Cuba past and present . and where carts could be usedit was frequently necessary to use four to ten oxento haul the load which on a good road could easilybe drawn by a pair of horses or mules. Meanwhile the Islands finances were improvingand in the National Treasury a large surplus wasconstantly being increased by the many Cubansources of revenue and at last the country awoketo the fact that this surplus could not be used tobetter advantage than in the construction of goodand sufficient highroads. The department of public works in 1906 drewup a general plan for a system of roads under theadvis
Cuba past and present . and where carts could be usedit was frequently necessary to use four to ten oxento haul the load which on a good road could easilybe drawn by a pair of horses or mules. Meanwhile the Islands finances were improvingand in the National Treasury a large surplus wasconstantly being increased by the many Cubansources of revenue and at last the country awoketo the fact that this surplus could not be used tobetter advantage than in the construction of goodand sufficient highroads. The department of public works in 1906 drewup a general plan for a system of roads under theadviser, Col. W. M. Black, and the plans were atonce approved and ordered put into execution byGovernor Magoon. Once started, the work wascontinued with little interruption through the vari-ous administrations and yearly the mileage of goodhighroads is being increased. Unfortunately agreat deal of money has been wasted under someof Cubas administrations and time and again theroad work has been curtailed; but surely, even if. THE HIGHROADS OF CUBA 189 slowly, it is going on and in time the Island willbe as well equipped with good roads as neighbour-ing Porto Rico or any other country. In the construction of roads in the Tropics manydifficulties must be met and overcome which do notexist in the North and if roads are to be built tolast they must be constructed of the best possiblematerials and with the most painstaking care upona foundation of solid Telford macadam, with am-ple drainage, high crowns and numerous culverts,bridges, etc. The new Cuban roads are uniformly sixteen feetin width, with a right of way of fifty feet, withconcrete culverts, retaining walls and substantialbridges. Wherever there is danger of flooding,ditches have been dug to drain the surroundingland and at intervals of six to eight kilometresneat little houses have been constructed for the useof employes whose duty it is to keep a certainsection of the road under constant supervision andcare. In the yards of the
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, bookidcubapastpres, bookyear1920
