Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1886-07-22
ROAD CONSTRUCTION.
Some Points to lie Taken Into Consl
eratlon by Road Supervisors.

some Points to lie Taken Into Consld-
eration by Road Supervisors.
Evenness in the surface of the road
bed is essential to a comfortable and
durable road. The common fault Is
to throw up the center with n plow,
and, perhaps, dump piles of dirt with
the scoop here and there, leaving it TO
be levelod down by wear of teams
passing over it. The result is road
bed made up Of humps and mud.
holes, which can never be made into
good road by hauling on gravel, as the
gravel will be thick in some places
and thin in others; and, though the
surface of the ground be finished
evenly, il will settle uncvenly, and the
low places in the road-bcd hold water
and the gravel settles more there, and
is by degrees forced into the soil by
travel. This point of finishing up the
road-bcd at time of grading il, so that
the surface is even and true TO grade.
and so water will not stand or gather
at any place short of the cutters, is
essential TO q good, lasting road.
Neglect in securing this, entails evils
which can reyer be corrected so fully
by increasing the amount OF gravel as
to prevent the tendency TO uneven set
tling of the road. This evenness of
surface in grading once secured. tho
foundation is laid for a good road. II
remains only TO be evenly covered with
enough clean gravel 10 prevent cutting
through or sinking unevenly. This
means several things, and the amount
of gravel required depends, first, on
the quality Of the gravel; second, ON
the kind of soil and completeness If
drainage in road-bed; and third, on
the kind and amount OF travel on the
road. Hence, IL is hard to fix tho
thickness of graveli good judgment
must settle that.
First as to the gravel. This varies
in quality in every stream and every
grayel-pit. Material which is mostly
sand with few stones mixed in as big
rs ones double fist is unfit to use on a
road which has had iirst-class road
bed aud cutters made. A good first
class road can not be made from such
material. II may for time not cut
into ruts or get muddy and sticky, but
il never will pack evenly and maze
smooth road The jolt over stone
pitches the vehicles so as to soon cut
out II hole, great or small, where water
will gather aud facilitate the work OF
grinding out holes near the big stones.
IL is a misnOmcr to call such material
gravel. This stuff is not fit 20 even
put In the bottom Of a much-used high
way, for sooner or later the stones will
appear to cause jolting and g0uging
out holes In road which, without the
presence Of such Obstructions, would
wear evenly and keep smooth and solid
The best gravel has no stones larger
than a hens egg, and Is free from dirt,
and has no more sand among IL than
will barely fiji the interstices between
the pebbles.
Clean gravel froe from dirt and
stones viii pack uniformly, make
smooth road, and last indefinitely
This, then, means that when teams are
hauling gravel, II is the duty OF the SUI
pervlsor 10 soc that one team does not
bring load 81 sand and loan aud the
next of coarse gravel, and thus make
the gravel road-bod Of so unequal text
ure that II will never pack evenly and
viii soon wear more In one place than
another. and be full OF holes in a short
time.
Roads made in this careless way cost
about as much as those made well,
and will not wear half so long and
never will be comfort TO the com.
munity using them. ] know Of road
that | built twelve years ago, that has
had heavy hauling Of gravel and stone
beside the common use Of farmers
hauling grain and wood and logs, and
yet IL IS free from ruts and has no
holes. Near II Is road made seven
years ago by a supervisor who never
takes time to do any thing thoroughly.
The latter road has been twice
dressed with gravel, while the former
has never had any dressing with gravel
In twelve years. The well-bnilt road
cost no more per rod than the poorly
built one, except the increased care OF
the supervisor to see that the grading
was properly done, and the gravel was
good and Of uniform quality and even
ly spread as fast as dropped from the
wagon.
The true economy In road-building,
like all other work Of a public nature
Is TO build thoroughly and honestly
The Cheap Johns among our road and
bridge builders are the cEaps who In
tho long run cost our counties vasi
wastes VI moncy. - Cor. Ohio foTDfef.