A NOVELTY IN ROAD MAKING.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XVI, Issue 979, 6 October 1883, Page 3

A NOVELTY IN ROAD MAKING.

The " Ellesmere Guardian " states that a novel system of road making or rather road metalling that dispenses with the use of horses and drays, where the metal has to be conveyed a considerable distance, ia in full swing within a few milea of Southbridge. The scene of operations ib a district road, and owing to exceptionally heavy traffic during the winter just past, this had been cut up to such a degree that in wet weather it was almost impassable even for pedestrians. The Road Board cilled for tenders, and Mr R, T. Webb was the successful tenderer. Now, Mr Webb is the fortunate owner of a couple of traction engines, which a few months ago were busy in the 'harvest field, and one of these, with the large waggons, has been utilised for the purpose. The engine takes kindly to its new employment, and is making splendid work on the contract, which could not have been performed with the ordinary means used— horses and drays. The broad wheels of the engine, combined with its great weight, have made in frequent journeyings to the gravel pit, some half a mile distant, a tolerably good road. The smaller of the two waggons carries about five tons of metal, and the larger one about nine tons, and it is astonishing to witness the ease with which the engine pulls the latter with its nine-ton load out of the pit up a short but sharp incline of say one in four, and on the level drags this huge load along a heavy road at the rate of four miles an hour. Arrived at the spot where the metal ia to be deposited, this operation is performed by means of a scoop attached by chains to the engine, previously detached from the waggon : the engine ia moved on the length of the vehicle and then brought back and the movement repeated. The waggon is then moved on a little further when this operation is repeated. The transit of the engine and heavy waggon on the newly spread metal — where this is rendered compulsory — instead of cutting it up acts as a roller in consolidating the shingle. So well is this done that we fancy the Board would save money by hiring the engine for a day or two to travel over it. We notice that in Christchurch, newly metalled roads are now invariably rolled with a steam roller, and we may be certain that this would not be done if no saving were effected, and the heavy engine with its broad wheels would make a capital substitute for the roller.

Two cabmen ran into each other at night, and one, whose horse was killed, sum noned the other before a magistrate. " Whon yon had run into complainant's horse and knocked it down and run ovfr it," says the Court sternly, " why didn't you stop to see what damage had been done ?" " Oh," replied cabby, " I didn't know it was a horse I'd hurt — I thought it was only a man."

A rich story is told by the "Philadelphia Times " concerning two democratic members of the Legislature from that city. A member had wound up a grandiloquent speech with the quotation, " Vox populi vox Dei." The two Philadelphians, Crawford and Maokin, held both been listening with great admiration, and Mackin, turning aside, said to Crawford, " Al., wasn't that a line climax V* Oh, it was grand !" replied the Eleventh Ward member. Mackin eyed Crawford suspiciously for a moment, and then offered to bet him ten dollars that ho did not know what he said. "I'll take that," said Crawford : of course I know what he said. It was 'Wox populi, wox Dei,' and it means, { My God, why hast thou forsaken me?' Mackin plunged his hand into his pocket and meekly said — "TheWs the tenner, Al., I didn't know you were such a good Latin scholar."

For conUnWitiQii of News, see Fourth Patje.