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As the West began to become more populated, better roads started to be built. They were carved out by hand, with axe and shovel at first, then by horse and equipment.Even though roads were rough, by today's standards, the Model T's, Buick Touring cars and delivery trucks of the times appeared, one by one, and the West began to look much less wild.
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Virgil Neis and Children1912
Near Mirror, Alberta
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Virgil Neis working road maintenance equipment4
Frank Knight on Road Maintainer1912
Near Mirror, Alberta
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Frank Knight on a road maintainer - circa 1920's6
More Road Building1912
East of Mirror, Alberta
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A road crew, building a road, east of Mirror, with horse drawn equipment.8
Road Building1912
East of Mirror, Alberta
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Horses pulling Fresno Scrapers (road building machines).The Fresno Scraper was invented in 1883, by James Porteous, after a series of other inventions, to improve the existing dirt moving equipment which existed at the time.
James, who was born in Scotland, moved to Fresno, California in 1877, first opening a wagon shop, and later a manufacturing plant, Fresno Agricultural Works.
One of his early inventions was improved upon by three other California inventors. James eventially secured the rights to their patents, and using some of their ideas along with more of his own, came up with the idea for the Fresno Scraper.
The Fresno was dubbed a "national historic mechanical engineering landmark" because of it's hightened ability to move dirt.
These machines were pulled by horses, and were generally used in the construction of canals, ditches, ponds and levelling when building roads.
These Fresnos in this photo are being used in a series, so only one pass is required to scrape down a nice firm roadway.
You can find an indepth history of the Fresno scraper, and how it evolved, at:
http://www.asme.org/history/brochures/h158.pdf
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Road Building Crew1920
Near Mirror, Alberta
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A road building crew in our area, in the 1920's on Flemmings Hill.12
Road Building on Flemmings Hill1920
Near Mirror, Alberta
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More road building in our area. Note how rough the roads still were. |
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