The Syracuse Journal, Volume 6, Number 25, Syracuse, Kosciusko County, 16 October 1913 — Page 5

THE SYRACUSE JOURNAL

PART TWO

HOW CONCRETE ROADSARE MADE Old Highway Rooted Up and a Subgrade Formed. LAY MIXTURE 7 INCHES DEEP Great Care Must Be Taken to Keep It Smooth and Even —Work on Homemade Floats —Ten Ton Roller Used on Shoulders of Gravel or Stone. When a country road is taken over for improvement it is first given a name, usually the one by which it is already known to the general public. A survey, plans and profile are then made and filed with the state highway department together with a copy of the specifications. , f This is done, says Business, after the old road is rooted up with a scarifier or gang plow; the subgrade is prepared, shaped and rolled hard with a ten ton roller, and the concrete to a minimum depth of seven Inches is laid right on the natural subsoil. Slide rails of 2 by 7 inch lumber are used, and these are protected on top by a two inch angle iron. When the concrete has become sufficiently firm to permit the removal of the rail the finishers pare off the outer edges, which are formed next to the rails to prevent a sharp dividing line between the concrete and the gravel shoulder. The concrete is put down wet. so that no tamping is necessary after it is once placed. When this is done no workman is permitted in any way to disturb the concrete by stepping in it or throwjpg anything on it. The strikeoff men use a plank trimmed to the curvature of the road And iron bound on the lower edge. It prides smoothly on the iron edge of thefform boards or rails at the side of the'concrete and is handled with sufficient care to eliminate the necessity of any considerable floating by the follow up men. These floaters work on a bridge which rests on the form planks at the edge of the road, so there is never any contact with the concrete. This rule '' '■ v * : • : • . •• • ’ , ■ ' >. ' J ' ■SHr* |SS|L . V? < c. ’ I ' S'' - Bwv w' • IL Bw Aw ALL BEADY TO LAY THE CONCRETE. to keep off the concrete is rigidly enforced. Smoothing is done with wooden floats of home manufacture. t Each day’s work is finished up to an expansion joint, and not more than twenty minutes is permitted to elapse between batches during the day. The work of the day is covered with canvas. and the next day the canvas is removed and the concrete covered to the depth of about two inches with any sand or loose soil that may be available, to keep the concrete from drying out too quickly. The gravel or stone shoulders are put on in layers three inches deep and also rolled with a ten ton roller, but thia work is not started until the adjacent concrete is at least three weeks old. Machinery is used wherever the same or better results can be secured, and it is a unique spectacle to see the large hauling engines trailing from two to four large wagons, each loaded with seven tons of stone. Graders are also drawn by steam, doing the work of from six to eight horses. Water is pumped for miles py gasolene engines. Stone and sand on some of the roads are unloaded with steam grab buckets, and the concrete is mixed in mechanical batch mixers that move under their own power. The mixed material is dumped into a bucket, which is run out on a pro jecting boom and deposited on the road where wanted. Each batch of con erete Is turned over three complete revolutions dry before water is added. The subgrade is thoroughly wet before any concrete is placed on it in order that the water will not be absorbed from the concrete. Trunk roads are usually built sixteen feet wide, with gravel or limestone shoulders extending four feet farther on each side. The less traveled roads have twelve or fifteen feet of concrete with a minimum width over all of ) twenty-four feet. The sections are twenty-five feet in length, with a pro - tecting plate three-sixteenths of an inch and three inches wide at each contraction joint. These metal plates are Intended to protect the edges from spalling and chipping. They are shap ed to conform to the crown of the finished road, which is one-quarter of an Inch to the foot. Two thicknesses of asphalted felt mbout one-quarter of an Inch) are inserted between these metal plates. Cutting the entire depth of concrete. .

“Safety First” is the motto Recently adopted by the country s railroads. “Safety First" is the motto that should govern every person in the handling of money. TKat means, don’t take chances by carrying considerable sums in your pockets or keeping them in your house. Deposit your money in a good bank where it will not only be absolutely safe, but will earn 4 percent, interest for you. Open an account with Citizens Bank The oldest bank in Noble County, and with the largest capital and deposits of any bank in Ligonier : : : :

LIftOXIEB’S GREAT MARKET DAY On Market day from far and near, Everybody comes to Ligonier. This is the one day of each month when everbody turns their attention to Ligonier, the most progressive city in Northern Indiana. This is the day when Ligonier offers everybody the opportunity to buy, sell, barter or exchange any article, or stock and at no expense to either buyer or seller. This is the day when you may bring any thing which you may have to sell to Ligonier and find a buyer for it. * No matter what you waVit to buy, you can come to Ligonier on Market Day and Every Ligonier Market Day has been a grand success and each succeeding Market Day has brought a larger and more enthusiastic crowd. This Market Day,—Oct., 25thpromises to eclipse all others. Set aside the last Saturday in Oct., and forget your toils and cares, and the stern realities of life for one day—-come to Ligonier where you may enjoy one greater day of pleasure and profit—a day when you will meet old friends and make new ones--a day when yon may buy or sell at your pleasure and at no expense. 11/IQ QAI IT All «um» under $5, cash in band, all sums over $5 a credit of eight months will be given, /1 HiIVIVIO Vz* without interest, purchaser giving bankable note with freehold security, or a 4 per cent, discount will be given for cash. 8 per cent, interest will be charged on all notes not paid at maturity. No goods to be removed until settled for. MARK THE DATE ON YOVR CALENDAR AND COME TO LIGONIER ON

CAPITAL, $50,000 At the annual meeting of this Bank our surplus was increased and now equals one half of our paid in capital. What does this mean? It means that we are steadily growing; that the people of this community are supporting the Bank that endeavors to please and accommodate them. Our last effort was that of offering to the public the New Savings Bank system, by which yon can save in your own home, educate your children in the saving habit, which will without doubt prove valuable to them. MIER .STATE BANK, Come in and set your watch by our clock—U. S. Observatory t

OCTOBER 10, 1913.

