Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1886-05-27
RoAp-MAklNc. q.
Useful Suggestions on the Proper Drainage
OF Public Highways.

Useful Suggestions on the Proper Drainage
OF Public Highways.
One OF the most important subjects
to occupy the minds OF the rural popu-
lation is that Of roads. Another is
drainage, in connection with roads.
for without drainage no road, whatever
the material, can be permanently
good In fact there are situations that
must be undcrdrained before the road
is made. Such places are, first, all
hollows that are sprouty. or that are
undcrlaid with hardpan or other mate.
rial impervious to water
The other class are sprngy and bog
gy hillsiles. All such situations should
first be thoroughly underdraincd. In
fact, the writer Is of opinion, from
practical experience, both in under
draining farm and garden land, and
from obscrv ations on roads that have
been underdrained, that In all districts
where the natural soil must be used
both for the substratum and the surface
of the road, one or more lines of four
inch tile is n valuable auxiliary where
laid along the line of the road. IL Is
no less useful where gravel, s'Jue or
other ballast forms the supcrs gJcture.
The importance of Undertaking roads
will be apparent to all who have ever
witnessed the quick drying Of the soil
and its solidity. over and near under
drains on the farm.
Whore to place the underdrains
along the road is question not entire
ly settled. The probability Is that one
line should be in the center of the
track. Where drains are placed near
the edges Of the road, these places dry
first, and take the travel In muddy
weather. II this plan is adopted line
of tile must be laid near each side of
the road. and that portion of the
ditch within eighteen inches of the top
should be small, broken stone. small
gravel or coarse sand. This will pre-
vent the whole from becoming imper-
yious to water through pudding. II
only n single line of tile is used, Il
should be certainly filled with stone or
gravel, except tae last eighteen inches.
just over the tile. This should be sand
on friablc loan.
II the tiles are laid in the bitches
they should be under the deepest part,
or next the side farthest from the cen
ter of the road. In this case fair
wagon-track will DO found next these
tiles, along the side of the road, in wet
weather.
Ir the Undertaking of roads, where
the cost would bc too great to tile the
entire length, all low places should ccr-
tainly be drained. and ample outfall
must be provided by carrying drain
along the lowest outflow until il may
be brought to and carried of through
some natural channel. 1t is altogether
better, however. 10 drain the entire
road uphill and down, carrying tho
water of at every depression leading
away from the road; and this, aside
from tie fact that thus all water pass
ing down through the soil is quickly
carried away. really much water is in
a measure forced down through the
soil, thus preventing it running over
the surface. Hence much washing of
the road, in broken country. is avoided
and where water stands in possible
ruts on worn places it is quickly drawn
down to the tiles below. - Chicago 7'rib-
tlIc