The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1869-12-07
Written for tie Spir-t.l
rs - * Hs =
what Roads GGSilt SO De rs 20
EAciT slopes Ok GIvGjC8.

| Every ROAD SA0liN Oa rs n9HfIy level
as possible. II not, . large portion Of
the strength Of the horses which travel
! it viii be expended il raising theI0ad up
| the ascent; when load IS drawn M an
I inclined plane the resistance Of the force
Of gravity, or weight to be overcome, is
such a part Of the whole weigut as tha
height Of the plane is Of It's length. #,
then, q road rises one foot in every
twenty of its length, horse drawing up
& lead Of one ton IS compelled to sctn-
ally lift up one twentieth Of the whole
weight, ! c, one hundred pounds, through
the whole weight Of tbe ascent, besides
overcoming the friction Of the entire
| load.
In order to a correct solution Of the
question, ii is requisite that We should
know the comparative force required to
draw given load upon level and di iIer-
ent inclined roads, we shall therefore
before proceeding further, invest gate
this subject, and show the manner in
which we may determine the tractiye re-
CURED upon roads Of any given incljna-
ton.
! BY experiments made by GAzFrIza on
g French road and PARNELL upon an
English road, we established the follow
| ing data; Calling the load which Que
horse can draw on 4 level 1000 pounds,
on rise of one foot in fifty horse can
only draw $40 pounds; On riae Of one
in Il he can only draw 75l los Jon 2
Use Of IN 20 he can only draw 720 lbs,
:. On rise OF one in thirty he can only
draw Gao pounds On a rise Of one in
twenty-four he can only draw 500 pounds
on rise Of one IN twenty lie can only
draw 400 pounds and on a rise Of one
in ten he ca2 ou!y draw 29G pounds. In
round numbers upon slope Of one in
A. or 100 feet 10 the mile, q horse cen
draw only three quarters as much as he
can upon level road; Oh a slope of l
III a or go fc@t 10 the mile he can draw
only half as mach, and on 4 slope Of
in 10 CT SIS Ieet to ;he mile, only one
quarter az much.
The loss Of power on inclinations is
indeed even greater than these consider
atoms show; for, besides the increase of
draught c40sed |y gravity, the power Of
the morse 70 overcome it is much dinil-
isacd upon 8n ascent, and IL even 4 great-
er ratio than that Of man, owing TO lis
snatom;Eai formation and its great
weight" Guppoae a horse on a level Is
as strong as tive men. vet On 4 steep hill
! it IS less strong than three; for three
men carrying each 100 pounds, will as
cend iastay than ahQrse With 500 pounds
InelinatiCns being aiH ay2 thus injurious,
are pa tjc"larly so, when single steep
slope occurs On long liue Of road which
Is comparatively lGyel. II IS, in that
Case especially important 10 avoid or to
lessen this slope, since the load carried
over the whole road, even the level por-
tl0ns Of it, must be reduced to what can
be carried up tile ascent. Thus ii a long
slope OF l III u occurs on level road, as
Z horse can dTaE up oaly one half Of
his full lead, he can carry over the level
parts Of the road only half &a much as
he could and should draw thereon. The
loss Of power Oh incilr stions hcipg Sc
great as has been shown, it follows that
IT IS very important never to allow
road to ascend CT descend a single foot
more than is absolutely unavoidable If
a hill to lie ascand3d, the road I'D it
sbonld no wher9 have even the smallest
;all or descent, for that would make two
hills instead Of one; but it should be so
located and have such cuttings and
filings as will secure 4 gradual and IN
interrupted ascent the whole way. In
this point engineering skill can make
wonderful improvements.
The slope should be SO gentle that
when heavy vehicle is descending, It's
gravity shall not overcome its friction
go far as to permit it to press upon the
horses, h 5 limiting slope corresponds
to the angle Of ro2oee Of mechanical