The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-05-20
How to Improve Roads.

Henry County, o.. has been well nigh;
ruined by mud. With lethargy born of
q sense OF despairing helplessness, tho;
people have submitted to their heavy
burdens Year after year tho mud
blockade has almost stopped the wheels.
of business for periods of weeks at al
time, amounting in all to nearly one
fourth of the year. Everybody prays for
good roads, but nobody puts his shoul-..
der to the wheel. Our roads can be very
materially improved at an expense en-.
tirely within the means of even this tax.
burdened people. By all means let us
have stone roads as soon as possible;
but first let us prepare place to put the
stone, to insure us against the chance
of losing it in mud unfathomahe. For
the sake of illustrating, let us suppose
that we are going to make an entirely
new road. After the road is located We
will stake OUT the track, which should
not be more than 20 feet wide. After
this is done, let competent and trust
worthy civil engineer stake out two lines
for tile drain, each a few feet from the !;
center line of the roadbed. Then tiles !.
should be laid to perfect grade, moth
less than an average depth of three feet, .
and carried to the nearest outlet, no
matter what the distance nor what the
expense. This is an absolute necessity, i
as without efficient tile drainage therel
can be no good road built in Henry
County, either of stone, gravel, or any
other material that is accessible. After
the tiles are laid as above directed, pro-,
ceed to raise the roadbed about 15l
inches in the center and or at theI
mir / fho annS
soil. No clay should be allowed on the%
road. 1t should then be made perfectly
even and smooth. No hillocks or hol-.
lows should be allowed under any cir
cumstances. 1t will then be a good plan4
to go over it several times with the}
heaviest rollers and make it as compact
as possible. Then dig your side ditehes
with the same care as to grade and out4
let as was done with the tiles. These3
open bitches need not be deep, bu9
should be so graded that no water will
stand in them to soak and soften the bed;
of the road. They will carry off thet
water that falls upon tho road, while the
tiles will carly that which comes up
from beioY.
In ordeff keep this road in good
condition, appoint man to 60 over it
ooS ia HCt 5CdcAAA, utd"t
off the water from puddes that maN
form on the bed of the road and filH
them up. and also to keep the side.
bitches in good working order. The
road should be completed as early as the;
middle of August. SO that It may be weif
settled before the fall rains set in. Lett
the above principles apply to old roads,
The roadbed need ND be raised more
than two feet above the general level;
unless in crossing a low place.
After you have constructed your road
in the above manner, you have foun--
dation upon which you may build your
stone or gravel road, which you may de-.
lay doing until you feel able to bear the
expense. Wnen you wistto put stone
on the road. make it twelve inches thick
at the center and six or eight at the side;
the width should be from twelve to fif-
teen feet. This done, you have a road
that will be pleasure to travel on at
any time of the year. Farmers can then
sell their produce when the price is most
satisfactory. q
There are three prime essentials to
road building in this locality. They are;
first, drainage; second, Better drainage5
and third, the best drainage possible
z. G H., 10 Napoleon, Ohio, Signal.