The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1878-03-07
our COUNTY ROADS.
Oiiy luginerr johnson, VINO IVES Az
pointed superintendent ~ 'hs He
pairs oa tha couniy Roads, aiyss
some NeTy vaiunbl. Suggestions 90
the Oyerscera,
DALLAA TkSAs, March I, lSiS,
To the oyersoerA Of Dallas County Roads

To the oyersoerS Of Dallas County Roads
| Having been appointed by the citi
aens OF Dallas 10 superlniond the bridg
ing aud repairing OF several OF tho Dial
las county roads, aud this with the CON
currence OF the county commissioners
| have taken the liberty OF printing
some remarks upon the subject of dir
roads, compiled from nm article 10y
Professor r. q, Carpenter Of tho Mich
gan State Agricultural college, In tn,
Engineering News, of October ~ 1871
and lew sentences from General O. A
Gilmoros book on roads, streets and
pavements
This In done with n hope OF creating
an interest IN this branch of our mutua
duty, and with the expectation OF load
ing to u better acquaintance with zach
of you in which We may all contribute
something for the Improvement and
maintenance of our county roads
The principal cause Of poor roads on
all heavy soils il an oycrNNbundanoe OF
water, which renders the road wet,
soft and ut times, unfit for travel
consequently we find that the road
makers in all ages have strongly urged
the adoption of some efficient method
ofremoying the surplus water,
1t is not claimed that the removal OF
the water will, in all circumstances
and under all conditions, render road
good but il is claimed that this ia an
essential condition TO the making of u
good road, and one which, il not pro,
vided by nature, must be provided ar-
tihcially,
Whatever systom of road making IN
adopted, il should be one that will
koep our roads constantly improving
and one that does not demand very
costly annual improvements 10 keep
them steadily growing better. IL is a
we'll known fact that il means are pro,
vded for the escape of water, even
though no broken stone, gravel, or
other road covering he applied, the
road will be greatly improved A dry,
smooth road, OH clay or loan (roads on
dry sand not referred to in this article),
is always IN u good condition, and the
nearer dry road on heavy soil can DO
kept, the better 1t will be- The COM
mon means resorted to for removing
the water is by turnpiking, ditching,
and ty understanding
Turnpiking is performed by oxcavat-
ing bitches Mt the sides of the road, and
throwing tho earth obtained from these
into the center, forming an eleva>
ted ridge, on which tho road
way is formed. The roadway being
elevated above the side channels, the
water passes from it partly by passing
through the surface OF the road and
working its way through the ground,
until it reaches the side channels, and
partly by running directly down the
slopes of the roadway into the side
channels. The efficiently of the turn
pike depends upon its dryness; for
when heavy soils are saturated with
water they become soft and incapable
of supporting heavy load, consequentS
| ly il becomes evident that the surface
Of the turnpike should be made OF such
shape as to allow as little water as pos>
sible to permeate the surface and it
should convey rs large n per cent. as
the conditions will allow directly to the
side channels, which should be made so
as to convey the water that passes into
them completely and rapidly away.
The longitudinal slope or grade that
may be given the surface depends some-
what on the nature of the soil, and the
character of the travel that passes over
the road
The sleeper the surface, the less
water will it absorb, but if it be made
too steep, the water passing over it will
wash much earth into the side chan
nels, rendering them comparatively
useless ms well as endangering the
safety of the travellers who drive near
the side of the road. The exact slope
that will best suit all cases cannot be
definitely stated, but experience has
shown that rise OF one inch for every
three feet measured horizontally an.
swers the required conditions very well
for the road bed The slope of the side
of the road to the bitches should be
| little more than one inch to the foot,
while q sleeper slope--tor instance one
that rises four inches per foot horizon
tally-will do for the side of the bitches
next to the road fences, rs they are less
likely to be cut or trampled out of shape
by passing vehicles.
The side of the roadway should bt
sloped from the center, gradually in
creasing in steepness to the bottom o.
the bitches, so as to give the water tho
greatest rapidity, where its washing
will do the least hurt. Practically il
will answer every purpose to make the
sides of the bitches uniformly ascend
ing planes, which are curved to meeI
each other after reaching the road bed
The width of the roadway should b.
made to depend upon the amount and
character of the travel that 'passeI
over the road. A roadway o
TWENTY-FIVE feet in width vii
probably accommodate any traffic
that passes over, or may be expected t
pass over any country road in thi
state. 1t is doubtful economy TO con
struct road less than sixteen fee
under any circumstances, while roat
way of twenty feet will probably answe
well for all roads, except such as hay'
exceptionally large traffic over them.
The bitches, or side channels, shoul'
have continuous ascent from the out
let to the highest portion OF the road
and the outlets provided, should be 9
sufficient size to allow all water tina
passes down the side channels to pas
through at once into water courses Q
suitable reservoirs, where its presenc
will not affect the road. The depres
sions that occur on the line of almos
, every road, mark the position Of rain
or water courses that make an angl
with the axis of the road, and whic
afford excellent means of emptying tn
side channels. On roads over fiat, To-
or marshy grounds, it is of vital impol
lance to the condition of the road tina
A. "a obannala Ia nrovidpd with ar