We Can Point With Pride to the Farmers Merchants Trust Company Bank and its accomplishments. We feel that the community has confidence in the management of the Institution and the policies for which it stands. We appreciate your account, whether it be Certificate of Deposit, Savings or Checking. We pay 4 per cent, on time Certificates of Deposits and Savings Accounts, and, in return for either or all of these accounts we give you the same service that has built up this institution—that his given it such a loyal following and that > has helped so many people on the road to success. Make Our Bank Your Bank Farmers & Merchants Trust Co., Ligonier, - - - Indiana

SURPLUS, $25,000 Interest computed on Savings Accounts at 4 per cent, semi-annually. Four per cent, paid on Certificates if left six months. Checking accounts solicited. Safety Deposit Boxes Free. This bank is responsible for Free Safety Deposit Boxes, thereby providing away for you to keep your papers in a safe, fire proof vault without charge. We aim to be courteous. Try us. and if you are not already one of our valued customers, give us at least a part of your banking business. TAKE OUR TIP: MAKE OUR BANK YOUR OFFICE. LIGONIER, INDIANA. corrected hourly by the Western Union Telegraph Company

A SUCCESSFUL CONCRETE ROAD Transformation of Old Highway by lowans. ONE OF THE BEST IN STATE The “Grade Road," Once a Two Milo Terror to Farmers, Is Now Pointed Out With Pride—Used Automobile Tax Money. Probably one of the very worst pieces of road in lowa existed for years in Benton county, just across the Cedar river north of Vinton. It was known as the “grade road" and is well known, especially to every automobile tourist who was unfortunate enough to be forced to travel it. The grade road proper is about two miles in length, leading directly from the north end of the Cedar river bridge. It traverses very low land, which overflows in time of high water and presents a number of difficulties which under the old system baffled the roadmakers. This grade is built up like a railroad grade, and the height varies from probably ten to twenty feet. During freshets the river would cover the entire country, in some places running over the road, and the consequence was that when the waters receded the grade was honeycombed with washouts. Various ways were tried to resist the water, such as using crushed stone, dirt, etc., but every year found the surface of the roada little worse than the year before and so full of “chuck" holes that a real old corduroy road was a boulevard in comparison. It was almost impossible to get over it with a load, much less an automobile. As the ordinary road tax in this township was entirely too small to properly take care of even this one piece of road, the building of a permanent highway was a difficult matter. However, early last spring the Vinton Ad. club took the matter up, and wbat was the worst piece of road in lowa is now the best and enjoys the distinction qf being the first concrete county road to be built in lowa. A committee was appointed by the Ad. ■km ' x ' ; SECTION OF COMPLETED CONCRETE ROAD AT VINTON, IA. club to go before the supervisors and urge prompt action. It was found that with Benton county’s share of the new state automobile tax coming in, several thousand dollars were available. The fanners served by this villainous road were then approached and together with business interests of Vinton contributed $2,800 toward the cost of making a start toward two miles of permanent concrete road. The work was let to a responsible contractor at $1.03 per square yard, and the finished road Is a joy to look upon and better still to travel over. It is expected at an early date to complete the entire two miles and perhaps more. The road constructed this year amounts to 2.600 lineal feet. The roadway is sixteen feet wide, with center eight inches thick, grading down to six inches thick at the edges, which gives it sufficient crown for drainage purposes. The curb is twelve inches and is inverted, extending into the ground, which will greatly aid in the resistance to the high water. The entire cost of this paving was approximately $5,032, of which Vinton business men and farmers directly interested contributed $2,800, and the -county paid $2,200 out of the automobile tax. This does not include the grading on each side of the cement roadway, which was let to a local man and cost SSOO It is well worth the price and no doubt next year will see the work of this year extended at Aeast as much more. Value of Good Roads. Three years ago the farmers of Spottsylvanla county. Va.. si>ent SIOO,OOO on good roads. Here is how the value of farm lands increased as a result: In-c-vase, Price, Price per Owner. Acres. 1909. 1912. eent George B. Shay 13$ ss.§oo $5,000 « Susan M. A150p,420 6,000 8,250 3? Tommy Todd 110 1.500 2,000 33 Mrs. Edgar Wallace, 475 5.000 12.600 150 Thomas J. Price 357 2,800 4.400 67 William Thorburn... 126 3.000 10.000 333 Good Highways Uplifting. There is nothing that contributes more to rural uplift than good roads. For social and economic improvement communication must be easy. Without good roads it is impossible for the people of rural communities to meet and discuss ways and means of improving rural society. . (