The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1852-02-24
Building Plank Roads.

The report of the Engineers of the
Anderson Plank Road explains 50
clearly the manner of building such
roads, that we arc induced to take from
it the following extract:
The lumber used for planking the
road must be of sound timber, having
square edges, it must be eight feet
long, and three inches thick. The
stringcrs must be three inches thick.
showing five inches face ut the small
eiiu. All trees, stunps, roots and
rJcks, arc to be removed for the dis.
tancc OF seventeen feet from the centre
OF the road, SO that in no case shall
either plank or stringcr rest OH stump,
root, or rock. All dead trees arc to
be removed for the distance of:3O feet
from the road. The road bed is to be
y feet wide, and the centre raised ? 1
inches above the bottom Of the side
bitches. This is to be observed where
no cutting or filling is required
Where there are slight inequalities in
the natural surface Of the ground. al
though the grade may be under that
required; yet they should be removed
'nasinuch rs their removal will add
greatly to the appearance Of the road.
~ ditch is to be formed upon each side
OF tic road. so as to carry off all sur
face water to the most convenient cross
sluice, or other place Of discharge; said
ditch is to be five feet wide at top and
two at bottom, and the entire slope to
DC on tho side next to the road bed
And such other sluiccs, and lateral
bitches, as may be necessary to secure
the perfect drainage of the road. These
VIII be most necessary where the water
Will require to pass under the road, or
from ollc side ditch to the other. The
road will be required to be SO graded.
as not to have II greater rise than four
feet in one hundred. The plank are to
be lasd on four string pieces. These
pieces are to be So lald, that the outer
edges of the outer string pieces shall be
five and u half feet apart, and each to
he ut equal distances from the centre
OF tho plank; the distance between the
outer and inner string pieces to be six
inches. The plank must have firm
bearing OH the string pieces.
lhe outer end OF the plank should
be one inch lower than the end ut the
centre of the road. The stringcrs arc
to rest firmly on the earth their eutire
length. Particular attention must be
paid to having tho earth well packed
ts Pk SS arc s'fSt ro fest iirmiy n Sf on aftGh tI"
they must also rest iir.mly on them,
they must also rest equally firm on the
well packed Garth between them. The
plank are to be laid on the right hand
side OF the r"a'l-bcd, when ascending a
hll!, and on the left when descending.
| he ends OF the plank are to project
alternately, one beyond the other three
inches. Af,cr the plank are laid, the
road shall be SO graded, that the firmly
packed earth ut the centre of the roni
shall he three inches higher than the in
ncr ends oi the plank. and the whole
surface of tho road 10 bc made smooth
and even.
x x Il
10 these are added certain s,lurcs-
li"is Ill reference to Il particular sec
ton, which is rendered difficult, proba-
hiy by the wei or muddy nature OF the
s"ll. The suggestions are rs follows:
he grading in the section OF co,ln-
try near Grindstonc. will require more
care than at any other point ot'lllc line.
from the nature of the soil. Our opiu.
ION Is that after the road-bcI is raised
above the general level of the ground
SAY at least Is inches, that there
should be Il c"aiing Of ; inches ots;lnd
put on the dirt-track This must be
done Oh the hill sides. a small u,,ou-
tiy of gravel thrown ut their inner
ends of the plank, will be of very great