Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-04-06
Country Road Making.

The main point to be kept in view
from first to last, in making country
roads, is drainage. No road can be a
success without good drainage, whether
natural or artificial, surface or under
drain. The latter is preferable, for a
soil naturally porous enough not to re-
quire an underdrain will remain so for a
comparatively short time only on trav-
eled road. The accommodating dust and
dirt soon prevent free drainage. Water
should not be allowed to accumulate at
any time, or for any length of time, on
the road-bed or in the side bitches. The
road bed can not be kept dry with stag
nant water in the side bitches. These
bitches should never be so deep as to
cause wagon to tip over if the wheels
on one side should accidentally run in
| to it. If the grade is such as to require
a deeper ditch it should be in the form
of an underdrain. A three-inch tile laid
through the center of the road-bed in
the direction of its length, at a depth of
three feet below the surface, with an
outlet every forty rods, would be bene-
fetal to almost all roads, no matter
through what soil they run. In spring
and fall, and in open winter, the benefit
of center underdrain is beyond ques-
ton. The inclination should be one to
125 in the direction of its length to Sc
cure effectual drainage. A similar
drain under each side ditch would be
money well invested.
In most soils it is detriment to roads
to use the surface soil in their construc-
ton. 1t would be better to scrape it off
to be used to fill up hollows, or if the
country is level, it had better be used by
the adjoining landowners as a top
dressing on their lands. Almost any
other use that can be made of it would
be better than to have it on the road to
form mud with every shower. In grad
ing a road, and after it has received the
desired convex form, the bed should
be thoroughly plowed a number of times
in order to thoroughly mix the material
and have it settle evenly. This is an
important feature, though seldom
practiced. Gravel is the best dressing
for country roads, if of uniform material,
free from soil, though a light mixture of
clay helps to bind it. All stones larger
than a hens egg should be carefully
removed. If on a much travelled road,
the gravel should be at least one foot
deep in the center, carefully leveled off
by means of shovel and scraper. Roll
ing with heavy rollers is very beneficial.
If the gravel is put ON in fall, the rains
will help to settle it more effectually
than if put on in summer, when it often
remains in a loose state for months.
Limestone or fintstone chips, cobble
or large stones of any kind are unfit for
top-dressing of roads, to fill shallow
holes or ruts. They can be used by first
excavating the road bed from one and
half to two feet deep in the center,
gradually rising toward the bitches, this
can be filed up with stones, the larger
ones set on edge, until the bed has the
desired form, when the upper layer
should be broken up fine, the largest
not to exceed two inches in diameter.
A thin dressing of gravel may be added,
and the whole thoroughly rolled with a
heavy roller. This is one way of using
stone in road-making, though in most
cases too expensive for country roads. |
Large stones scattered through a road
bed are sure to come to the surface in
time by the frost raising them, and
allowing sand or soil to deposit itself |
beneath; or if struck on one side by a
wheel, the opposite side is raised, andi in |
time it is on the surface, an impeachment |
to every passing vehicle. Every time a |
wheel strikes stone it suffers to the |
same extent as if struck with a sledge. |
to say nothing of the extra force required |
to carry the wheel over the obstruction.
Remove all stones from the roadway.
Country Gentleman