Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1871-01-13
.::nsoals s,nd gs oad nI.,lkIlag.

aye. The fiat sutfaoo permitted on most
roads in this country is their radical defect
The result is rivers OF mud in spring and au.
tamn, and frozen ruts Of indcscribable ugli,
ness 10 winter until such time os tho snow
covers and fills them
A few days ibor devoted to thorough
aitching alongt the sides of roads and eleva.
ting the coutres where they have settled be
low the proper grade would mitigate the
evils complained of. This is generally done,
when done at ull, by throwing back on tho
road tho soil evacuated from tho ditchcs u
waste of 'lnbor. Such soil is generally com.
posed Of commnuted and pulverscd muteri.
al washed off from the road, and will only
temporarily pack AS soon as it becomes
very dry in summer it grinds up into dust
heap, md is blown Off by winds, aud washed
off again by rains. N
All soil used to raise the level of roads
should be new soil, not tho washings Of the
roads, which latter should DC cartcd away
Where roads nro much Travelled these wash
ings arc u valuable ,nhnure and it would pny
well to cart them into the lands lying along
such roads from which soil Of inferior fcrtil.
i,y might. be taken to form the roadways.
Wherever practicable, dccp hard bed Of
stone or timber should be laid below the reach
of frost, upon which the surface material
ought to be distributed. Gravel stands un.
rivaled for road surfaces, but it is not availa.
bic in many localities. Broken stoues, how.
ever, is obtanable ofteutimcs where gravel
cannot be got, and answers the purpose very
we'll.
We have seen road laid through swamp
made with bed Of rough logs, we'll sunk
down and covered with mixture Of blue
clay and broken stone, which was excellent
in all respects, having almost as good and
permanent surface us macadani.
1t is usual to work country roads early in
summer, to repair the defects caused by
spring upheavals. This done, they are gen
orally left until the ensuing season. when the
same operation is repeated. But little Ia
Dor late in the fall would pay we'll on most
curing proper drainage All sluices should
be opened if stopped, tho roads raised, where
the summer wear and tear have depressed
them, and their surface made smooth, SO that
the water mayrun off with the utmost facility.
Neglect in these particulars is always dearly
paid for in the miring Of teams and wngons
| and the wear and tear Of both animals and
vehicles Scientific American.
RELICS OF THE MOUND BuILDERs.-RE
CENT DIscoyERIEs AT EAST ST. LOUIS. =
In the town Of Fast St. Louis, Immediately
opposite this city, is Cor was) an "Indian
mound which was used by the early white
settlers ns burying place, OIL account of its
elevation above the food tides of the Missis
sippi For several days past lnborcrs have
been engaged in digging down this mound
for Il railroad track. AS previously mention
ed by our East st. Louis reporter, large qu,n
titles Of human bones, vases. Indian weapons,
etc., were found by the workmcn. These
relics nrc similar to those heretofore discnv,
cred in other localities, and afford nothing
new for the antiquarian 10 speculate upon.
Yesterday, however, the men uncar,hcd
something which is new and curious. At IA
depth of thirty feet from the original surface
Of tho mound, they struck a line of cedar
posts, eight in number, stnnp;ng erect, six
teen feet in length, and much dccsycd
by timc. Before coming to these posts.