Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-01-11

Care should be taken that there De a
sufficient fall from the road to the ada
cent ground to take of the water, so
that this ground be some inches below
that on which the road is intended to
be placed. Side drains, or bitches, to
carry off the water, are indispensably
necessary.
2."Having secured the soil from un-
der water, the next care is to secure it
from rain water, by a solid road made
of clean, dry stone, or flint, SO selected
prepared, and laid, as to be perfectly
impervious to water. This cannot be
effected, unless the greatest care be ia
ken, that no earth, clay, chalk, brother
matter that will hold or conduct wa
ter, be mixed with the broken stone,
which must be SO prepared, and laid,
as to unite by its own angles into a firm
compact, and impenetrable body.
8. 1.-THE large stones usually laid at
the bottom Of roads as a foundation,
are not only a useless expense but posi-
lively injurious; as being constantly
shaken by heavy carriages, they keep
the upper stratum loose, and open for
the reception of rain water.
4."The stone, Cor, as we term it, the
metal, is to be laid on, not all at once,
but in layers of three inches thick: al
ter the first layer is laid ON, it is to be
subjected to the traffic, or if the road is
not open to traffic, a roller OF iron
should be used, if the weather be show
cry; if otherwise, water should be
thrown on it; for no stone will consol-
idate when perfectly dry.
S."Much has been said and written
upon the strength of roads. My expe-
rience leads me to the conclusion, that
six inches thickness of we'll broken
stone, properly laid on, is quite sufh-
cient, provided the bed Of the road be
made and kept dry. Of late years |
have made no road thicker; but on the
second year have given it an addition
ofthree inches, loosing a little the hard
surface of the road, about an inch deep,
to allow the new and the old materials
to unite; going upon the principle that
the natural soil is the real carrier both
of the load and the carriages and that
if it could be kept dry by any other
means, the artificial road would be alto
gether unnecessary.
6. "The thickness Of a road is i'm
material as to its strength for carrying
weight. This object is already obtain
ed by providing a dry surface over
which the road is to be placed as a CO.
vering, or roof, to preserve it in that
state: experience having shown that if
water passes through a road, and fills
the native soil, the road, whatever may
be its thickness, loses its support, and
falls to pieces.
z. "The only proper method ofbreak-
ing stones, both for effect and economy,
is by persons sitting. The stones are to
be placed in small heaps; and women,
boys, or old men, past hard labour,
should sit down and break them ,Cith small
hammers, as non shall erceed sir ounces in
weigM.
S."The stones should be broken We
ry small. In recommending six ounces
as the proper size, went as far as the
then old prejudices would admit. But
experience has convinced me that half
that size is more useful and more prof.
table TO the country.t When the stone
is well broken, and properly applied,
there is no occasion for the covering of
gravel or slate-and / object to it, as
preventing the consolidation Of the
stone, by keeping the pieces apart,
whereas they would otherwise unite by
their W angles.
9. "The reason for recommending
the laying on the stone atdifferenttim times,
and in layers, is, that if the whole guam
tity be laid on at once, the upper part
v consolidates properly, but CONT
nues loose, and tends to loosen the up
per part so as to allow the water to
pass through.
10, "Nothing is to be laid on the
clean stone on pretence of binding
Broken stone will combine by its W
angles into a smooth, solid surface,
which cannot be affected by vicissitudes
of weather, or displaced by the action
of wheels, which will pass over it with
out a jolt, and consequently without
injury.
IL. "a carriage ought as much as
possible to stand upright in travelling.
/ have generally made roads three inch
es higher in the centre than at the sides,
when they are eighteen feet wide' II
the road be smooth and well made, the
water will easily run off in such a slope.
IL. "When roads are very convex, ira
vellers generally follow the track in the
middle, which is the only part where a
carriage can run upright by which
means three burrows are made, one by
the horses & two by the wheels. More
water stands OF a very convex road than
on one that is reasonably fat.
Is. "Ten inches of we'll consolidated