angle ditches at the edge of the roadway clean and smooth by cutting out the angle and smoothing the surface; using a road machine and roller if these can be had. The work of a road machine in cleaning out an angle ditch is shown in Figure 6. On this point more will be said in the next chapter. Common side ditches catch surface water and surface water alone. When the surface of the roadway becomes rough and rutty by the passing of wagons, the ruts and low places hold the water and prevent its passage into the side ditches, and although thebe ditches carry most of the water which falls, there is often enough left in the roadway to create deep mud and produce much harm. In spring the frozen ground prevents the water from passing downward into the soil, and it remains to form mud on the surface. Side ditches should be kept clear of weeds, grass, alders and all sorts of material that will tend to clog the ditch and stop the flow of water. They should be regularly examined and the greatest care taken not only to keep the ditches open, but a free and unobstructed drainage from the roadway into the surface ditches should also be maintained. UNDER DRAINS. No way has yet been found of getting entirely rid of this mud, but nearly every dirt road can be greatly improved and a practically dry road obtained nearly the year round by the use of one or more lines of under drains. It is safe to say that there is scarcely a dirt road in the country which cannot be so improved by under draining as to yield benefits to the farmers a hundred times greater in value than the cost of the drain itself. j^^^2 iVii i' i iiiij " ■"• ,.! < ,. i >H!"; i n > 102 ROAD DRAINAOB. Few people understand what a different kinds of soil. It has been a cubic foot of sand will retain from Figure II. Showing "angle ditch" at side of roadway being cleared and opened by the use of a road machine. These machines are great savers of time, labor and money, and will open ditches, clean out weeds and rubbish, and give proper shape to a country road quickly and more uniformly than can be done by hand work. In most soils this water evaporates very slowly and we cannot prevent the formation of mud except by drainage. Many miles of road are on low, flat lands and on springy soils, and are, for many weeks in the year, underlaid by a wet sub-soil. Whenever frost heaves the roadway, and in coming out makes it bad for any length of time, it is a sign that it needs underdraining. In all such cases, and, indeed, in every case, where the nature of the ground is not such as to insure quick drainage, great amount of water is held by found by actual experiment that twenty-seven to thirty-two pounds of water; loamy clay, about forty- one pounds; stiff clay, forty-five pounds, and "humus" (soil formed of decomposed animal or vegetable matter), over fifty pounds. In other words, the weight of water in a cubic foot of humus, is more than one and eight-tenths the weight of the same earth in a practically dry condition, while the weight of water in a cubic foot of loamy clay is about one- half the weight of the entire cube. l.'>l>H. r>^*- ftf^'umfmina FincRE 1? Showing form of under drain made with field stones. The ditch is first dug and carefully graded at the bot- tom ; then large flat stones are carefully placed at the bottom so as to form a clear passage of good size for the flow of water. The ditch is then half filled with rough field stones (with small sizes on top), and on these a layer of sod is placed with the grass side down- ward. The rest of the ditch is filled with earth. If sod is not to be had, fine brush, hay or straw may be used instead. ^, Jf ROAD DBAIKAOE. 103 the road may be vastly benefited by under drainage. An under drain clears the soil of surplus water, dries it, warms it and makes impossible the formation of deep, heavy, frozen crusts which are found in every undrained road when the severe Winter weather follows the heavy Fall rains. This frost ** ** causes nine-tenths of the difficulties of tra- vel in the time of sudden or long con- tinued thaws. Examine the pic- tures on pages and cover. Each shows a variety of ailments, but the chief trouble in each case is a lack of draina-re. Thou- sands of miles of these impassable roads may be found for weeks at a time. Drainage is the Figure 13 (added by Secretary). Showing another form of under drain made with field stones where flag l^ke stones are easily obtained. The drain is filled by two flags {h h) set up against its sides and meeting at the bottom, kept apart above by stones of any shape large enough not to fall in and obstruct the water way (g) ; above that fundamental necessity, by a layer of stone or clean eravel, then earth above rr,i_ . j (/) instead of stone, as shown. There can be no good road without it. Under drains are not expensive. On the contrary, they are cheap and are easily made, and if made in a substantial way and according to the rules of common sense, a good under drain will last for ages. Use the best tools and materials you can get; employ them as well as you know how and wait results with a clear conscience. Slim fagots of wood bound together and laid lengthwise at the bottom of a care- fully graded drain ditch will answer fairly well if stone or drain tile CAnnot be had, and will be of infinite benefit to a dirt road laid on ^wimm " I' f-'- .' J) ''. >■■" fry, - •• Ah We Should Like To See Them. ■ 'i^-- ;