The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-03-15
THE FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
Breaking Road.

fall, or as they are neapeu up ny Iho
winds. create the most serious Obstruc-
tions to travel over the highways; it is
much easier to raise the questions how
shall these be overcome most successful
Nv and economically, than it is TO give salts
factory answers. Frequently larger expen-
diture is required in country towns TO break
out the roads in winter, than to make all the
needed repairs upon the highway through the
rest of the year. Much angry discussion and
Improbable defamation would be avoided
in the annual town meetings, and much i'll di-
rected effort now worse than squandered could
be saved, were some well consideredsystem oil
prevention and cure devised and enforced by
the provisions of statute law.
As but little advance has been made in this
direction beyond the primitive practices of our
fathers, it seems as if there existed both the
necessity and opportunity, for combining the
experiences of practical men and the skill Of
the civil engineer, in some improvement
worthy of the progress made everywhere else.
We are however, constrained to admit, that
the forces of nature are most powerful antag-
onists; and even in practical consideration
of our subject, it might be easier to suggest
some reform in present methods, than to
make any new recommendation of positive
value.
A fall of snow even to a great depth 8
not by any means an insurmountable obsta'
Gle to travel, provided it remains as it falls,
but when by the power of the wind it is
forced together and deposited in one place,
and packed so closely as to become almost
another substance resembling the solid earth
or more solid rock, it offers powerful re-
sistance to man or beast, or even the iron
horse. The clouds deposit their contents as
they will, and they must be received in sub
mission, but nevertheless we may largely
control or prevent the subsequent action of
the wind, from which most of the trouble
arises in the winter.
In the original location Of roads, much
can be done to avoid or prevent the drifting
of snow. Instead of going over the hilltop,
aud thus encountering the full force of the
blast and its obstructing effects, it may be
avoided without an increase Of travel and
perhaps with less expense, by winding around
its side, or seeking beneath the sheltering
forest some valley route. Sometimes a road
skirts the margin of pond or lake, pleasant
and picturesque enough in the summer, it
may be, but in the winter it receives across
the frozen waste the full brunt of clouds OF
snow impelled by winds which have gathered
strength in their wild sweep across acres of
the level surface. AS western prairie is
dangerous place to encounter wind or storm,
so everything resembling it, whether wide
stretch of level land, or OF ice.clad water, is
unfavorabe for winter roads, and to be
Stunned whenever it is practicable.
1t is not always possible even by sklful
engineering to prevent the exposure of some
section of road to drifting SHOWS. In that
event, it only remains to remove all obstruc-
tions and give the wind and snow free course
and thus prevent the Judgment of the snow
as it passes over it; or else, erect on the
windward side a barrier sufficient to exclude
its entrance within the limits of the road.
Sometimes in exposed positions all trouble
has been removed, or rather prevented, by
widening the road and drawing back the
fences; or by constructing them Of some
open-work pattern, or better still, Of wire,
and thus obviating all accumulations of
snow. Much has been accomplished within
few years by that common sense legislation
which allows highway surveyors to take
down before winter those fences by the
roadside which only serve to admit and
retain almost impossible drifts.
! AS the transportation of the mail, procur-
ing medical aid for the sick and the ordinary
business intercourse of life make it necessary
/ that there should be winter roads, even
under the most unfavorable circumstances,
the question aries, how shall they be made?
Were we engaged in an inspection OF roads
during the winter, we should probably find
that all really good ones were trodden by
many feet and beaten down by the weight
and pressure of many freights; and from
UGH description we may perhaps learn the
best way of making them through, deep or
drifted SHOWS. Early in the season the exact
h inc 10 be travelled should be selected and
distinctly defined by suitable marks. such as
/ stakes or evergreen boughs, and closely adj
/ hered to through the winter, and of course
the route should always be within the high
way limits as straight and direct as possible.
Then we know of no better advice to give
than in simple phrase to say, always keep
above the snow, tread 1t under foot, press it
= down by heavy weights, make the founda-
\ ton as solid and substantial as you cap.
n Digging a channel through the snow, either
/ br removing it or forcing it out on either side
i by some sort of snow pillow, generally fails TO
. give satisfactory results. Either the next
wind fills the cavity with snow, packing it
harder than before, or the wear OF travel and
the warm spring sun by and byf find the earth
beneath, and the traveller is compelled to ride
In his sleigh on bare ground, while two solid
walls of snow and ice prevent his obtaining
access to the good sleighing which either
!. roadside would afford.
Upon sidewalk, snow scraper does very
good work, as the simple object is to come
down to the underlying foundation regard
less OF the piles OF snow that may be heaped
in the street; but the similar apparatus al
though in size much larger, formerly used on
the highway in the country districts, has gen.
orally proved failure for the reasons above
given.
A large heavy roller, or one loaded with
sufficient weight, will press down the snow
compactly and do very effective work on the
highway. So will also the common long
wood sled, with stick of timber chained I'M
der the front end, and not unfrequently by
fastening pillow to the front side of the same
sled, by going and returning an excellent
road can be made. The furrow thrown up
by the plow, may be levelled by dragging
harrow in the rear of the sled, or the road
may, and should be, broken of sufficient
n