A winding trail of mud, rocks
and waterfilled holes was all that linked most early Canadian
settlements. Travellers often preferred to go by foot or horseback
rather than risk being thrown from a bouncing wagon. Eventually,
graders hauled by horses pushed or pulled a blade over the roads to
cut off bumps and fill the holes, followed by a roller which
compacted and smoothed the earth.
Charles H. Waterous, founder of Waterous Engine Works, worked
towards perfecting the steam road roller. Used by Canadian
municipalities and leading road builders, the roller was a 12 ton
monster that could compact almost any terrain. With its Waterous Steam
Pressure Scarifier breaking the surface prior to grading, this
industrial giant smoothed the roads in many Canadian provinces.
Waterous Engine Works
Road Roller Association
Classic American Steamrollers
