Jasper County Democrat, Volume 18, Number 60, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 October 1915 — CONCRETE ROADS LOOKS GOOD. [ARTICLE]

CONCRETE ROADS LOOKS GOOD.

kutquois County, 111., Has Some Eight Miles Near Watseka. The editor of The Democrat took an auto trip Sunday over to Watseka, the county seat of Iroquois county, Illinois, principally for the purpose of seeing the concrete roads constructed near that city under Illinois' new state aid law. We are not familiar with the provisions of this law, that is, what proportion isjjaid by the state, the county and the township, nor their cost, but there is some four miles of this concrete road between Sheldon and Watseka and four miles winding on west and north of the latter place. Apparently that on the west was constructed last year and that on the east this year. Both sections seem to be standing up well so far, but it is too early, of Course, to determine how it will withstand several hard winters. It looks good now and is free from cracks.

These roads are but nine or ten feet wide, apparently, and in meeting teams or autos both have to turn off one side to the dirt to give half the road, leaving the wheels of the vehicles half on the concrete and half on the dirt, and everyone turns out, too, and gives half the concrete road. The concrete has a 6-inca curb at each side the same hei o ht of the' roadway, which latter is almost or quite flat; perhaps Is one inch higher in the center than at the sides.

Dirt is banked up against the curb to the top, so at present it is not difficult to turn off and on the concrete. But it impressed us that in a • t time this banking would become too soft and get cut up so badly that the wheels of the vehicles would sink down in the mud so far that it would be very difficult to get back on the concrete after one had turned off in meeting another rig. Also, to keep the sides well banked on so narrow a roadway, would be considerable expense, as it would be necessary at certain seasons to go over the road each day and pull the dirt ‘or sand—which latter is used in some places—back in place.

It seems to us that it would have been economy in the long run to have made these roadways full sixteen feet of the concrete or to use crushed rock for banking. However, it makes a might nice road to travel over and if it will wear it is preferable to brick. It is absolutely free from all dust. . We run over the entire two sections of concrete road there, and also drove a few miles north of Watseka on a good stone road, but we wouldn't care to drive very far over their dirt roads, which are abomnible.

Jasper county people who are interested in bettering our own roads and reducting the cost of upkeep should drive over to Watseka and inspect these concrete roads. It is a nice drive and only 40 miles from Rensselaer. There is stone road all the way, going via Remington, Goodland, Kentland and Sheldon. Some of the stone road is rather bumpy, especially a strip west of Sheldon, but there is a good dirt road at the side and nearly everybody uses the latter when it is not muddy. This particular piece of stone roadi is worse than any we have in Jasper county—more full of chuck-holes, but is free of rough rock. It connects with the concrete road further west, and, as no work has been done on it all this season, it may be that they expect to replace it with concrete next year.