Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1871-10-27

top, or little concave, generally aims to
have it higher in the middle to carry of
the water and not permit it to 60 through
the bottom of the stack. Does not the
parallel with regard to roads ''go on all
fours p
In forming the road bed, the writer be-
lieves that the most economical plan is to
do nearly all the work of moving the earth
by horsepower. Two good horses or
mules to plow out the side drains, and two
one-horse cast iron scoops to be operated
by the plowman, will, under favorable
circumstances, move more earth than
twenty men can with shovel and hoes
In addition to the above force. three or
four men to remove stones, stumps. roots,
&c., level the earth moved by the scoops
and finish the side drains, are believed to
be sufficient. -
For repairs, after the road bed is form
led. Cor it may be used under favorable
circumstances in forming it, the writer
constructed scraper, similar to such as,
be was informed by friend from New
York. were used in that State, each SUI
pervisor being required to have one. In
preserving the form of the road bed and
filling up ruts, it will. in his opinion, do
as much work. and do it better, than 100
men can with shovels and hoes. For two
horses, it is made with head piece Of IL
inches wide and 81 inches thick, and S
feet long. having plate of iron bolted on
the front side and extending about II
inches below the wood. To the head
piece attach the tongue and hounds by
three strong bolts to and through it. the
heads of the bolts being countersunk in
the wood on the under edge, the tongue
and head-piece to form an angle Of IS de-
grees with each other at the right and for
ward end Of the scraping part. That.
part should be verticle when in use, and
as the front end of the tongue, when
the team is attached. will be lighter than
the back end, it should be allowed for
when attaching it to the head-piece. It
is also necessary to have lever some or
8 feet long attached to the back part, TO
act as a rudder to keep it in position. II
four horses are used, the head-piece may
be feet long.
1t is not claimed that this or any other
plan will make turnpike out of earth, as
continued wet weather, with constant trav-
lel, together with freezing and thaxinq.
| will make bad roads at those seasons when
they occur; yet, if the foregoing system is
carried out. the writer firmly believes that,
in the language Of an acquaintance who,
was at one time opposed to it, but who is
now convinced of its correctness, 1--WE:
shall have better roads longer in the year."
After getting all the railroads and turn
pixies that we possibly can, there must
still be left far greater proportion of
earthen roads, and which will be the more
travelled from such improvements. It is
of course our interest, therefore, to keep
them in the best condition for use, and
with all the means which are in our pow.
er. 1t needs no argument to prove that
the wear and tear of vehicles. the strain-f
ing of horses and the difficulty of getting
produce to market, constitute vastly
heavier tax upon the community. than
reasonable sum of money judiciously ex-
pended upon our country roads. IS