St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1890-11-22
Cheap Country Roads.
FOR PLACES WHERE DIRT BEDS, OPEN
bitches AND WOODEN CULvERTs

FOR PLACES WHERE DIRT BEDS, OPEN
bitches AND WOODEN CULvERTs
ARE USED.
Plowboy, Oneida, kans.. writes Orange
Judd Farmer: That which will do tue
most good among the rural population
under existing conditions, is a discussion
of the best practical methods of building
and maintaining good dirt roads at least
expense. do not approve of the proposed
plan of doing away with the small road
district and placing the roads of whole
township under the control of one man.
1t would bring the office more into politics
and fear the tendency would be to give
the more public roads between the towns
more than their Just share of attention.
Also in time of high water, when bridges
are washed out and prompt action is re-
uuired simultaneously over large area,
the work would not be done so quickly rs
when divided between several supervisors;
neither would the one supervisor feel the
personal interest in all the roads that is
taken by the officers under the present
system. Let the small district remain,
but elect the supervisor for term of three
or FIVE wears so he can not only lay his
plant but have time to carry them out.
Let the wages be sufficient to recompense
good man for his time, and you, farmers,
vote Tor such man irrespective of party
lines | regret to say that some of us do
too much Sinking and layin g-in the shade
when we 90 on the road to work, when
we ought to at least be willing to do
decent days work to have the road smooth
and straight.
Goor DRAINAGE Observation-Disclosures.
TO main tain good roads good drainage
is necessary, and when properly con-
structed the open side ditch is the most
practical and efficient. The expense of
artificial under draining precludes dis.
cussion of It's merits here. The bitches
should not be deeper than necessary, and
should be of as uniform depth as possible,
with good outlets provided in all low
places where water would stand without
them. Let the roadway be of medium
width, rounded evenly and uniformly from
the outside of one ditch to the outside of
the other, with the center sufficiently
elevated to readily carry surplus water
into the bitches. For culverts, stone
arches are of course superior to wood, but
we will have to pass them, along with
paving and under draining, for s large
part of our country. | have found boxes
made of 2 inch plank, using oak for the
top, more satisfactory than sewer pipe.
Be careful to make them sufficiently large,
and put good plank wings at the ends to
prevent the banks being washed away. 1t
is not good plan to cover the plank with
earth. as they soon rot under 1t. On
eith.r side of these culvelts mud holes
are sometimes formed, and it is a common
practice to fiji these with earth taken out
near the erd of the calvert where i: is
handy and soft-essy to pillow. But mud
is mighty poor materis! to fill mud hole
with. In such cases it will pay to draw
better material from some distance. The
practice of
FLOWING UP THE BBATEN TRACK
where it follows the center of the road,
should not be followed. Let it remain tor
a solid foundation on which to build new
roadoed In addition to the use of the
grader and the small scralers, each dis
trict should be provided with good steel
pillow and be required TO keep it bright and
in good order, and use it lntelligently.
The crooked slovenly blowing often done
even where there is chance to do nice
straight work, would be disgrace to
Chinaman with his crooked stick. If, in
stead of starting the grades directly in the
sod, a couple OF burrows were drawn by
stakes, for starter, would 1t not be an
advantage? When the roadside intended
to be worked is in sod, it should be plowed
in the fall, using sharp pillow and taking
narrow burrows, except in the case of
prairie sod, when regular prairie breaker
should be used and the burrows laid fiat.
WEED SEEDS MOVED DOWN.
There is another point to which | wish
to call attention In travelling one often
sees the roadside occupied to great ex-
tent by noxious weeds, such cockleburs,
thistles, smartweed, jimson, etc, etc.,
producing seed which will be scattered by
wind and water. by rabbits, dogs and stock
to the lands of good, careful farmers,
often miles distant Therefore, whenever
possible, the roadside should be left in
good shape to be run over with a mower
and the weeds cut before they 60 to seed e.
Let us take more interest in having our
/ a. ,>,>~a pco6 for No rDattoF