Jasper County Democrat, Volume 18, Number 59, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 October 1915 — STILL ANOTHER ADVOCATE. [ARTICLE]

STILL ANOTHER ADVOCATE.

Highway Sii|»erintendent of Marion County for Permanent Roads. Apropos The Democrat's recent suggestion for a brick road through Jasper county, and its showing that we must have more permanent roads to withstand present day traffic such as W e have on the main traveled road north and south through this county, we notice that County Highway Superintendent Miller of Marion county is advocating the same thing for the principal highways in his county. Miller says he is opposed to any further construction of a temporary character, and believes steps should immediately be taken there toward working out plans for permanent, highways of concrete or brick. In the days before the automobile, gravel and macadam roads gave good service,” says Mr. Miller. "With the increased traffic the automobile has brought these roads will no longer do. It would require an Immense sum of money to keep the present system of roads in good condition. The county has 449 miles of roads. The gravel and water-bound macadam roads will not stand the kind of traffic there is in Marlon county. I brieve there is more travel in this county than in any other county in this part of the country, because Indianapolis is the gateway to all directions for tourists A good waterbound macadam road costs from SB,000 to $9,000 a mile, and it does not last any time at all. To keep such a road in proper condition would costat least SI,OOO a mile a year. Take such a road as the National road. It would require constant attention to keep this road in proper condition, and I do not intend lo recommend anything other than repairs for this road this year, because I believe the day of permanent roads is in sight. I would not be surprised to see such a movement started in the spring. "I belive a system of concrete or brick highways should be worked out, and I would like to see the county permitted to do the work, for I believe the county could save money. It is hard to get contractors to do work properly, and they insist on an immense profit. I beleive that the county could build permanent roadways for about $1 4,000 a mile, and the maintenance cost for many years would be practically nothing. Place • hat against a water-bound macadam road, costing $9,000 a mile and an annual maintenance of SI,OOO a mile right from the start. ‘‘lt would not be possible to biuld such a system of highways in a short time. J belieye it would require from six to eight years, but the county won Id have something that would last. The problem of how the roads should be paid for, is yet to be worked out. They would have to be built without being too large a burden on the people.”