A manual of the principles and practice of road-making: comprising the location, construction, and improvement of roads, (common, macadam, paved, plank, etc.) and rail-roads. By W. M. Gillespie ...

THE CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS. 147
CHAPTER III.
THE CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS.
"The torrent stops it not; the rugged rock
Opens, and lets it in; and on it runs,
Winning its easy way from clime to clime,
Through glens lock'd up before."
ROGERS.
CONTRACTS.
THE actual " Construction" of a road, after its " Location" has been completed, may be carried on by days'
work, under the superintendence of the agents of the company, or town, by which it has been undertaken; but it
will be more economically executed by coNTRACT. A
" Specification" is first to be prepared, containing an exact and minute description of the manner of executing
the work in all its details. Copies of it, with maps, profiles, and driawings of the proposed road, &c., are to be
submitted to the inspection of the persons desiring to undertake it, who are to be invited by advertisement to hand
in sealed tenders of the prices per cubic yard (or other
unit of measurement) at which they will agree to perform
the work. The proposals are opened on the appointed
day, and the lowest are accepted, other things being equal.
The " Contract," which is to be then signed by the parties, should:ontain copious and stringent conditions as to
the time and manner of performing the work; stipulating
when it is to be commenced, how rapidly to progress, in
what order of parts, and when to be completed, which